15 Habits That Make You a Brnovian
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Transcript of 15 Habits That Make You a Brnovian
7 July 2015 Eva Lalkovičová, eng. Eva Dobrovolná
15 Habits That Make You a Brnovian
A lot is saidabout Brno, ina good wayand not such agood way. Butthe truth isthat it is agreat place tolive, and whatis moreimportant foryou, it is verystudentfriendly as well. In what respect? Have a look at our list of tipsfor places and experiences or new rituals, most of which youwill probably adopt in the coming years, whether you do itintentionally or they simply somehow happen. That's the waythings are in Brno.1. Arrange to meetunder the clock on“Čára"
The mostpopularmeeting pointin the citycenter is thecrossroads ofthe streetsČeská andJoštova. Atany hour ofthe day ornight, you seetens orhundreds of people standing and meeting there. Who has not
Brno is really easy going city.
Typical meeting point called
Photo: L
udmila Korešová.
Photo: L
udmila Korešová.
been waiting for their friend for at least half an hour at “Čára",as this place is called, only to find out that that friend hadbeen standing few meters away in the crowd of other people,is not a true Brnovian!2. Drink good coffee
They don't liketo hear this inPrague, butduring thepast ten years,Brno becamethe Czechcoffee capital.Dozens ofplaces withgoodqualitycoffee aresprouting allover the citycenter andadjacent streets, but more and more in the less centralneighborhoods as well. And there are also the legendarymovable coffee stands directly on Česká or Mendlovo náměstíthat have saved many students from collapsing before somehorrible exam. Besides, gourmets appreciate the regularCoffee Week event.3. Go around by “šalina"
Trams, called “šaliny" in Brno, are the pride of the city'spublic transport system. They take you practicallyanywhere and with the student tram card they are supercheap as well. Their furious clinking might be terrifying attimes, but if you are not standing in their way, they are mostlyfriendly. You can also experience parties with cymbalo musicor draft beer in them.4. Fight for amarble from theastronomical clock
The notorious
Brno is full of cafes.
Photo: M
artin Kopáček.
black spectacleshaped as abullet orprojectile onthe FreedomSquareresemblesanything but
an astronomical clock that it is. At eleven o'clock sharp, aglass ball jumps out of it – you can catch it and keep as a nicesouvenir. Besides this, the Freedom Square hides anothergem: a great view of the whole historic city center directlyfrom the roof of Dům Pánů z Lipé (The House of the Lordsof Lipá).
5. Go around on abike and returnhome by “rozjezdy"
The number ofbike fans inBrno isgrowing andthus thenetwork ofbiking trails is
expanding,too. Even ifthe situation isby far notideal yet, theterrain and thesize of the city
Astronomical clock on the Freedom Square.
How not to get lost in thestudent city of BrnoPractical hints for young foreigners can befound in the useit map availableat www.useit.travel.
Photo: L
udmila Korešová.
is just perfectfor this kind oftransport.Besides, youdon't have toown your ownbike. Youmight just aswell rent it.Shared pinkbikes called“Rekola" arelocated mainlyaround thecenter and fora few hundredcrown a yearyou can unlock any of them any time and use it to goanywhere you want or need. (the terms of using "Rekola"bikes are only in Czech)Since students are night animals, they are usually big fans ofthe socalled “rozjezdy": regular night buses that go everyhour (on Fridays and Saturdays every half an hour) from thetrain station to every corner of the city. Coming home from along party has never been easier. Traveling by these nightbuses can often turn into an adrenalin experience just likefrom an action movie and you can meet all kinds of interestingpeople there.6. Go to Fléda and all kinds of flea markets
One of the most popular clubs in Brno, Fléda, is the epicenterof student life. It hosts concerts and other interesting events.On Sundays you can come to a flea market here and let somestylish outfit or an antique piece make your day. Flea marketsare very popular in Brno, so almost at any given time you canfind one of them somewhere.7. Chill out inLužánky
Not far from
Regular night buses go every hour from the trainstation.
Photo: M
artin Kopáček.
