3-Day hike: Trails of Bohemia – Southern part: Vranov and Podyjí

A relaxing hike through Vranov and the Podyjí region with an overnight stay outdoors

Starting point

I took the bus from Brno to Lubnice, a small village just east of Bítov. From Lubnice, I began my three-day hike along the southern section of the Trail Through Bohemia. Along the way, I met many hikers, and most were going in the opposite direction — that is, from Znojmo heading west. My route from east to west thus had the advantage that I wasn’t hiking with the crowd, which suited me just fine :)
 

Description of the hike

1. day

From Lubnice, I follow the green trail, and just past the village I have to wade across the Želetavka River in three places. Once, I even have to kick large rocks into the river so I can cross it with at least one foot still dry. The green trail, marked as Via Czechia South, then leads through fields and woods to Peksov’s mill by the river, where children’s summer camps are held.

From the mill, the path follows an asphalt road up a steep hill through the village of Zblovice. Here, after about 12 km, I wanted to have a beer and something to eat, but the pub in Zblovice doesn’t open until 6:00 p.m. It was 5:00 p.m., and I didn’t feel like waiting an hour, so I continued on toward Bítov.

From Zblovice, the path leads through the forest up a steeper hill to the ridge, where Bítov Castle is located. I walked past Lásky Pond and across the Straw Bridge. It is considered the oldest bridge in Moravia, as its construction began as early as 1062. The stone pillars, which are still clearly visible here, can be linked to this earliest period.

In the second half of the 19th century, under the Bítov Counts of Daun, the stone bridge wings were completed, and a stone arch was inserted between the older pillars. My personal first impression was, “A truly beautiful, romantic bridge that is unique in this little forest.” 

Just past the bridge, the path climbs steeply uphill, and after a short while I come to a shelter with benches, offering a magnificent view of Bítov Castle. There’s no one here (unlike on the section of the trail in Podyjí National Park), so I’m able to enjoy my dinner in peace and spend the night on a bench in the shelter.

The only downside I’d like to mention were two things that kept me up at night: 1. the peacocks at the castle, which were quite loud in the evening and early morning, 2. the church clock, which chimed every quarter hour from the bell tower :) ... so I didn’t get much sleep ... but the view was truly amazing :)
 

2. day

I get up early the next day—I didn’t sleep much anyway because of the piercing church bells—and set off past Bítov Castle toward the town of Bítov, following the green trail. In Bítov, I restock at the Coop on the town square and have breakfast on a bench. 

From Bítov, I set off along the yellow hiking trail (the official “Trail Through Bohemia”) toward the village of Chvalatice. From there, I continue along the yellow trail through the forest and across meadows, through the Štítarský Forest all the way to the Swiss Valley. There are plenty of cabin owners and fishermen at the Vranov Dam. In the valley, the yellow trail connects with the green one, and I continue along the paved road by the water to the dam of the Vranov nad Dyjí hydroelectric power plant.

There are many food stands in front of the dam — I stop at the Na hrázi café for coffee and a babovka cake; combined with the chill music from the café, it’s a great way to relax. In front of the dam is a newly built pedestrian bridge from 2019, which connects the Vranov beach on the other side with Vranov nad Dyjí, located just beyond the dam.

It’s really just a short walk from the dam to the town of Vranov nad Dyjí (about 1 km). In Vranov, I highly recommend the excellent Ukrainian restaurant Buď Láska, which serves authentic Ukrainian cuisine at the highest level. With a beer from Old Kock and my energy recharged, I head out of town along the green trail to the Zadní Hramy footbridge, and from there, I follow the red trail along the south bank of the Dyje River through the Podyjí National Park.

Following the red trail, I walk through a deciduous forest past the obelisk by the ice caves, along the Smugglers’ Trail, and on to the crossroads at Klepech, just south of the village of Čížov. Here, at the Na Klepech shelter, I spend my second night. There are far more tourists in the Podyjí National Park, likely due to its easy accessibility from both Čížov and Znojmo. That’s also why there are a total of 7 of us sleeping in the shelter, but we just barely fit. Just a heads-up for those seeking peace and quiet on the Trail Through Bohemia: this part of the Podyjí isn’t exactly ideal during the high season.
 

3. day

Today’s stats: 28.8 km. Elevation gain: 554 m.

I pack up quickly in the morning and set off at 7:00 a.m. along the red trail, heading north for a while toward Čížov and then west toward the village of Lukov, where I arrive in about an hour and a half. Here at the Coop, I stock up on provisions and buy breakfast.

From Lukov, I continue along the red trail in the Podyjí National Park to the U Milíře crossroads. Here, I recommend briefly switching from the red to the blue trail. This is because the red trail follows asphalt from here and is mainly used by cyclists. The blue trail leads through the forest along a path known as the Lipenská cesta, and the two routes meet again at the Šobeská footbridge. 

From the footbridge, I follow only the yellow trail along the Dyje River. First, I pass a clearing with the former Papírna mill, where there is also a larger rest area with a shelter. Here, I cook lunch on my stove and rest after about 15 km. Then I continue north along the yellow trail toward Znojmo. 

The path follows an easy trail along the river, and after about 2 km, it begins to climb up the Jaroslav Krejčí Trail to the Sealsfield Stone overlook. From here, there are truly beautiful panoramic views of the meanders of the Dyje River.

From the viewpoint, I descend back to the river, where a narrow and occasionally rocky path begins, following the yellow trail all the way to Znojmo. In Znojmo, I had dinner at the Mr. Le restaurant (good value for money) near the bus station and took the bus back to Brno on Saturday evening.
 

Difficulty

When it comes to difficulty, everyone sets their own pace on the Trail Through Bohemia—it sounds strange, but it’s true. It depends on how many kilometers you decide to cover each day. On my first day, right after arriving in Lubnice, I walked 13 km, and then about 29 km every day after that, which is about my limit for a comfortable walk with a backpack weighing around 10 kg.

The terrain on this part of the trail isn’t difficult at all. You mostly walk along forest or dirt paths. There are only a few rocky sections. You never need to use your hands to climb. There are no exposed sections that would be “dangerous.”
 

Water availability

You’ll find a few water fountains along the way, but in my opinion, there’s no need to use them. For each day of the hike, I always had about 2 liters of water in a bag in my backpack, which I either bought at a local store like Coop (which is in almost every town) or refilled with drinking water at a restaurant—there are plenty of them along the way. So, with proper planning, there’s no need to worry about refilling water from natural sources.
 

Danger

There are no particularly dangerous spots on this section of the Czech Trail. There are a few steep climbs and some narrower paths along rock outcrops. However, there are no chains or secured sections. An average hiker with a steady stride won’t have any trouble even in these spots.

Children (I met 8-year-olds here with their parents) and seniors can easily handle the trail if they limit their daily mileage. It’s just a matter of setting a reasonable daily distance so you can enjoy the trail.
 

Food

You won’t have any trouble finding food in this southern section of the Czech Trail. Every so often, you’ll come across a village or small town (Bítov, Vranov nad Dyjí). Even the smallest villages here have a Coop grocery store (just be sure to check the opening hours; on Saturdays, they’re usually only open until 10:00 a.m.).

Every day, I carried 2 protein bars, 2 liters of water, and a can of pasta with tuna in my backpack; I ate the rest of my meals at restaurants. Once, I even cooked my own lunch on a camping stove—pasta with cheese :)