Walk!
Nothing is far in Zlín. At least not in the centre. Take a look at the map – walking between the best pubs, restaurants, parks, Baťa’s skyscraper and the castle won’t hurt your feet. A note from local observers: Zlín’s crossings are not made for slow walkers. Some green lights last mere 8 seconds.
How to talk to someone from Zlín
When you speak Czech, you are OK, with English, it’s worse. We prefer using our hands and feet over words. Everyone understand pantomime, right? For advice in English, better find someone younger than 40.
Baťa
It’s a phenomenon. If it wasn’t for this shoe entrepreneur, Zlín wouldn’t be Zlín. Hard-earned success, genuine work, real motivation. Whatever you want to do, you can do! Baťa’s mottos are remembered not only by our grandmothers and grandfathers but by us too.
Ševci / The Cobblers
Hockey. The word that resonates with Zlín almost in the same way as Baťa. Hundreds of fans flood Zlín in their yellow and blue jerseys during the weekends. Do you love the atmosphere of matches and cheering? Then you shouldn’t miss at least one of them. You can get tickets online (www.hokej.zlin.cz/) or right at the stadium.
We believe in ourselves
You won’t see us putting our hands together very often. There is a large number of atheists in the republic as a whole and many of them have in fact settled in Zlín. What is God for when we have Baťa? No, but seriously, even if we don’t pray very often, we don’t tear the churches down either. You can visit all of them.
Moravian triathlon
Beer, wine, slivovice. This is the true Holy Trinity of Zlín. Watch out, there is a zero-tolerance policy on alcohol behind the wheel and strictly speaking, it is also forbidden to drink in public in the city. However, no one will be surprised to see you pop a cold one during the day, when you’re out with your friends. Mustard potato chips are a must with your beer or even with your glass of wine, although we don’t tend to drink much wine in pubs. It’s better to get wine on tap (for example at Vincafé or U Antonínka), then take it outside and enjoy the sunset somewhere in nature, where police can’t see you.
Trolleybus tour
Yellow and blue – The Cobblers’ jerseys, official colours of the city and also of our favourite means of transport in Zlín. It will get you to the hilly Jižní Svahy district or even to the biggest shopping mall at the periphery of Zlín. Do you want to take a tour around all of Zlín for 20 crowns? Take the bus number 38. It passes through the whole city, center, around Baťa’s brick houses, around the castle and the hospital.
You don’t need pepper spray
Unless you have some really really bad luck, Zlín is a very safe city and a safe place to live, as you’ll find out once you have spent some time here. The only bad guys here are those dog walkers who don’t clean after their pets.
Bakeries everywhere
Snacks for school or for work. In a hurry in the morning? Are you late in the afternoon? You will find a bakery on every corner. With a few Czech crowns, you will get sweet or salty food for the whole day. Are you saying you see Svoboda Březík everywhere? Well, yes, that’s how it is in Zlín.
Park culture
The reason may be that the biggest park is right in the city centre, or it’s the soft grass on Gahurův prospekt, or the lovely shade next to the castle. When it’s warm, you will find Zlín parks filled with people. Grab a blanket, a book, something to eat and drink and join us!
WHERE TO GO NEXT:
Lešná Zoo
The biggest pride of Zlín. A giant zoo divided by continents will keep you entertained for the entire day. Your feet will be killing you at the end, but you will have fed stingrays, worked out with elephants and relaxed in the Japanese garden. They also offer evening walks in autumn. Get on bus 34 or 36 and in 20 minutes you will arrive at the stop Lešná ZOO.
Vizovice
The plum liquor tycoon Jelínek made this little town notorious. Here you get the kind of slivovice- very traditional Moravian alcoholic beverage. In the summer, Vizovice turns into the main stage of music festivals. June is the month of the holy grail of metal and hard rock called Masters of Rock, whereas August brings about a whole Czech and Slovak invasion for the well-known plum dumpling eating contest.
This article was prepared in cooperation with USE-IT map (also available at TBU International Office for free)
