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Znojmo - Wine Cycling in Moravia August, 2008

If Znojmo was any more anonymous, the Federal Witness Protection Program would stash all their people here - in fact, it would not surprise me to discover Jimmy Hoffa running the pension next to our hotel. Not even mentioned in the Lonely Planet guide, people arrive by word of mouth, an inconspicuous and little visited destination apart from the trendy and popular destinations of Prague and Cesky Krumlov. Three hours south of Prague, an hour and a half north of Vienna, this spotless little village in the Czech Republic territory of Moravia flirts with its neighbor Austria in the midst of a burgeoning wine industry, content with neglect and comfortable being overlooked as a tourist destination.   Arriving by train from the Czech town of Olomouc, we were captivated with our first sighting of the delightful village of Znojmo (pronounced ‘Zaw No Way Moe’), with the dominant church spire of St. Nicholas Church overlooking the terra cotta roofed homes of the village below, subservient as if kneeling in an act of homage during worship at a Sunday Mass. Having been settled since Prehistoric times, it’s one of the oldest towns in Central Europe, as it sits on the Dyje River with the Rotunda of St Catherine’s sitting majestically at the town’s apex. Colorful geranium flower boxes teem with color outside every window as ankle twisting cobblestone alleys twist through the village, colorfully and dynamically shadowed by sun drenched pastel tones. We spent a wonderful 8 days hiking and exploring the local area, visiting nearby villages and dining and sampling local food and beverages in the attractive Renaissance town square.  We loved our accommodation at the Traveller’s Hostel in Znojmo, with a large comfortable double room, shiny shared bathroom and views over the nearby river and hills for a tidy $39/night. There is a wide range of accommodations in town, with many pensions offering simple rooms in the $30-40 dollar range, most of which do not have a Web site (many post a phone number on the door). With a population of 6,000, its compact, refreshingly souvenir shop free, very enjoyable and comfortable to get lost in for a week, away from the commotion of Prague. The only concession to tourists is a small sightseeing train that scurries through the village, ferrying visitors to the highlights, including the unique underground labyrinth, a 30 kilometer series of secretive passageways covertly hewed back in the 13th century. Still, this is still a sleepy town, so don’t expect a vibrant night life. In fact, on a recent Friday night, by 9:00 PM everything was pretty much shut down. Here your pantomime skills will be put to the test, as Czech and German are the predominant languages with very little English spoken.  Bordering Znojmo is heavily wooded Podyji National Park, a vast expanse of open space that spills into neighboring Austria. Bisected by the Dyje River, it’s laced with thoughtfully designed trails that meander through tiny local villages, groves of birch, occasional heather moors, patches of wild blueberries, fields of grapes and orchards of apples swollen with fruit. Color coded trails are frequently blazed on trees and rocks, with intersections well signed and easily identified on maps. Make sure you pick up a good map showing the color coded trails, choose your loop and distance and follow the markings through the forest. Trails are also agreeably segregated into cyclist and hiker, also clearly marked on the map. With an extensive network of trails extending throughout the country, it’s possible to rent a bike in one town and return it in another, a tempting alternative if you wish to take a tour of the countryside and stay in local pensions along the way.  Even more thoughtful are the many small wooden wine stands that appear along the trails as well as hospitality stations serving snacks and pints of Hostan beer. Tourist brochures tout these excursions as ‘wine cycling’, and we met many groups of friends either out for a bike ride or a walk taking a break at these thoughtful and perfectly civilized way stations, engaged in conversation and sampling the local wines. Although expensive, bikes can be rented for the day in Znojmo from the Cycling Information Center located right next door to the visitor’s center off the main square.  We left early one morning from Znojmo and headed to the vineyards of Sobes, about a three hour walk away, skirting through the tiny villages of Popice and Konice where we stopped to admire the splendid 200 year old churches. We were continually charmed and blessed by the many religious shrines dotting the paths, eventually arriving at a tasting stand overlooking verdant vineyards terraced into the hillside. Notable for their sauvignon style white wines, about a dozen varieties are available for tasting, with samples poured into shot glasses (25 cents to $2).   While in Znojmo, make sure to hop on a local bus to the delightful little village of Cizov, where you’ll find the last remnants of the infamous Iron Curtain, located just outside the village across from the surprisingly well staffed and informative visitor’s center. Here a lonely yet dutiful sentry tower overlooks rusty barriers of barbed wire while a perpetually barren fifty foot swath of no man’s land, poisoned so many years ago, bears testament to a time not so long along when this country fell under the influence of communist Russia. Originally running the length of the border with Austria and representative of a bygone repressive government, this is the last remaining segment, now so out of place in this modern independent Czech Republic.   From Cizov, we followed a series of wooded trails back to Znojmo, a distance of approximately 14 miles. Routed through alternatively,surprisingly mosquito free dense forests, open fields resplendent with wildflowers and dotted with local deer stands, vineyards and local villages, we delighted in the fresh air and sights as we wound our way back into town, occasionally stumbling upon old stucco homes cunningly tucked next to gurgling creeks. Lacking a proper map of the trails, we did take a few wrong turns along the way, so do try and pick a detailed map at the visitor’s center before heading out.  A one hour train through cornfields and vineyards will take you to the picturesque little village of Mikulov, dominated by a Baroque Chateau that sits upon a hill in the center of town. On a lazy Saturday morning, colorfully clad cyclists congregated in the town square, eager to explore the many local roads which radiate into the surrounding countryside. Cafes, souvenir shops, galleries and places to stay edge the square, while a well staffed tourist information center dispenses excellent brochures and information. As we sat on the square enjoying a pint of original Budweiser, the owner amicably dispensed homemade unfiltered wine from an old plastic jug into recycled liter soda bottles, quickly snatched up by the locals. Proving that the town is geared towards tourists, free WiFi is generously available anywhere in the main plaza. If you’re looking for more of a tourist town, this is a better choice than Znojmo.  Bordering the town are limestone foothills, home to many endangered species of plants and animals and protected as a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Scramble up Holy Hill to Saint Sebastian Church taking in the Stations of the Cross and enjoy the views to the horizon of this remarkable area. Wander down Husova Street, historically the home to the Moravian Jewish population, visit a synagogue and contemplate the many gravestones in the unique centuries old cemetery. A few kilometers outside of Mikulov is the town of Lednice, home to one of the largest landscaped gardens in the world, started 200 years ago and continuing to this day. Local buses run during the week (not on weekends) to this UNESCO World Heritage site. Both Znojmo and Mikulov have an efficient and well located transport station, with connections by bus and train to Prague, Vienna and nearby towns easily arranged. Both bus and train schedules within the Czech Republic can be viewed online at the  www.idos.cz - just check the English box at the bottom, provide both departure and arrival towns and the date and time you’d like to depart. We were visiting the latter part of August, when temperatures were quite pleasant without being too warm and the local farmers market teemed with freshly picked apples, blueberries, plums and other fresh garden vegetables.   A perfect tonic for the frenzied traveler looking for a quiet escape at relatively modest prices, the Moravia region of South Eastern Czech Republic will delight with its unexpected adventures, fresh air and simple way of life. If you want the hustle and bustle of crowds and trendy destinations, head to Bohemia and its combination of Prague and Cesky Krumlov. But if you want something as yet off the beaten track and a little more authentic, then give Moravia a look. You won’t be disappointed.

