It is not simple to pack up your things and go to study in a new, unknown and unexplored city. Whether you come to Brno from a neighbouring country or from the other side of the world, the Use-it Map will be handy and not just to start with. On arrival you can ask for a copy in most places for tourists in the centre of Brno, or you can download it free (and perhaps print it) from the website use-it.travel.
To blend in, to feel at home in a strange city, is something that everyone has wanted at some time. And that is what the Use-it Map is for. It tries to show you pleasant or interesting places where tourists tend not to go. It does not only provide tips on monuments or great restaurants, you can also learn a little about the city’s history or pick-up a few words of the local dialect. You can also find advice there on travelling by public transport (in Brno mainly by tram, called a ‘šalina’ locally) or how to borrow a bike.
The first version of the map appeared in the South Moravian metropolis six years ago, but the ‘use-it’ concept is based on being up to date, so it is now about to come out in the third edition. Just like in a range of other European cities it shows places a foreigner might pass by without noticing. But it is places of this sort that give a city its unique and unforgettable character. For this reason the map is a handy pocket aid not just for tourists but for all inhabitants of Brno who would like to know more about the place where they live.
And what exactly can you find in Brno’s Use-it Map? Certainly there are the old standbys such as Špilberk Castle or the Tugendhat Villla, which cannot be left out. However the map’s creators have highlighted a number of other places, even outside the centre of the city, which are definitely worth a visit.
It will suggest visiting the ‘Beer Stock Exchange’ (Pivní burza), going for a drink at the famous ‘Bar that does not exist’ (Bar, který neexistuje), for great coffee to Kafe & Kobliha or for a sweet treat to Cukrářství Martinák.
Worth a mention are the Vegetable Market with local produce, Kraví hora with the observatory and the city’s oldest park, Lužánky. Also not to be overlooked is the Scala University Cinema, and opposite that the controversial statue of Jobst of Moravia. And there is much more besides. Find out for yourself.