11 Exciting Tips for an Unforgettable Podyjí Getaway

If the Vranov Dam didn’t exist, Podyjí might not be known as the smallest national park in the Czech Republic. Its main feature is the stunning section of the Dyje River valley found between Vranov nad Dyjí and Znojmo. Much of the curvy valley that exists between Vranov and Podhradie was flooded back in 1933 and 1934. Without the dam, the Thaya river valley within the national park could be nearly double its current length. Nevertheless, even with the dam nearby, Podyjí National Park is special and offers amazing experiences. Where should you go?

1. Visitor Centre in Čížov and the Iron Curtain

Barbed wire, watchtowers, and the asphalt road named Signal Road, alongside plowed fields and booby traps, were all part of the Iron Curtain—a mark of oppressive regimes. Today, the Iron Curtain Trail, also known as Eurovelo 13, runs through the areas where it once lay, and you can see remnants of what this curtain looked like at certain locations. One such place is Čížov, separated from Austria’s Hardegg by the Dyje River. Here, you can visit the former customs office building, which now serves as the visitor center for Podyjí National Park. The center includes an information desk, a permanent exhibit on protected nature, and a lecture hall where organized tours for groups can take place. Additionally, there is a shop for postcards and souvenirs along with a geopark.

2. Queen of the National Park: Dyje

The Dyje River is crucial; without it, there wouldn’t be a Podyjí National Park. This river is one of the largest in South Moravia, partly following the Czech-Austrian border and merging the Moravian Dyje with a slightly longer section from Austria below the castle of Raabs. The great news for outdoor enthusiasts is that much of the river can be navigated by boat. However, the most attractive part of the Dyje Canyon, found below Vranov Dam, between Vranov nad Dyjí and Znojmo, is off-limits for paddling due to the national park’s regulations and the need to protect the Znojmo Dam, which supplies drinking water. The Dyje River feeds the Nové Mlýny reservoir, along with remnants of floodplain forests and earlier river channels located between Bulhary and Břeclav, and it flows through the scenic Lednice-Valtice area.

3. Viewpoints easily reachable from Znojmo

For breathtaking views of the Dyje Canyon, head to the lookout points atop the steep slopes. The closest viewpoint to Znojmo, situated directly above the Znojmo Dam, is the Králův stolec lookout. Legend says that in 1683, Polish King John III. Sobieski watched as his troops crossed the Dyje to assist the besieged Turks in Vienna from this spot. Across the river, the Sealsfield Stone offers a picturesque perspective of the valley, and it is said this was a favored spot of writer Karl Anton Postel, who became famous later under his pen name Charles Sealsfield. In Popice, where he was born in 1793, you can visit a small museum dedicated to him.

4. Hnanice and the road to Šobes

There are marked trails starting from Hnanice that will take you to the famous swinging footbridge leading to the renowned Šobes vineyard, a place that often ranks among the top ten vineyards in Europe thanks to its exceptional location within a national park and the quality of its wines. The best view of the valley can be found at the Nine Mills lookout point at the edge of the Vineyard U kapličky, just above the wine region and the hotel Vinice Hnanice. If you’d like to sample wines from Šobes, the vineyard offers a tasting booth open from early April to late September, featuring Znovin Znojmo wines.

5. The Secret of the Nine Mills

Ever wonder about the whimsical name of the Nine Mills viewpoint? If you follow the yellow trail from the Šobes vineyard along the Dyje River towards Znojmo—this stretch is one of the few where you can actually get close to the river due to the tourist markings—you’ll stumble upon spots where a row of nine mills once stood. Unfortunately, three of these mills are long gone, and the other six leave behind only faint signs of their existence. During the interwar period, these were mostly used for leisure activities, and the largest mill was transformed into a hotel during the First Republic. All mills were demolished in the post-World War II period, once Podyjí was turned into a heavily guarded military zone after the Iron Curtain was built and later due to plans (that thankfully were never carried out) to construct another dam right in the heart of the national park. The remains that exist today are mainly weirs, dam sluices, stone walls, and overgrown building foundations, along with names that still appear on old maps.

6. Smuggler’s Trail, Obelisk and Ice Sluice

Among the most frequented areas of Podyjí National Park is the Smuggler’s Trail, which snakes high above the Dyje between Vranov and Čížov. This trail includes some challenging terrain with roots, rocks, and narrow paths along steep slopes, making it suitable for more experienced hikers who aren’t afraid of heights. Following the red trail will lead you to the ice sluices and the Obelisk, erected around 1860 by the Ornamental Society of Vranov as a tribute to Countess Helena Mniszkova for making the ice sluices accessible. Rumor has it that a pot of coins is hidden in its base.

