Idylic, but Not Idle
Vranovsko is a microregion of South Moravia that sits on the border with Austria and is part of the larger Znojemsko administrative district.
Nature and outdoor activities are the main draws to the Vranov region, though the area also boasts a number of historical sites that are well worth visiting.
In July of 2018, we spent a long weekend in the area, while it certainly wasn’t enough to see the whole region, it was enough that I can give you a small taste of what’s there and what’s possible to see and do with two or three days there.
At that, let’s see a bit of Vranovsko:
Day 1 – Vranov nad Dyjí
We took our accomodation for the weekend in Vranov nad Dyjí, the town from which the microregion takes its name.
The town sits on the Dyje river, known as the Thaya river in Austria, and is about three kilometres from the Austrian border. The town site is located inside the borders of Podyjí National Park, a transboundary park which connects to Austria’s Thayatal National Park.
On first impressions, Vranov might come across as a bit sleepy. However, it makes for a good base to visit the region, has accomodation and restarant options, a good tourist information office and attractions of its own to offer.
If you don’t have a car, Vranov can be reached by bus from points around. We reached it by a combination of a bus from Brno to Znojmo and another bus from Znojmo to the town.
Vranov’s primary tourist draws are its spectacular Baroque chateau that looks down upon the town site from the rocks above and the extensive Vranov reservoir area.
After we checked into our hotel, we walked to the chateau via a trail through a nature park. It was a lovely area to walk through, but with a significant incline to the trail. It definitely is not for anyone with mobility issues or who isn’t of a reasonable level of physical fitness; if you fall into one of those categories, you’ll want to ask at tourist information about alternate methods to reach the chateau.
As with all wooded areas of the Czech Republic, a good insect repellent specified against ticks should be going with you if you go there.
Day 2 – Znojmo
On our second day, we took a day trip to Znojmo, a popular tourist city with important ties to both the historic and contemporary faces of the country.
From a historical point of view, Znojmo maintains a good degree of medieval architecture including a castle complex that dates to the 11th century. You can also tour the city’s network of underground tunnels that date to the 14th and 15th centuries.
Other important historical sites in the town include the St. Nicholas church which dates to the 1340s and the town hall tower which dates to the 1440s.
In the Contemporary sense, Znojmo and the administrative region it’s the heart of make up the western edge of the South Moravian wine growing regions. As such, a good glass of local wine is never far away when you visit here.
Day 3 – Vranov Reservoir and Bítov Castle
On our third and final day in the region, we paid a visit to the scenic and extensive Vranov reservoir. Nicknamed by some as the “Adriatic of Moravia”, the reservoir is large enough to feel like an inland sea.
The reservoir is noted for the warmth and cleanliness of its water and is very popular for a wide variety of watersports, hiking and cycling trails around it and as a venue for special events of many sorts.
A system of transport boats operates to take visitors around the reservoir for both sightseeing and to visit castles, such as Bítov and Cornštejn, which overlook it.
There is a very friendly atmosphere to the reservoir. Many people keep weekend cabins there and there was no shortage of people waving and shouting greetings from the shore as our boat went past.
After an hour long and very enjoyable boat ride, we arrived at our destination – Bítov castle.
Dating to the 11th century, Bítov is one of the oldest and largest of Moravian castles. It’s been remodelled by various owners through its history and its current look was established in the 19th century.
There’s quite a bit to see at this castle, so you could certainly make a day trip of it. Four different tours of the interiors are on offer.
If you have mobility issues of any sort or are not of reasonably good physical fitness, you should certainly not try to access Bítov via the reservoir boats. The trail leading to the castle from the boat dock is steep and uneven.
Visiting and Learning More
As I stated at the beginning, this blog entry was simply to give you a small taste of what one can do with a few days in the region.
Vranovsko offers much more than what I’ve covered here.
If you have a week or more and like nature, castles and wine; you may want to try out this particular nook of the Czech lands.
This link will take you to the official Vranovsko tourism website so you can see all of what’s on offer and plan your own visit there:
Beyond Prague 