Explore the Stunning Natural Wonders and Reserves of South Moravia

South Moravia is much more than just a place with vineyards and historical landmarks—it has a wonderfully varied natural environment. Venture into the protected areas, and you will encounter limestone cliffs, lush floodplain forests, wetlands, rolling steppe hills, and intriguing caves. The natural monuments and reserves in South Moravia are ideal for peaceful strolls, family adventures, and quiet explorations of areas where rare flora and fauna thrive.

Pálava Protected Landscape Area – the warmest and driest region in the Czech Republic

Located on the north-western edge of the Pannonian Plain, in the warmest and nearly the driest part of the Czech Republic, you will find the Pavlov Hills. Even today, the soil in this area reveals the ancient tales of mammoth hunters, Celts, and the forgotten stories of the 10th Roman Legion soldiers who are said to have started growing grapes here. Evidence that prehistoric people cherished this ‘sun-baked land’ includes the remnants of fire pits, places to store mammoth bones, and most notably, the renowned Venus of Věstonice. Visitors to Pálava also enjoy vibrant flowers like the irises on Děvín and the unique Cat Rock, as well as large-flowered sandwort— which is found nowhere else in the country— alongside Ethiopian sage and steppe oatgrass, which has thrived near Mikulov since the Ice Age ended.

The Wind-Blown Sands near Bzenec – the Moravian Sahara

The Wind-Blown Sands located near Strážnice are a remarkable habitat spanning between the railway stations of Rohatec and Bzenec-Přívoz. Often referred to as the Moravian Sahara, it extends exclusively along a 5.5-kilometer stretch of railway, with its widest point measuring around 60 meters. This area serves as an exceptional example of open sand dune vegetation, home to a specific array of plant and animal species. Pine forests planted in the late 19th century within the original oak woodlands have stabilized the shifting sands, which previously threatened surrounding fields. This habitat is home to numerous rare ground beetles, and its diverse hymenopteran fauna includes many digger wasps, stinging wasps, and bees. You might even spot a praying mantis along with dozens of spider species.

Podyjí National Park – a colourful mosaic of rock faces

Podyjí National Park, which is located near Znojmo, is defined by its stunning landscapes, which consist of a vibrant mosaic of rock amphitheatres and steep cliffs, meanders, extensive scree slopes, and challenging ravines, in addition to rich floodplain meadows along the Dyje River and sunlit forest-steppes filled with colorful thermophilic plants. The area is remarkable for its incredible diversity of plants and animals, all packed into a relatively small space. This diverse array arises from the protected area’s unique location at the junction of two biogeographical regions. In Čížov, there is a visitor center featuring a permanent exhibition, which includes a segment of the original ‘Iron Curtain’.

Soutok Game Reserve near Břeclav – the largest game reserve in the Czech Republic

Soutok Game Reserve holds the title of the largest game reserve in the Czech Republic. Situated south of Břeclav and Lanžhot, it forms a triangular shape. Its northern boundary runs along the old road linking the two towns; the western side is bordered by the River Dyje, while the eastern side is bordered by the River Morava. The area has been a site for game breeding since as far back as 1872. Currently, Lesy ČR manages to breed several species within a space of 4,480 hectares, including the roe deer, European fallow deer, common roe deer, and wild boar. Historically significant structures can still be found within the floodplain forests, which were utilized for hunting and forestry.

Noteworthy trees can be found in exceptional quantities here. A massive common hornbeam on the bank of a deep canal along the road to Pohansko boasts a trunk circumference of 482 cm and a height of 15.5 m—it’s likely the largest single-stem common hornbeam in Europe. Close to a military bunker off the road to Pohansko stands a wild pear tree, measuring 11.5 m tall with a trunk circumference of 303 cm. The largest tree in the entire region is likely an English oak found in a meadow near excavations at Pohansko—it has a trunk circumference of 806 centimeters and reaches a height of 27 meters. Significant attractions in the Soutok Game Reserve include the archaeological site at Pohansko, its namesake hunting lodge, the nearby Museum of Light Fortifications, Lány Castle, and the meeting point of the Morava and Dyje rivers. Wildlife ensures that access to the reserve is restricted at certain times throughout the year.

The wetlands of the lower Dyje – Moravian Amazonia

At the southernmost point of Moravia, where the Morava and Dyje rivers come together amidst rich floodplain forests, lies the tripoint area of the Czech Republic, Austria, and Slovakia. This space is often affectionately called Moravian Amazonia and is blessed with beautiful untouched natural views along with a variety of rare wildlife. The region features a dense web of meandering river branches and periodically flooded pools. Here you can find various rare creatures, including the black stork, giant longhorn beetles, and beavers. Birds like brown kites, goshawks, black storks, eagles, and honey buzzards are commonplace, and if you listen closely, you can catch a delightful chorus of birdsong. The area also showcases an incredible variety of plant life, including wood-decaying fungi that flourish on decaying logs.