7. From the Lusthaus in all directions

You can also access the ice sluices from the motorcycle museum in Lesna; the yellow path will take you past Lusthaus, a hunting lodge built at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. Its current appearance is due to renovations after a fire in the late 19th century. The granite structure features a hipped roof upheld by wooden posts. Traces of the original decorative painting with plant designs remain at ground-level niches, but the lodge isn’t open to visitors. Nearby, a smaller hunting lodge was constructed at the intersection of the paths through the boar preserve. Multiple hiking trails fan out in different directions from here: the yellow trail leads to Lesna and Vranovo Gate (and slopes down from there), while trails above Lusthaus can take you to Čížov, and from Vranov Gate, you can reach Vranov easily via Zadní Hamry. Many of these routes also serve as cycling paths, including one part of the Prague-Vienna Greenway.

8. Lost and rediscovered Nový Hrádek

During the previous regime, the entire Podyjí region was considered a prohibited zone, heavily guarded by Border Guards. Nestled in this restricted area was Nový Hrádek, a picturesque medieval settlement concealed by the greenery of the national park. This castle provides stunning views of Podyjí’s unspoiled landscape and consists of two structures: an older Gothic castle featuring a residential palace and surrounded by a double oval wall, alongside a newer Renaissance palace with upgraded viewing areas and terraces. As it’s deep within the park, you can reach the ruins by driving about three kilometers, and then you would need to walk. However, cyclists have better luck as there is a biking path that leads straight to Nový Hrádek.

9. Vranov Prospects

While visiting Podyjí, many people find it hard to resist exploring the castles and locks around the Vranov Dam. The castle in Vranov nad Dyjí is the closest one to the park, but the attractions in the area don’t stop there. The rocks and woodlands surrounding the town feature several scenic trails that are certainly worth visiting. Along these paths, you’ll find crosses, small memorials, and well-maintained viewpoints, including Mniszek’s Cross, Lovers’ Lookout, and Clary’s Cross.

10. Hardegg viewpoint

One of the most breathtaking views in Podyjí National Park can be found at the Hardegg Lookout, situated on a nearly 100-meter high cliff. Here, you can see the Dyje River valley and the Austrian town of Hardegg, known for its medieval castle. You can reach the gazebo via a marked trail along the paved road from Čížov, but be aware that you must park at the visitor center; you’ll need to continue on foot or by bike from there.

A leap across the border

• • The smallest of the four national parks in the Czech Republic, established on July 1, 1991, Podyjí is currently the only one located in Moravia. The area between Znojmo and the Austrian Hardegg, along with the Thayatal National Park across the border, helps to protect the preserved river valley of the Dyje. The views of this winding river are among the most stunning in the Czech Republic, featuring vineyards, charming small memorials, and viewing points.

• • In 2000, Thayatal National Park was established on the Austrian side of the border, just after Podyjí. If you travel to Austria and look back, you will find lovely viewpoints such as the ones at the Regina Felsen spur and the stone terrace known as Max-Plateau, which towers high above Hardegg. Another modified area, Hennerweg rock plateau, is located about a kilometer from the Visitor Centre of Thayatal National Park (Nationalparkhaus) on the canyon’s edge.

• • If it bothers you that the walking and cycling routes on our side mostly skirt the wooded plateaus and infrequently reach the actual Thaya valley, which is the heart of the protected region, you will discover a hidden gem in Austria: a roughly 12-kilometer marked trail connecting Hardegg and the Kaja Castle ruins runs right along the Austrian slope of the Dyje, showcasing the most picturesque part of the national park. From the rocky lookouts above the valley, breathtaking views of the meandering river, the remnants of the New Castle, and the rocks on the Moravian side await you.

• • However, accessing this area can be challenging; you will need to drive, or if you’re an experienced hiker, you can descend into the Dyje valley from the Hardegg viewpoint and use the tourist border crossing; walking along the river will take you about 25 kilometers.

• • Inside Hardegg Castle, there is a small museum dedicated to Maximilian of Habsburg, the Mexican Emperor who was executed in 1867. The castle is about 2.5 kilometers from the viewpoint.