Automotodrom Brno · South Moravia, Czechia
“Brno punches well above its weight as a race weekend destination. The circuit is genuinely great — old-school in character, with a rhythm that builds through the lap and a final sector that's among the most demanding in MotoGP. The city is young, vibrant, and completely free of the tourist crowds that clog Prague. A beer costs under €2. The food is outstanding. The locals are warm and knowledgeable about racing. And in June, Moravia is at its most beautiful — the vineyards are lush, the days are long, and evenings on the terrace bars of náměstí Svobody are hard to beat.”
Brno is the capital of the South Moravian Region and Czechia's second-largest city — a place most international visitors overlook, which is exactly why it's so good. The city has a large student population (Masaryk University alone has 35,000 students), which gives it an energy and nightlife scene that outperforms its size. The historic Old Town centres on the grand náměstí Svobody (Freedom Square) and climbs up to Špilberk Castle, which looms over the city from a wooded hill. Brno has significant Jewish heritage (the old Jewish Quarter is well-preserved), a strong modernist architecture legacy, and a deeply local food and drinking culture that hasn't been inflated by mass tourism.
Moravian cuisine is central European comfort food done well. Look for svíčková na smetaně (beef sirloin in cream sauce with bread dumplings and cranberry — the national dish), vepřo-knedlo-zelo (roast pork, dumplings, sauerkraut), bramboráky (potato pancakes with marjoram and garlic), and trdelník (chimney cake — a fair-weather street food). For beer, Moravia has its own brewing tradition — Starobrno is the local Brno brewery, but the craft scene has exploded in recent years with excellent taprooms in the city centre. Notably, Brno and South Moravia are also serious wine country — more on that below.
South Moravia produces around 95% of all Czech wine, and it's seriously good — light, aromatic whites (Welschriesling, Müller-Thurgau, Palava) and increasingly impressive reds (Blaufränkisch, Zweigeltrebe). The wine villages of Mikulov, Znojmo, and Valtice are 45–70 km south of Brno and have been producing wine since Roman times. Wine cellars (sklepy) in the villages open for tastings on weekends. Even in Brno itself, wine bars (vinotéky) stock excellent local bottles at remarkable prices.
Villa Tugendhat is Brno's UNESCO World Heritage masterpiece — a 1930 house by Mies van der Rohe, widely considered one of the most important buildings of the 20th century. Book visits months in advance (tugendhat.eu) as slots are extremely limited. Špilberk Castle (on the hill above the old town) has a museum and panoramic city views. The Brno Ossuary (second largest in Europe after Paris) beneath St James's Church is extraordinary — the bones of 50,000 people arranged beneath the city centre. The Functionalist Villa architecture trail takes in dozens of remarkable interwar buildings.
The circuit sits 15 km southwest of the city centre, in a natural bowl in the Moravian hills. It's old-school in the best possible way — a proper flowing layout with camber changes, blind crests, and corners that demand full commitment. The long back section through Sectors 2 and 3 is where fast riders make up time. The main grandstand overlooks the start/finish and pit lane. The hillside grandstands along the back straight are famously atmospheric — Czech fans and a strong contingent of travelling fans from neighbouring Austria, Slovakia, and Poland make it loud. The circuit fills to capacity on Sunday and the party in the paddock village runs late.