A spring walk with kids in Podyjí National Park

Spring is a magical time. The days grow longer and the weather warms up. It’s great to stay outdoors again and enjoy nature, where the first flowers pop their heads and attract insect visitors. We chose Podyjí National Park and its eastern part for our first spring walk and a quest for the first spring flowers.

I love this part of our country. There are no big hills, just deep valleys. The area shows a long-term symbiosis between humans and nature. Charming little villages are scattered among vineyards and meadows, and there are many walking and biking trails for all levels of difficulty.

We began our hike at the “Fládnické vřesoviště” near Hnanice, a beautiful heathland area. We crossed the meadow full of precious pasqueflowers and continued to the viewpoint of “Devět mlýnů”, offering stunning panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. You don’t have to go to the USA to see a horseshoe bend; we have one in Czechia 😊

We got to the river, crossed a swinging bridge, and took a little uphill walk to arrive at the Šobes vineyard. According to specialists, it is one of the oldest and most renowned vineyards in Europe. The most important thing for kids is that there is a little stall where they can get a cup of sweet grape juice, besides the wine sold to adults. This spot is perfect for a quick rest and a snack (but you have to bring something to eat 😉)

We got back to the Dyje River, crossed the bridge again, and continued along the water for a while. Then we followed the red trail up the hill and through “Havranické vřesoviště”. We could see wild horses there. They help maintain the meadows and protect them from overgrowth. They didn’t look that wild though… We continued to the village of Havraníky (we crossed a playground and another viewpoint, so it took a little bit longer) and stopped for lunch.

After lunch, we walked back through the vineyards and moors, enjoying the peaceful scenery and another playground. The loop started and ended at the car park of Happy Star Hotel. The distance was slightly more than 10 km and took us about 5 hours, including lunch at the restaurant. We didn’t hurry.

Accommodation – We stayed at Happy Star hotel on the outskirts of Hnanice, and it was OK. There is an indoor play area for kids, a spa, a swimming pool, and an outdoor playground too. The food was OK; they serve a buffet brekfast, and you can have lunch or dinner there as well. The restaurant was quite crowded during lunch or dinner time, so if you intend to eat there, a table reservation might be wise.

Where to eat – There are restaurants in Hnanice and Havraníky, and you can buy a drink at Šobes vineyard.

We used the application PlantNet when we were not sure what the flowers we saw along the way were. It is easy – just open the app, take a picture of the flower, and it suggests what the name is.

A few words about Podyjí National Park… It is located in the South Moravian Region of Czechia. You can find dramatic landscapes and rich biodiversity, particularly along the preserved Dyje River Valley. The park’s terrain includes deep, forested gorges, rocky cliffs, vineyards, and flower-filled meadows. It is linked to the Thayatal National Park in Austria. Many Czech families like to spend their summer holidays in this part of the country. There is a lot to see besides the beautiful landscape of the park. Just to mention a few spots – Znojmo, Vranov Lake, the well preserved castles of Bítov and Vranov, the ruin of Cornstein castle etc. But that is not the aim of this article, and I will write about it some other time 🙂