South Moravia: wine routes, castles and grape harvest in September

The Znojmo and Mikulov wine harvest takes place at the same time, September 11-13, 2026 (2026 wine harvest program). If you want to catch the harvest festival, plan your trip for the second weekend of September. During these three days, wine is poured right in the squares, and wine routes run between the towns.

In other months, South Moravia also lives and breathes wine. The region produces white wines from local grape varieties that are almost never found outside the Czech Republic. Nearby stand castles, monasteries, and three UNESCO World Heritage sites.

We put together a route through the region from Pernštejn to Lednice. The article includes prices, opening hours, and distances that are worth checking before your trip.

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Pernštejn Castle: the White Lady and the filming of Nosferatu

💡 In short:

• Castle tours run from September 1 to November 1, closed on Mondays (as of 09/2026, castle opening hours).
• An adult ticket for the main tour costs 260 crowns, children aged 6 to 17 pay 80 crowns (as of 09/2026, Pernštejn tickets).
• Prices and opening hours: as of 09/2026, verified on the castle's official website.

Pernštejn Castle stands on a rock above a wooded valley, and you will spot its silhouette from far away. From the outside it is Gothic with Renaissance elements, while inside Baroque and Biedermeier await you. The history is spiced up with a local legend about the White Lady. A chambermaid who skipped mass and admired herself in the mirror has still found no peace, and guides tell her story in every room.

In the late seventies, Werner Herzog's "Nosferatu the Vampyre" was filmed at Pernštejn. In total, around forty films and fairy tales have been shot here. The castle has never been taken by storm, and that is one of the reasons it is so well preserved.

In September, groups are formed on a first-come basis, and there can be a line at the ticket office.

• The catch: from October 3, the main tour is open only on Saturdays and Sundays, and on November 1 the castle closes until spring.

The easiest way to reach the castle is by car: about 40 km from Brno on the map. The castle has a parking lot, and from there a forest path leads uphill to the gate.

South moravian wines: Pálava, Muškát moravský, and Aurelius

The Czech Republic is known for beer, but the south of the country runs on wine. Milan Veteska, the owner of a wine shop, explains this better than any textbook. He points to local varieties as examples: Pálava, Muškát moravský, and Aurelius.

Pálava smells different from Chardonnay or Riesling. According to Veteska, it is closest to rare white varieties from Spain and Italy. During the communist years, the focus was on Chardonnay and Merlot, which turned out to be a poor choice for local soils. Now local varieties have returned to the cellars and are experiencing a second birth.

• Who it's for: those looking for dry white wines with a full body and willing to try unfamiliar varieties.
• Not for: if you only like heavy red wines, tasting local varieties will not impress you.

If you came for wine, start with winery shops rather than the supermarket. There they will pour you Pálava from an open bottle and explain the difference between dry and off-dry styles.

Wine routes and bike paths around Mikulov

Wine routes of varying lengths run between Mikulov and Znojmo. The surfaces also vary: narrow village roads, paved bike paths, and dirt field tracks. On such a road you pass village after village and hardly encounter any tour buses.

The Pálava hills look almost Mediterranean, and that is no exaggeration. South Moravia accounts for nearly all of the country's vineyards. In summer it is dry and hot here, so bring water and set out in the morning. From Mikulov to Valtice it is about 12-15 km by road.

© Txllxt TxllxT · CC BY-SAPhoto: Txllxt TxllxT, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

It's more convenient to stay overnight in Mikulov: hotels are right in the center, and in the morning you step straight onto the route (see hotels in Mikulov on Trip.com). You can rent a bike on site, but it's easier to pick up a car in Brno.

Czech vineyards: numbers and history

The Czech Republic doesn't have many vineyards: they cover less than twenty thousand hectares. Almost 92% of that area lies in South Moravia, and nearly half is concentrated in a single district, Břeclav (as of 09/2026, ČSÚ).

Four hundred years ago the picture was different. The Thirty Years' War and the years that followed shrank the vineyards in both Moravia and Bohemia. Before that, Moravian winemakers lived under a privilege granted by Charles IV, who in the 14th century allowed them to sell wine throughout the empire. The exception was Prague, and in South Moravia people still repeat that wine comes in three grades: good, average, and wine for Prague.

© Tadeáš Bednarz · CC BY-SAPhoto: Tadeáš Bednarz, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

For a trip, this means one simple thing: the region is compact. You can drive between Mikulov, Znojmo, and Břeclav in a day and fit in two tastings. People hunt for fresh releases of local varieties in September, when the harvest begins.

Znojmo wine festival: three days in September

The Znojmo wine festival takes over the historic center and runs September 11-13, 2026 (official festival website). Entry to the historic part of the city is ticketed on those days, and tickets are sold through the official website. Musicians and folk ensembles perform on several stages, and the streets fill with historical characters.

Every year they stage a performance about the entry of John of Luxembourg. The procession includes knights and landsknechts, standard-bearers and drummers, jugglers and court ladies, prisoners and an executioner. It was John of Luxembourg who granted the people of Znojmo their first winemaking right, which Charles IV later expanded.

