The best tips to make the most out of this Autumn. Photo: @BrnoDaily
Brno, Oct 14 (BD) – The cold wind and rain has arrived. Sweaters have reentered the clothing rotation. It is dark noticeably earlier each day. And, in a couple of weeks, the clocks will fall back an hour.
Autumn has most definitely arrived.
All is not yet lost, however. Brno is covered with beautiful deciduous trees that have already begun to show their autumn hues. There are some evergreen trees here and there, but if you pick your spots well and get a little lucky with the weather, you can enjoy a nice afternoon leaf peeping.
Bring a bottle of wine to make the view even better.
[Note: Excellent autumn weather is forecast for the couple of weeks!]
Below is a short list of places that you can consider for a quick autumn outing. It is not meant to be comprehensive. The locations are walking distance from the Brno mass transportation system; check the map links for specific details. Each of these areas, have many off-shoot trails that you can explore.
- Mariánské Údolí— The ponds and trails are a great place for kids because you can take the baby carriage all the way to the back lake and beyond. Click here for a map.
- Brno Reservoir — Known as the Brno Dam, or the přehrada in Czech, the Brno Reservoir has nice trails all around and Veveří Castle at the north end. It’s popular in the summer, but the really big numbers don’t bother to come for the fall colors so you don’t have to deal with crowds. Click here for a map.
- Velká Klajdova — A great view of Brno is available north of Líšen at Velká Klajdova, but the trails further north offer a beautiful escape into nature. Take a long walk downhill to Bílovice nad Svitavou and the bus back to the city. Click here for a map.
- The Svitava River — At the end of the No. 4 tram, there is a beautiful trail that follows the Svitava River from Maloměřice to Bíovice nad Svitava. It’s popular with bicyclists so walk on the side. Click here for a map.
- Špilberk castle — Smack dab in the center of Brno, Špilberk Castle is surrounded by a park that many people overlook. The autumn colors are fantastic on the footpaths if you look around inside the park, and the city looks great if you look outward at the view. At the very least, look up from your commute as you pass by. Click here for a map.
Really, though, all of the Brno parks will give you a feel of the fall season. Lužánky, Wilson Forest, and Anthropos/the south bank of the Svratka River, are all great places to slow down and relax with a leisurely walk.
Farther out, there are many places that require a car. Pernštejn Castle is a great place to visit at this time of year. Moravian Karst is another place that will give you breath of fresh air and an eyeful of color.
Just know that the weather may be touch and go at times. You should definitely pack a rain jacket and expect wind. However, if you are a little bit lucky — or at least able to look at the positive if the conditions are not perfect — then you might just have a quality afternoon in the outdoors to counter all of those forthcoming dark, winter days.
