Christmas decorations at Masarykova st.

Three of the most popular clubs in Brno, i.e. Two Faces, Fléda, and Mersey open after 8 p.m. on the Christmas Eve (December 24). The admission charge is rather symbolic (around CZK 50).

Also, several pubs, like Modrá růže at Moravské náměstí sq. offer beer to anyone who doesn’t want to go to bed early on the Christmas Eve.

It is going to be much more expensive to spend the New Year’s Eve (December 31) downtown – most clubs ask for CZK 100-500 as the entrance fee.

If you are not into parties, you may call for a reservation to your favorite restaurant – each year, more and more venues offer special “New Year’s Eve menu”.

Every year, there are thousands of people celebrating at the central square all night long. The new, penis-shaped clock will be covered in a special protecting sleeve, instantly nicknamed “a condom”.

Both on December 24 and December 31, standard tram and bus lines go only until 6 p.m. You have to use the night bus lines then – but do not worry, all parts of the town are covered and you pay the usual fare.

On January 1 at 6 p.m., there will be a firework show above the Špilberk castle. I hope you will get up before that time.

Merry Christmas and happy 2011, folks!

Old Brno at night, with University quarter at the horizon. Photo by Zdeněk Softič

It gets worse in June, July and August, when most of the young folks leave town; the same with January and February.

Most Czechs socialize in pubs. They usually meet their friends there, talk about the past week and only some of them are interested in meeting new people. If you want to find new friends, forget about pubs and go clubbing.

So where is all the fun?

Most clubs are located in the city centre or close to it – within a range of 3 tram stops.

• Fléda is considered to be a cultural centre of Brno, offering wide spectrum of concerts and parties, targeting on 18-30 y.o. audience with “good taste”.
• Mersey is one of the oldest clubs in Brno – I haven’t been there for 7 years and can’t judge it, but it’s still popular, so give it a try.
• TwoFaces has a small swimming pool next to the bar and I know about several girls who celebrated their 18th birthday there. Any further questions?
• Mandarin, Viva la Fiesta and Tabarin are clubs to go if you are suntanned & slim and want to ball a chick or a boy. The newer BMW you have, the better.
• Red Cat is a “gay and friendly” club. Some of my female friends like it because no one stares at them there.
• Desert is a cigarette-and-whoever-knows-what-else-smoke-filled den with urinals that whistle when you open your pants, but you know what? I like it.
• Alterna is halfway between being a pub and a club – it’s a friendly place where students meet durink week days. There are several jazz/kletzmer/rock concerts every month.

For a list of author’s favorite pubs, see the article “5 pubs and bars to visit during MotoGP weekend“.

Safety

The night life in Brno is, basically speaking, safe. If you get in a conflict with a drunk man (or woman), keep your head cold and try to leave. If you are new to the town, try to avoid quarters like Cejl after dark. Read more about the safety of women in Brno.
General security number in the Czech republic is 112.

About the law (don’t give policemen reason to end your party)

You can get alcohol if you are under 18 – at least according to the law, which is often being broken by bartenders.

Drinking on a street or in a park is not illegal, but this may change during 2009 — town council probably considers people drinking wine during their picnic evil and wants to fine them.

You should make no disturbing noise between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., no matter whether on a street or in a private apartment. Fines go up to dozens of euro.

Share your experience

If the list does not include your favorite club, tell us in comments — all the other readers are curious about your tips!