© Matypaty · CC BYPhoto: Matypaty, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

The performance takes place at several locations around the city, so check the schedule in advance and stay near the center. If you want to see the procession, arrive at the start of the program: the streets get closed off, and an hour later you can no longer get through the crowd.

Tours of the wine cellars around Znojmo are best booked in advance (tours and tastings on GetYourGuide).

Burčák: the young wine of September

At the wine festival, everyone drinks Burčák, young wine that is still fermenting. In Austria it's called Sturm, in Germany Federweißer. It's sold from plastic barrels and bottles, white and red, and stands like that are everywhere in the squares.

A liter of Burčák costs 90-100 CZK from winemakers in 2026, and 100-130 CZK at wine festivals and wine shops (as of 09/2026, Víno a styl, Toprecepty). The taste varies from stand to stand: sometimes it's cloyingly sweet, sometimes it already has a bitter note. Get a glass to try before you buy a liter.

© Huhulenik · CC BYPhoto: Huhulenik, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), Wikimedia Commons

• The catch: Burčák is only sold in season, from August to October, and it keeps fermenting on the road.

Třebíč: the Jewish quarter and the basilica

Třebíč is already in the Vysočina Region, but people go there from Brno on a day trip: it's about 70 km on the map. The town made the UNESCO list thanks to its former Jewish quarter. More than a hundred houses and two synagogues survive there, and you can tour them with a guide. It's easy to combine the walk with the Basilica of St. Procopius on the other side of the river.

© Czeva · CC BY-SAPhoto: Czeva, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0), Wikimedia Commons

Zelená Hora: a pilgrimage church near Žďár nad Sázavou

The pilgrimage church of Zelená Hora stands on a hill near the town of Žďár nad Sázavou. It is dedicated to St. John of Nepomuk and was built in the early 18th century to a design by the architect Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel (as of 09/2026, official website). The church is also on the UNESCO list, and the interiors are open only in season, so check the opening hours on the website before you set off.

© Jerzy Strzelecki · CC BY-SAPhoto: Jerzy Strzelecki, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0), Wikimedia Commons

Lednice and Valtice: the Liechtenstein parks

Lednice and Valtice are about 8 km apart on the map, and between them lies a park with ponds and artificial islands. The neo-Gothic Lednice Castle and the Valtice palaces belonged to the Princes of Liechtenstein for centuries. The whole area is a UNESCO site. Check tickets and opening hours on the official Lednice Castle website.

© Txllxt TxllxT · CC BY-SAPhoto: Txllxt TxllxT, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

Plan half a day for Lednice. You will walk several kilometers through the park on foot, and then return to Brno by bus or car. If you are going for a weekend, leave Lednice for the second day and do not mix the walk with a tasting.

Getting there and when to go

Brno is a convenient base for the trip: Pernštejn is about 40 km away, Mikulov about 50 km, and Znojmo about 70 km on the map. Trains to the wine towns run regularly from Brno, and it is better to book tickets in advance (train schedules on Trip.com).

Beyond that, it is harder without a car: some wine routes run along dirt roads between villages. You can compare car rental prices from Brno or at the airport, and picking up the car in the city center is more convenient than on the outskirts.

The best time to visit is September, when the harvest is underway and wine festivals are in full swing. In July and August it is hot and dry here, but evening tastings run until dark. In spring the region is quieter, and cellars will welcome you almost without a reservation.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

When does the wine festival take place in South Moravia?

Both main festivals, the Znojmo wine festival and Pálavské vinobraní in Mikulov, run at the same time, September 11-13, 2026 (as of 09/2026, prices and program for 2026). Entry to the historic center of Znojmo is paid on these days, and wine stands operate from morning until night. Arrive at the start of the program, otherwise you will only see the procession from a distance.

How much does a ticket to Pernštejn Castle cost?

An adult ticket for the main tour costs 260 crowns, children aged 6 to 17 pay 80 crowns (as of 09/2026, castle price list).

What is Burčák and how much does it cost?

Burčák is young wine that is still fermenting and remains sweet. A liter costs 90-100 crowns from winemakers and 100-130 crowns at wine festivals (as of 09/2026, Burčák price overview). It is worth drinking in September; by late October the drink disappears from the stands.

Do I need a car in South Moravia?

Trains run between Mikulov and Znojmo, but for Pernštejn Castle and the wine routes it is more convenient to drive (about 40 km from Brno to the castle on the map). Renting a car saves you from transfers between villages and lets you stop at any wine cellar.

Can I see Třebíč and Lednice in one day?

Better not to try: Třebíč and Lednice are more than a hundred kilometers apart on the map, and you will spend half a day in the park at Lednice. Split the UNESCO sites across two days: the first for Třebíč and Zelená Hora, the second for Lednice and Valtice.

In short: what to book

South Moravia fits into three scenarios. If you have one day: choose Pernštejn Castle and the vineyards around Mikulov. If you have a weekend: add a wine festival and a night in Mikulov (rooms in Mikulov on Trip.com). If you have a week: split the UNESCO sites across different days and leave a day for tastings in Znojmo.

Book your stay and compare car rental prices before you go: during the wine harvest, rooms in the center are the first to sell out.