South Moravia is rich in natural beauty. It isn’t only about extensive vineyards and long stretches of field, but also reservoirs, limestone formations and mysterious caves. Wandering this wine country should be on every traveller’s bucket list. If you’d like to visit this picturesque region, here are appealing ideas for day trips into nature in South Moravia.
The Pálava protected landscape area
First place on our list belongs unshakeably to South Moravia’s icon – Pálava. History breathes out of this unique piece of countryside too. Pálava’s highest limestone peaks are, after all, 150 million years old. You can set off on one of many routes from the villages of Klentnice or Perná. If you follow the blue trail, look out along the way for the ruins of St Anthony’s chapel, the rock formation known as Trůn (the Throne) and the ruins of Děvičky castle. You’ll reach those ruins on the red trail too. That route is a little more demanding, because it takes in the surroundings from the many viewpoints of the Pavlovské vrchy hills.
If you have the energy, head out on the red trail straight from Mikulov – along the way you’ll come across the ever-popular Turold nature reserve with its caves.
The Věstonice reservoir interpretive trail
We’ll stay in this area a little longer, just moving on to Pasohlávky. Near the ATC Merkur campsite (yes, it’s the one from the TV show Ano, šéfe!) you can set off on an 11 km interpretive trail that takes you around one of the Nové Mlýny reservoirs, the Věstonice reservoir.
On the blue trail you’ll pass the natural monuments of Betlém and Dolní mušovský luh. The path then takes you to the rivers Jihlava and Svratka, which flow into the reservoir. From there you continue through the villages of Strachotín and Dolní Věstonice. The trail ends at the Mušov car park. Along the way, don’t forget to look at the icon of these reservoirs, the church of St Leonard. This half-ruined landmark of the vanished village of Mušov isn’t normally accessible, and consequently continues to decay.
The Moravian Karst
The ideas for day trips into nature also include a visit to the Moravian Karst, although it’s true that one day may not be enough to cover the whole area. If your goal is the Macocha abyss and the river Punkva, take the green trail from Skalní mlýn.
The first stop is the Kateřinská cave, though you’ll come across plenty more caves on your route. This trail takes you to the edge of Vilémovice, where you join the red trail leading directly to Macocha. From there you can take the easier yellow or the harder green (which takes you to the summit of Chobot) – both routes lead back to Skalní mlýn.
The Vranov reservoir
The Vranov reservoir is a gorgeous place suited to the whole family – besides wonderful scenery there are plenty of restaurants, museums, architectural monuments and other things to do. You can set off, for instance, on the Clary circuit, named after Prince Karel Clary.
You start your walk on the square in Vranov nad Dyjí. Along the way you’ll pass plenty of cultural monuments – the church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the Mniszek cross and the chapel of the Holy Trinity. You can also take a small detour to Šibeniční vrch (Gallows Hill), a place where executions once took place. Your walk ends at the iconic suspension footbridge over the reservoir. The second way to take in the Vranov reservoir is straight from the water.
Did the article appeal to you? Read about other places in South Moravia worth visiting too.
Podyjí National Park
The Podyjí National Park area adjoins the Vranov region and ends at Znojmo. So it’s an extensive natural monument with plenty of places to walk. We’ve picked out a circuit starting in Znojmo by the Dyje valley. On the red trail you’ll pass Kraví hora, Špalek’s viewpoint and Konice before reaching Popice. Just beyond Popice is the Havraníky heath, where you have a unique chance to spot wild horses. Head back to Znojmo on the green trail to the Sealsfield’s Stone viewpoint and then on the yellow past the Znojmo reservoir.
Babí lom
The Babí lom nature reserve lies north of Brno. An excellent viewpoint route follows the red trail from the centre of Lelekovice towards the popular Babí lom lookout tower. It stands on a rock and gives a perfect view over the wider area, including Brno. From there head towards the summit of the reserve of the same name. Along the way you’ll come across more photogenic viewpoints, so don’t forget to take your commemorative shots diligently.
Once you’ve taken in the beauty of the local landscape, head on the red trail to Vranov and from there, again on the red, past more viewpoints back to Lelekovice.
The White Carpathians
We’ll end our article of day trip ideas in the White Carpathians, which besides Slovakia extend significantly into Czechia, including South Moravia. We were taken with the route on the blue trail from Radějov. Following the Radějovka stream you’ll reach the Lučina reservoir, where you can swim or get refreshments. After a short break you can continue on the blue trail towards Bukovina and then Kněžské hory. Here you join the green trail, which takes you through the Radějov game reserve back to where you started.
You might be lucky and spot a herd of fallow deer or red deer. If you still have the energy, take a small extra trip on the yellow trail to the nearby Travičná lookout tower.
