Discover South Moravia: wine, cycling routes and cultural landscapes

South Moravia combines wine culture and historic places with cycling routes, karst landscapes and nature reserves. If you are looking for hotels in South Moravia, specific travel interests can help you choose the right area for your plans, such as wine routes, a hike or cultural attractions.

Getting your bearings in South Moravia

For tourist purposes, five visitor areas are distinguished: the Moravian Karst and its surroundings, Brno and its surroundings, Znojmo and Podyjí, Pálava and the Lednice-Valtice area, and Slovácko. This classification provides an initial framework for sorting the region’s different destinations and areas of interest.

Wine and cultural landscapes

In Valtice, the Wine Salon is located in the cellar of Valtice Chateau, where it offers a permanent tasting exhibition of Moravian and Bohemian wines. Tasting programmes and visiting arrangements may change; check them before your visit. Valtice also offers a viticulture museum, a vineyard educational trail and the underground passages of Valtice. Find out about access to the museum, trail and underground passages before your trip.

The Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape covers 143 km² in South Moravia. Its architectural, biological and landscape features have developed over a long period. The wine-route network connects historic towns and wine-growing villages, which feature distinctive cellar architecture, UNESCO heritage, folklore and Moravian wines. A cycling trip therefore focuses not only on vineyards but also on a range of cultural themes.

The Pilgrimage Church of the Name of the Virgin Mary in Křtiny is a Baroque pilgrimage site designed by Jan Blažej Santini. It is his largest building, with a floor plan in the shape of a Greek cross. The armistice between France and Austria was signed in the Historic Hall of Slavkov-Austerlitz Chateau in 1805. The House of Nature in the Pálava area is located in Dolní Věstonice.

Cycling and hiking routes

There are 1,200 kilometres of marked wine cycling routes through the wine landscapes of South Moravia. The network is divided into ten circular routes, linked by a 245-kilometre main route between Znojmo and Uherské Hradiště. Mikulov and the Lednice-Valtice Chateau complex are designated starting points for cycling routes that connect vineyards, UNESCO heritage and wineries.

The Moravian Wine Trails can be explored on foot or by bicycle. Their terrain is generally considered easy-going and suitable for family outings. Specific details for two other routes differ: the Dolní Morava section of the Stezka Českem long-distance hiking trail runs through relatively flat terrain with little elevation gain and passes Strážnice, Hodonín, Břeclav and Mikulov. The South Moravian section of the Svatoklementská Pilgrimage Route is 25 kilometres long and can be completed in a day. Conditions on the trails may vary.

Karst, reserves and nature

The Moravian Karst is considered the best-known and most extensively developed karst area in the Czech Republic. It has around 1,100 officially discovered caves, five of which are open to visitors. The number of caves and access arrangements may change, so check current access in advance. Kateřinská Cave contains the largest accessible underground chamber in the Czech Republic. Balcarka Cave combines diverse stalactite formations with archaeological and palaeontological finds.

The Pouzdřanská step nature reserve lies above Pouzdřany and offers views of the Nové Mlýny reservoirs and the Pálava skyline. Its vegetation changes over the course of the seasons. The southern slopes of Ždánický les are home to rare plant communities; its wildlife includes wild boar and red deer.

Waterways and other places to visit

The Baťa Canal offers recreational boating along a 60-kilometre waterway from Otrokovice to Hodonín. A boat trip can be combined with visits to historic sites, wine cellars, protected natural areas and a bird sanctuary. Navigation and operating conditions may vary seasonally; check current conditions when planning your trip.

Moravský Krumlov Chateau is considered a place for picnics and disc golf; local conditions may affect these activities. Hardeggská vyhlídka leads to the Austrian border and offers a striking view. Together with the wine and hiking routes and the caves, these provide a range of options for planning a trip, without requiring all the destinations to be part of the same route.

Explore the subregions

Discover more destinations: Blansko District, Brno, Znojmo District, Vyškov District, Hodonín District, Břeclav District, Brno-Country District.

Discover more destinations: Zlín.

Go to the main travel overview: Czechia.