If You Go: Getting There: Prague is 3 hours to the Northwest, with Vienna 2 hours to the South. Train connections to Znojmo and Mikulov are frequent (at least every other hour).     Sleeping  Traveler’s Hostel Znojmo – Literally below St. Nicholas Church, fantastic views, shared bathrooms, substantial breakfasts, internet access and kitchen privileges. One small private apartment. $20-$30/person.  www.travellers.com    Pension Kaplanka – U Branky 6, Znojmo – Both shared and private rooms – breakfast not included – some rooms have nice balconies. $40-$60 (double).  www.kaplanka.cz  Penzion U Mikulase – Mikulasske Namesti 8, Znojmo – Cozy little rooms, some with shared baths, great lunch served across the street – breakfast not included. $40-$60 (double).  www.penzionumikulase.cz    Dining: Va Vecnosti, Znojmo – Popular and atmospheric vegetarian restaurant featuring hearty Czech favorites with occasional entertainment in the rocky underground enclave. Free WiFi. Kavarna Vltavin – Nice outdoor patio at the quiet intersection of Klacelova and Zelenarska in Znojmo. Hotel Karnik, located upstairs, has small rooms for rent. Things To Do: Hike or bike the surrounding countryside on the extensive and well marked trails. Sample wine at local wineries, visit surrounding villages. Bicycle Rentals – Rent bikes at the Cyclist Information Center next door to the Znojmo Visitor Center for a rather hefty $20/day. Long distance bike rentals are available at www.topbicycle.com. This full service company will drop off and pick up bicycles between a range of cities in the Czech Republic, transport baggage, arrange lodging along your route and provide GPS programmed itineraries. More Information:  Znojmo and Mikulov are both very charming places to spend some time. If you like a more laidback, less touristy environment, then choose Znojmo.

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