Activities in Znojmo and surroundings

Hardegg

≈ 22 km — ≈ 35 min by car

Austria's smallest town — a few dozen houses beneath a castle set on a rock above a bend of the Thaya, right on the border. From the castle walkways you look into both national parks at once. A footbridge crosses back to the Czech side, so you can arrive on foot and leave by bike.

The castle is usually open roughly from April to November; the town itself and the footbridge are accessible year-round.

Vranov nad Dyjí Chateau

≈ 20 km — ≈ 30 min by car

A Baroque chateau perched on a rock above the river — the image on every second postcard from the Dyje valley, and still it works every time. Guided routes lead through the state interiors, and the Vranov reservoir begins directly below the cliff. Best combined into a single day.

Chateau tours normally run from April to October.

Bítov Castle

≈ 30 km — ≈ 40 min by car

One of the oldest castles in Moravia stands on a spur the reservoir wraps around on three sides. Romantically remodelled interiors, long curtain walls, and below them a bay where boats moor in summer. Only a short way upstream from Vranov.

The castle is usually open roughly from April to October.

Cornštejn ruin

≈ 28 km — ≈ 40 min by car

A sprawling ruin on a rocky ridge a short way from Bítov — walls, gates and towers you are free to wander through. Precisely because nothing has been polished back into shape, Cornštejn feels more convincing than many a restored castle. The view from the highest point is among the best in the Dyje valley.

The ruin is usually open to visitors in the summer season.

Moravský Krumlov — the Slav Epic

≈ 30 km — ≈ 40 min by car

Alphonse Mucha's Slav Epic — the cycle of monumental canvases he worked on for close to twenty years — is on display at the Krumlov chateau, and by agreement it stays there until 2031. Allow a whole afternoon; anything less is not enough for work on this scale.