South Moravia is the warmest corner of the Czech Republic, and in summer the plains around Hustopeče shimmer in the heat, the vineyards and orchards dusty under a hard blue sky. The point lies near Šakvice, close to the Nové Mlýny reservoirs, a chain of three large artificial lakes on the Dyje river, and on the way back to Vienna it is a natural place to cool off in the water.
Above the reservoirs rise the Pavlov Hills, or Pálava, a sudden limestone ridge with cliffs, ruined castles and steppe grassland, rich in rare plants and insects. At the foot of the hills, at Dolní Věstonice, archaeologists found the Venus of Věstonice, a small ceramic figure of a woman about thirty thousand years old, one of the oldest known ceramic objects in the world. To the south, Mikulov is a beautiful town with a castle on a rock, a Jewish quarter and a hill of chapels.
Hustopeče itself is known for its almond orchards, a rarity this far north, and in spring the trees blossom pink and white on the hillsides, celebrated with a festival. The whole region is wine country, with cellars, sklepy, dug into the hillsides, where local winemakers serve their wines, and in late summer and early autumn, burčák, a partially fermented young wine, is sold everywhere.
The reservoirs have beaches and campsites, and at Pasohlávky there is a large thermal water park. The water in the lakes is warm in summer, though algae blooms can occur in hot weather, so check the local water quality reports. The roads in the area are flat to gently rolling, with good surfaces and little traffic, passing through vineyards and villages. Hustopeče and Mikulov have fuel and services. Remember that the Czech blood alcohol limit is zero, so save the wine for the evening, or take a bottle home.