The Moravian Karst Protected Landscape Area – a paradise for caving enthusiasts

Moravian Karst, located north of Brno, ranks among the most significant karst areas in Central Europe. Over 1,100 caves have been discovered throughout the region, five of which are accessible to the public. This karst area consists of a layer of Devonian limestone. The landscape is characterized by plateaus sprinkled with numerous sinkholes, divided by deep, canyon-like ravines. The northern region of the Moravian Karst is drained by the River Punkva and its tributaries. Among the cave systems, the Amatérské Caves span almost 35 kilometers, making it one of Central Europe’s largest cave systems. Central Moravian Karst features the main cave system, the 12-kilometer-long Rudické propadání.

Public tours are available at the Punkva Caves, which include a boat journey on the underground Punkva River and a tour of the bottom of the Macocha Abyss. Visitors can also explore the Kateřina Cave, famous for its unique stick-like stalagmites, the Balcarka Cave, known for its rich and colorful stalactite and stalagmite formations, the Sloupsko-Šošůvské Caves, home to impressive chambers and underground chasms, and the Výpustek Cave, which previously had military uses. A few times each year, the Býčí skála Cave or Ochozská Cave is opened for public exploration. On special occasions, visitors may also access the Amatérská Cave via a route known as the Ministerial Route.

Ždánický Forest Nature Park

The area known as Ždánický Forest spans between Bošovice to the west, Koryčany to the east, Bučovice to the north and Dambořice or Bukovany to the south. Covering 68 square kilometers, the highest peak here, referred to as U Slepice, rises to an elevation of 437 meters above sea level. The highlands provide breathtaking views northwards towards Brno, the battlefield of Slavkov, the foothills of the Drahany Highlands, and to the south, the lowlands of Moravian Slovácko and the picturesque Pálava Hills. The Ždánice Forest features deep deciduous forests, predominantly made up of Carpathian oak-hornbeam forests, with beech woods found in the elevated areas. On the southern hillsides, some valuable grasslands and herbaceous communities have been preserved, showcasing rare species like the military orchid and others.

The Rakovec Valley in the Drahany Uplands

The Rakovce Valley includes the upper stretches of the Rakovce stream and the canyon-like valley it creates, extending all the way to Budkovan Pond near the village of Jedovnice. The valley has its origins from geological shifts dating back to the Palaeozoic era, with local rocks primarily sourced from the Vysočina region, transported by rivers into the shallow sea that once existed here. Fossils from Palaeozoic ferns, horsetails, and lycopods can be found, along with common imprints of the Posidonia becheri bivalve. The valley truly shines in spring. Around the Rakovec stream is the sole location in the Vyškov region where spring snowflakes bloom naturally, and they flourish abundantly! In addition to spring snowflakes, other protected plants are found in the meadows, including May lily-of-the-valley, egg-leaved beard-tongue, marsh violets, and the nearly extinct Siberian iris.

Lednice Ponds National Nature Reserve

Lednice Ponds National Nature Reserve is part of the larger Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape. Established in 1953 and covering 552.5 hectares, it aims to protect a crucial breeding ground for waterbirds. This location has been recognized as a Wetland of International Importance since 1990. An 11-kilometer-long nature trail circles the ponds, which are a system of five ponds: Nesyt, Hlohovecký, Prostřední, and Mlýnský, located between Lednice and Valtice, and the Zámecký, which is part of the Lednice Castle Park and recognized as one of the most beautiful. Dating back to the early 15th century, these ponds host numerous nesting waterbirds and serve as a stopover location during migratory seasons. The 11 km-long nature trail features various branches and includes 17 informational stops dedicated to the wildlife, particularly birds, the pond ecosystem, management practices, their history, and conservation efforts. Additionally, the Lednice ponds are connected by several bike paths.

The unique Zázmoníky forest-steppe near Bořetice

The Zázmoníky Nature Reserve spans an area of 4.85 hectares. It protects forest-steppe slopes where the very rare Austrian bee orchid can be found, being the sole known habitat for this species in Moravia. This site also provides a home for thermophilic insect species, including the adept praying mantis. The area was purchased as part of the ‘A Place for Nature’ initiative by the Czech Union for Nature Conservation in order to maintain its ecological and landscape value. In the past, this land was used for vineyards and orchards, and current efforts aim to extend care to the adjacent unprotected areas as well.

Drnovice Wetland – Žumpy

An intriguing natural feature of the Drahany Uplands is the pools in Kopaniny known as Žumpy. Each year, they are replenished with water from melting snow, rainfall, and high groundwater levels. Because they are situated on a ridge above the village, they are quite unique. These pools serve as a breeding habitat for amphibians, hosting species such as the green tree frog, three different types of frogs, and two each of toads and newts. A notable sighting here was a female sharp-snouted frog, and a ninth amphibian species, the great crested newt (Triturus cristatus), has also been identified in this area. This newt is significantly endangered in the Czech Republic compared to other tailed amphibians and is protected by the European Union under the Natura 2000 program. This designation has made the Drnovice Marshes a Site of Community Importance.