FULL – 3. Protected Landscape Area Pálava
Pavlovské hills (Pálava) was declared a protected landscape area in 1976 and was recognized by UNESCO in 1986. This area is currently part of the Lower Morava Biosphere Reserve. Pálava, the northern tip of Pannonia, is dominated by the limestone Pavlov Hills (part of the outer Western Carpathians), and contains a significant proportion of natural or little affected steppe ecosystems that include meadow steppe, forest steppe, and thermophilic oak forest. In the floodplain of the river Thaya, forests alternate with meadows and wetland habitat that also include halophytic vegetation.
Pálava is a historical cultural landscape inhabited already in the times of Paleolithic mammoth hunters. The archaeological finds of the world importance are presented in the Pavlov Archaeopark. The current landscape is the result of long-term cultivation of the area, especially supported by the Liechtenstein and Dietrichstein families. The town of Mikulov, the centre of the area, and its surroundings are an example of a unique early Baroque designed landscape.
The remaining part of Pálava is a historical rural landscape with many sustainably farmed vineyards that are a part of the Mikulovská wine subregion. During the field trip, the participants will learn about the management of the protected landscape area and visit the most interesting places in the region (Mikulov, Klentnice, Pavlov).
| Organisation | Petr Čupa & Petr Maděra (Lower Morava BR, Mendel University in Brno) |
| Format | Bus trip with walks at various stops. |
| Duration | Full day field trip. The lunch will be provided in the town of Lednice. The excursion bus departs at 08:00 from the Commenius University in Bratislava and will return around 18:00 |
| Max. Participants | 40/40 people |
Detailed programme:
| 8:00-9:30 | Departure from Bratislava, transfer to Mikulov through Lednice |
| 9:30-12:00 | Mikulov (historical city center, special botanical garden, „Gethsemane garden“, climb on the Saint Hill, management of the PLA Palava) |
| 12:00-13:00 | Lunch break (hotel Galant in Mikulov) |
| 13:00-14:00 | Kočičí skála (Cat rock´s natural monument), Klentnice (rural landscape restoration) |
| 14:00-16:00 | Climb to Děvičky (Girls castle) – nature conservation, view to the Nové Mlýny resorvoirs) |
| 16:00-16:30 | Pavlov (heritage village, wine tourism, archeopark) |
| 17:00-18:30 | Transfer to Bratislava through Bulhary, Lednice, Podivín |
Important notes:
Route length: 225 km by bus, about 5 km by walking
Difficulty of the route: medium hiking intensity (Saint Hill and Děvičky castle), easy (Mikulov, Kočičí skála, Klentnice, Pavlov). Variant for the participants who do not dare to climb the hills: they can wait and walk in Mikulov and/or Pavlov.
Clothing and footwear requirements: tourist trekking shoots, clothing according to the current weather
Option in case of rain: climbing to the Děvičky castle will be replaced by a visit to the Dolní Věstonice Nature House and the Pavlov Archeoskanzen.
Payment in the Czech Republic: cash by the Czech crowns (CZK) or by card Entry to the Czech Republic: ID card or passport (EU citizens); passport and Czech or Schengen visa (non EU citizens)
Useful links:
PLA Pálava website: https://palava.aopk.gov.cz/
Pálava and Mikulov: https://www.mikulov.cz/en/tourist/services/tourist-destinations/a-natural-attraction/palava-nature-reserve; https://www.gotobrno.cz/en/place/palava/; https://www.south-moravia.com/en/o70526-;
Pavlov village: https://www.obec-pavlov.cz/#googtrans(cs|en)
Archeopark Pavlov: https://www.archeoparkpavlov.cz/en/?langselect=1
Biosphere Reserve Lower Morava: https://www.dolnimorava.org/
Hotel Galant Mikulov: https://galant.cz/en/hotel-galant-mikulov/