Mikulov & Lednice–Valtice

The wine country of southern Moravia: the UNESCO-listed Lednice–Valtice garden castles and the hilltop town of Mikulov, best explored by bike past wine cellars and vineyards.

Mikulov and Lednice–Valtice lie in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic, in Břeclav District, right by the Austrian border. They are among the Czech Republic's most famous wine regions. To the west, Mikulov is a hilltop town whose core attractions are its castle, Holy Hill, the Jewish quarter and Palava Hill. About 15 km to the east, the Lednice–Valtice Cultural Landscape covers about 200 square kilometers. The Liechtenstein family managed this park system for centuries. It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1996, and the forests and fishponds between its two great castles are dotted with minarets, artificial ruins, temples and hunting lodges. The best times to visit are May–June and September–October. Spring brings blooming gardens, and autumn is grape harvest season, with the wine festival (Mikulov holds its wine festival in September). The castles and most garden buildings are open roughly April through October, and most close in winter. Recommended itineraries: spend one day exploring Lednice Castle, taking a boat to the minaret, then cycling past the Temple of Diana to Valtice for wine tasting. On another day, climb Holy Hill and tour the castle in Mikulov, then walk Palava Hill in the afternoon or visit the Pavlov Archaeological Park. Flat cycling paths connect the gardens, and bikes can be rented in both Lednice and Mikulov. Getting there: take the train for about 1 hour from Brno to Břeclav or Mikulov. To reach Lednice, take a bus from Břeclav. From Vienna, it is about 1 hour by car. Plan 2–3 days, staying in Mikulov or Lednice. Don't cycle or drive after wine tasting. The Czech Republic has zero tolerance for drink-driving.

Top sights

• Lednice Chateau & Park – A Neo-Gothic palace of the Liechtenstein family, set in an English-style park with a minaret, greenhouses and artificial lakes. It is the c…
• Mikulov Castle – A Baroque castle on the rock above the old town of Mikulov. Its cellar holds one of the largest wine barrels in Central Europe, and it is t…
• Holy Hill (Svatý kopeček) – A limestone hill east of Mikulov town. Climbing up past fourteen Stations of the Cross chapels, you can look over the castle, the old town…
• Mikulov – The most beautiful wine town in South Moravia, where a castle on a rocky hill, the pilgrimage path up the Holy Hill, and the Jewish Quarter…
• Valtice Chateau & National Wine Salon – The Baroque main residence of the Liechtenstein family, whose cellar houses the National Wine Salon, where you can taste the Czech Republic…
• Lednice Minaret – A Moorish-style minaret about 60 meters tall, deep in the Lednice gardens. Climbing it offers views over the castle grounds and lake, makin…
• John's Castle (Janův hrad) – A “artificial ruin” castle deliberately built by the Liechtenstein family in the forest beside the Dyje River. You can climb its tower for…
• Rendez-vous (Temple of Diana) – A triumphal arch–style hunting pavilion in the forest between Valtice and Lednice. Its Empire-style facade is very photogenic, making it a…
• Colonnade on Reistna – A long Classicist colonnade on a hilltop southwest of Valtice. From the top you can overlook Valtice Chateau and the vineyards of South Mor…
• Temple of Apollo – An Empire-style temple on a slope beside the Lednice fishponds. Its semicircular portico overlooks the lake, making it a good place to watc…
• Temple of the Three Graces – A semicircular classical colonnade standing between fishponds, with a statue of the Three Graces at its centre. It is a stop on the souther…
• Border Chateau (Hraniční zámeček) – A small imperial-style chateau built on the old border between Moravia and Austria, overlooking a pond. It now operates as a hotel and rest…
• Pond Chateau (Rybniční zámeček) – A small imperial-style hunting pavilion on the southern shore of the Lednice fishponds. The setting is peaceful, and it makes a rest stop o…
• Dietrichstein Tomb – A baroque-fronted church on Mikulov's main square, housing the coffins of more than forty members of the Dietrichstein family.
• Mikulov Jewish Quarter & Cemetery – Once the religious centre of Moravian Jewry, this area preserves the Upper Synagogue and an old cemetery with about 4,000 gravestones.
• Goat Tower (Kozí hrádek) – A 15th-century lookout tower on the hill north of Mikulov's old town. Climbing it gives you the castle and Holy Hill in one frame, with les…
• Turold Cave – A cave in the limestone hills about 1 km north of Mikulov, with a geology exhibition and an adventure trail for children, making it good fo…
• Pálava Hills (Děvín) – A limestone ridge rising from the vineyards. It is a UNESCO biosphere reserve and the classic hiking route in southern Moravia.
• Děvičky Castle Ruins – The medieval castle ruins on the Pálava ridge. The broken walls stand on the rock face, overlooking Pavlov village and the reservoirs, and…
• Sirotčí hrádek – A small castle ruin on a rock peak above Klentnice village. From the top of the rock you can look over the Pálava Hills and the vineyards.
• Archeopark Pavlov – A modern museum building partly sunk into the ground, telling the story of mammoth hunters from more than 20,000 years ago. It is linked wi…
• Nové Mlýny Reservoirs – Three connected reservoirs at the foot of the Pálava Hills. In summer you can swim and windsurf, and the shores are lined with wine cellars…
• Aqualand Moravia – One of the largest water parks in the Czech Republic, with indoor and outdoor slides and a thermal spa area. A popular choice on rainy days…
• Valtice Underground – A network of historic wine cellars beneath the old town of Valtice. Guided tours include tasting local wines.
• Pohansko Lodge & Great Moravian Site – An imperial-style hunting lodge in the alluvial forest south of Břeclav, surrounded by an important fortified site from the Great Moravian…

Where to eat

• ESSENS Restaurant – A hideaway in the Lednice–Valtice Cultural Landscape, a small border castle that earned a Michelin star in 2025.
• Vino Radosti – A restaurant and bar run by the Šílová winery, with house wines, a snack platter and homemade desserts, consistently ra…
• Sojka a spol. Restaurant – One of the most popular restaurants on Mikulov's main square, with roast duck and sauerkraut and well-regarded local wi…
• Hospůdka U Korunky – The top-rated pub in Lednice, known for charcoal-grilled pork and trout, and almost always full in peak season.
• Valtická rychta – A popular regional restaurant below Valtice Castle, famous for its Mayor's Fried Cutlet and pikeperch fillet with herb…

Itineraries

• Vienna and Three Day Trips in – Based in Vienna, with day trips by train to the Wachau Valley, Lednice-Valtice in Czechia and Sopron in Hungary.
• South Moravia Wine Region to Vienna Road Trip – Drive south from Brno through karst landscapes, UNESCO-listed gardens, and the Pálava wine region, finishing in Vienna.
• Czech Republic Grand Self-Drive Loop – Drive a loop around the Czech Republic, connecting spa towns, Český Krumlov, Moravian wine country, and Olomouc.