BRNOguide

Trips, tours, sightseeing
CZECH REPUBLIC

4 TRIP TO MEDIAVEAL TOWN OF ZNOJMO IN THE HEART OF THE WINE COUNTRY

I have some weakness for town of ZNOJMO which is situated about 70km south west of BRNO and only 4 km from the Austrian border. First stop is at the well preserved water mill SLUP where you can admire the craftsmanship and go on a short tour.

ZNOJMO is famous for its compact old town center with the oldest buildings dating back from 12th century, wine and nearby Podyjí National Park. In ZNOJMO I recommend to climb the Town Hall Tower from which you can see picturesque views, explore the Underground Passages which are an intricate labyrinth of tunnels below the town center. Throughout the history of Znojmo they served as storage space, hiding place from the enemy, and a garbage dump. The history buffs would enjoy a visit to the rotunda of St. Catherine built around the year 1037 with the frescoes. Then we can stroll through the town and enjoy the views of the DYJE River.

For the wine lovers I would recommend a visit to one of the oldest SOBES vineyards in the Czech Republic, which ranks among the ten best vineyard locations in Europe. Its ideal conditions are ensured by a south-facing slope and high quality soil in the very heart of Podyji National park where it is located right on the side of a rocky promontory on a bend of the River Dyje. The quality of the location was allegedly already recognized by Roman legionnaires when they passed through Moravia in the 2nd century A.D. On the way there we can stop in a village SOBES where are bunkers from the WWII and on one of those Hitler had his speech in 1938. Unfortunately the bunkers are not open to the public. And still in SOBES we will visit a PAINTED CELLAR, which was dug out in sandstone in the late 19th century for reasons still a mystery today, but it took its current form when a one-armed man named Max Appeltauer descended into the tunnels and began his work there in 1934. We cannot leave the ZNOJMO region without sampling the local wine and we will stop and sample wine in one of the local wine cellars. Do not worry about the alcohol, I will take care of you and safely drive you back to Brno.

Another option is to drive about 40 km west of ZNOJMO to see the remnants of the Cold War - the barbed wire which was part of the Iron Curtain and watch towers in CIZOV. For the motorcycle lovers we stop at the Museum of bikes in LESNA and continue to see a pictoresque chatteu VRANOV NAD DYJI nestled on the rock cliffs.

PRICE for the whole trip: EUR 90 / per person

TO BOOK THIS TRIP, PLEASE GO TO PRICE List and Contact and fill in the Form.

Duration: full day

Distance from Brno: 90 km

Travel: by minicoach or by car

Fully escorted with informative commentary

Excluded: Entrance fees

TESTIMONIALS:

Hello Helena, This is to thank you for the wonderful 2-day tour of the countryside near Brno for me and my wife. My main objective in touring the area was to visit the place in Hrotovice from which my Grandfather Frank Benes emigrated to America in 1879. Without your help and your abilityto bridge the language barrier, we never could have found it. Your language skills made our visit to that place truly memorable. We also enjoyed our visit to Telc on the first day of the tour, especially the view from the tower. On the second day we especially enjoyed the exhibit of Alphonse Mucha's Slav Epic at Moravsky Krumlov and the walk around the historic center of Znojmo. A visit to the the remains of the Cold War era barbed wire fence at Cizov that kept Czechs from escaping to freedom was a real eye-opener. Your obvious love of the country, your thorough knowledge of the area's history and geography and your commentary, not to mention your choice of restaurants, all made for a great experience. I would certainly recommend you to anyone visiting Brno or its surroundings. Best regards. Will Kriz - [email protected]

Hallo Helena, Thanks for the great tour. Apart from the historical sites of Brno and its variety of museums, not to mention its wonderful beer (perhaps the tastiest I have ever known), the trip to Znojmo was very nice, classic picturesque little town nestled in the hills and along the river valley. I particularly enjoyed the two storey medieval church overlooking the valley and was also surprised that Russian orthodox churches existed in the far western part of the country. Following Znojmo was the trip to Con the border with Austria. I saw a remnant of the Iron Curtain for the first time in my life, of huge interest to people like myself who grew up under the shadow and potential threat of the Cold War. The village of Cizov was very charming, perhaps even more so during the quiet months of the year with so few people there. The visit to Hardegg in Austria capped the day. International borders have always fascinated me, particularly those that separate two very different cultures, and which, moreover, had been separated for so long by the Iron Curtain. Hardegg is almost mysterious, even a little sinister, a small town nestled in a steep sided valley, just across the river from Czech Republic, dominated by that magnificent castle (even more spectacular, when floodlit at night). My fetish with international borders made the walk across the river back into CR and then returning to Austria seem very adventurous and daring, even more so when the signs were saying that the border was closed! All in all, a very pleasant day, and only made possible through your organisation and local knowledge. There is so much to explore in the area and so much that is still largely undiscovered by tourists from Western Europe. Having a local resident who is kind, patient and sympathetic to show them around provides immeasurable value added. Best Regards, Peter

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