Fléda you canventure intothe biggestpark in Brno,which is alsothe oldest citypark open forpublic in theCzechRepublic.Lužánky is anoasis oftranquility inthe middle of abusy city. Inthe spring andsummer the park comes to life: the grassy areas are dottedwith resting people and the trails get flooded by joggers.8. Watch the stars on Kraví hora
Another popular place where to chill out in summer and enjoythe sun is Kraví hora. It is close to the center, so from mostfaculties you can reach it on foot. It's a great spot for apicknick or a barbecue and offers other possibilities as well.On the top, you can find the Brno observatory andPlanetarium from where you can see all the way to theMoon.9. Wander through “Kamenka" or around “Prigl"
“Kamenka", which is the short of “Kamenná kolonie/čtvrť"(meaning “Stone Colony/District") is one of the mostmysterious and charming places in Brno. It is located close toan old quarry by the river Svratka in the Štýřiceneighborhood. Narrow streets and distinctive tiny houseshunched on the hillside and out of sight of the city will quicklywin you over, if for nothing else then for those interestingcultural events that take place there. You can also get there bybike, just follow the biking trail that then continues all the wayto the Brno Reservoir called “Prigl" where you can gosunbathing or swimming in summer. Ask some Brnovian how
The oldest city park Lužánky.
Photo: L
udmila Korešová.
to get there.10. Explore the outdoors outside of the city
When you live in Brno, no place is too far. Fifteen minutes ona tram and you get from the very city center right into a forest.How about taking a stroll over the Medlánky hills that arecovered in blossoms each spring or visit the wellknownpasqueflower meadows on Kamenný vrch? Or go to Hády, allthe way up to the radio tower above the quarry that overlooksthe whole city. Besides your own snack, pack something tastyfor lamas alpacas that live in the nearby Lamacenter Hády.11. Enjoy a glass ofwine on Špilberk
The firstspring or thelast autumndays are bestenjoyed onPetrov
orŠpilberk with a glass of wine in your hand. Both citylandmarks (the cathedral and the castle) are mainlyassociated with the city's history, however they are alsoprominent parts of today's life of the city. During the day, youcan study for you exams on a blanket in the park, and at night,go ahead and enjoy the view of the city lights from thefortification walls.12. Compete for the title Miss or King of “Majáles"
The music festival “Majáles" is an inseparable part of thestudent life as well as of the spring in Brno. It is one of thebiggest music student events in the country, it always takesplace in May, and besides the musicians, various student
Glass of wine on Spilberk Castle.
Photo: L
udmila Korešová.
societies present themselves there. Last but not least, theMajáles Miss and King are elected during the event. Whoknows, maybe next time it will be you.13. Have a shot of“turbomošt" atChristmas
There aren'tmany thingsmoretraditionalthanChristmasmarkets inBrno. TheCabbageMarket andthe FreedomSquare fill upwith woodenstands packed with handcrafted products and fragrantdelicacies. You have a great opportunity to buy handmadeproducts and original Christmas presents or simply celebratethe end of the winter semester with your classmates there. Goahead and taste “turbomošt" or “svoboďáček", drinks thatevery year bring thousands of Brnovians to the markets.14. Explore local architecture
Brno is not all about the famous Vila Tugendhat, althoughyou definitely should not miss that one. You can find asignificant building or a historical sight at every other cornerof the city. Particularly theJurkovič House, which looks likeit's been cut out of a fairy tale book, is worth visiting. In thecity center, you can get a taste of the atmosphere of the FirstCzechoslovak Republic in the Alpha passage. If you want toexplore architectural masterpieces, thewebsite bam.brno.cz could be really useful for you.15. Become aregular at one of thewellknown student
Hot drink in cold winter.
Photo: L
udmila Korešová.
venues of the city
Brno hasplaces that arefrequented byforeigners,cafes popularamong momswith kids, andalso pubs andvenues thatare literallystudent hubs.Many of themare located onthe Veveřístreet, close totheFaculty of Arts and Faculty of Social Studies. Someof the typical student cafes are for example Falk or Podnebí.Other wellknown student venues are Spolek, Tři Ocásci orthe bar Desert. Find whichever place you like the best andenjoy meeting your classmates there.
Enjoy a beer or two...
Photo: K
atarína Motalová.