By Elham P.Mohammadi, writer at Flatio
"By the way, you're getting a tour of almost the entire city," my colleague said with a smile as he picked me up from a bus station in Brno to show me around the company's office and then drop me off at the place I'd call home for the next few days.
And he was right. Brno, the second largest city in the Czech Republic with a population of about 380,000, is small. The Czechs themselves say that you can get almost anywhere in Brno by car in 15 minutes or less.
During my stay, I found that there's a good-natured joke between Praguers and people from Brno about it being a "village." I also had the feeling that Brno is like a village. But I mean that in a good way. In fact, Brno had me at "hello."
When I got there, I felt a sense of calm and serenity in the air. The night was incredibly peaceful. I immediately felt like I was at home.
What struck me most on my morning commute to the office was the wide streets from which you can see the sky in all its glory.
In Brno, it's not just the buildings and streets that are big and wide. There I saw the most spacious cafés, bars, and restaurants ever. Two-story bars are the hallmark of the city, and most of them look luxurious and have very professional, smartly dressed staff.
When in Czechia, goulash is a must-try dish.
Oddly enough, the bars and cafés that are so big and fancy still feel warm and cozy. Maybe it's the ambience or the interior design with traditional elements, or both. Whatever it's, it's a combination of modern and classic that soothes the soul. Also, the city has a vibrant nightlife, which is sure to delight party lovers.
The food portions are generous, but not overwhelming. The prices are reasonable. And the dishes I tried weren't only tasty and fresh, but aesthetically pleasing and served in a very elegant manner. The kind of food you eat with your eyes first. My favorites were flat white, goulash, and veal schnitzel. If you're a doner fan, you can find Turkish kebab stores in almost every corner.
In Brno, you get the kind of food you eat with your eyes first.
Expect to run into people you know while eating out or strolling around the city because that's just the way it's in small places, right? However, that doesn't mean your privacy won't be respected.
There's no subway in Brno, and the people there probably don't need it because the city is so walkable, and many things you might need are just a stone's throw away.
I remember one evening when my cell phone battery was dead and I asked a colleague how to get to my place, he pointed to a tram track and said, "Just follow it, and you'll find it on your way." And I did.
The next day I realized that I could reach the office by following the same tram track. It was such a nice feeling because I no longer had to rely on Google Maps and instead could look up and marvel at the architectural splendor of the city while listening to street music and enjoying the pleasant May weather.
Brno is a quiet city. There's virtually no noise pollution, which makes it easier to immerse yourself in your thoughts and reflect on what you want. Or think about nothing.
I believe such an experience is a rare luxury in today's hectic, noisy world, for it's in moments of self-reflection and silence that the seeds of new ideas and change germinate.
I found the people of Brno to be very calm, friendly, and easygoing, and I was greeted with a smile almost everywhere I went. The city's laid-back lifestyle means there's no rush to get things done, which can be both good news and not-so-good news, depending on your personality and preferences.
Brno is the place to be if you prefer a relaxed pace of life.
During my week-long stay in Brno, I felt safe even in the outlying and less crowded neighborhoods when walking alone at night. However, as in any other city, it's always good to be cautious.
Brno is generally a clean city. But there's always room for improvement everywhere in the world, and Brno is no exception. Some parts of the city could be cleaner. Also, pedestrians and drivers could have more respect for traffic rules, especially traffic lights.
As for the convenience of payments, I liked the fact that you could pay by credit card almost everywhere, even on the busses, which I know isn't the case in some European countries.
A visit to the Punkva Caves is guaranteed to be an out-of-this-world experience.
No trip to Brno would be complete without a visit to the Punkva Caves, an unexpected natural beauty located about 35 kilometers north of Brno.
The caves are part of the longest cave system in the Czech Republic and will leave you in awe of how fascinating our universe is. Every point along the way to the caves is also breathtakingly gorgeous.
One of your best walks ever awaits you on the way to the Punkva Caves.
I'm sure there are many interesting places and experiences that I didn't get to explore and enjoy during my stay in Brno. But I'm glad I had the chance to visit this less-discovered city that may sound like a random destination to many people.
When speaking of the Czech Republic, Brno and Prague are usually mentioned in the same breath because of their (mostly friendly) rivalry. However, after spending almost a day in Prague, a sophisticated metropolis, I can say that any comparison between the two cities would be unfair, because they're two different worlds with completely different characters.
Prague is more like a mysterious novel that takes you on a magical journey. On the other hand, you can read Brno like an open book. It's modern, but it's not a city of "superlatives". It's not home to the biggest, tallest, the most luxurious this or that. It's not a city of skyscrapers, but, in my eyes, it stands tall as a charming destination.
Brno is a city with a soul, where you don't need a sense of direction. All you need is an open heart and an open mind. The city will take care of the rest. It'll enchant you in no time.
All photos inside the article: By Elham P.Mohammadi
