The sun warms the white limestone cliffs of the **Pálava** hills where vineyards cover every slope. The South Moravian region is the wine heart of the country where the roads are lined with small wine cellars and white chapels. The landscape is flat and fertile but rises suddenly into rocky ridges overlooking massive reservoirs. Grand estates like **Lednice** and **Valtice** feature massive parks filled with exotic trees and fake ruins. You can spot the white tower of the Minaret peeking above the forest canopy in the **Lednice** gardens. The rows of vines stretch as far as the eye can see under the clear blue southern sky. Deep underground the **Moravian Karst** holds thousands of caves and the massive **Macocha** abyss. You can take a boat trip on a subterranean river or walk through chambers filled with white crystal formations. The border with Austria is dotted with old watchtowers and quiet river paths. Large sunny squares in local towns are perfect for tasting the new vintage of white wine. Hike to the ruins of the Děvičky castle to see the entire valley and the glittering water of the lakes below. The scent of ripe grapes and dry grass follows you along the winding hillside trails. This region is all about the good life and the warmth of the earth. You can explore the labyrinth of wine cellars in **Petrov** or cycle through the flat floodplains of the **Dyje** River. The mix of underground wonders and sunny hillside vineyards makes for a diverse journey. It is a place where the history of the land is bottled in every glass of local wine. Stop at the **Znojmo** town walls to see the sunset over the deep river canyon. The hospitality of the local wine makers makes every small village stop feel like a visit to a friend’s home.

South Moravian (region) highlights

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The Scenic Route

The Heritage Drive

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History of South Moravian (region)

The hills of the South Moravian region have been the home of vineyards since the Roman legions first planted grapes on the slopes of **Pálava** nearly two thousand years ago. This warm and fertile land is the wine cellar of the nation where hundreds of family owned vineyards and historic cellars are built directly into the limestone hills. The traditions of the vine are woven into every local festival and every glass of wine served under the shade of the old village walnuts. Dominating the southern skyline are the white limestone cliffs of the Pálava hills where the world's oldest ceramic statuette was discovered in the ashes of an ancient hunter's camp. This landscape has been a crossroads for human migration for tens of thousands of years from mammoth hunters to the knights of the **Great Moravian Empire**. Driving along the reservoirs at the foot of these hills offers a spectacular view of the ancient ruins and the neat rows of vines that stretch to the horizon. In the eastern part of the region the grand **Lednice Valtice** area represents the pinnacle of European landscape design where noble families created a massive garden filled with minarets and temple ruins. It is a land of light and warmth where the flat plains of the Dyje river meet the rolling hills of the wine country. A road trip through South Moravia is a journey of the senses where history is tasted in the wine and seen in the sunset over the white cliffs.

South Moravian (region)