The Palava Hills

Palava is a short ridge of white limestone standing above the flat, vine-covered plain of southern Moravia, dry, hot and unlike anything else in the country. The slopes carry steppe grassland with orchids and feather grass, the crags are bare rock, and two sets of ruins sit on the crest: Devicky above Pavlov and Sirotci hradek above Klentnice. The main path runs the length of the ridge between Mikulov and Dolni Vestonice, climbing over each summit in turn, with the Nove Mlyny reservoirs shining below on one side and cliffs dropping away on the other. It is a protected biosphere reserve, so staying on marked paths is not a formality here.

What you actually see

• The crest path - the ridge route over the summits between Mikulov and Dolni Vestonice, some fifteen kilometres end to end.
• Devicky - the larger ruin on the ridge above Pavlov, with the reservoirs laid out below it.
• The steppe grassland - dry limestone meadow with orchids and feather grass, at its best in late spring.
• Svaty kopecek - the isolated conical hill on the edge of Mikulov, with a chapel path up its bare flank.

When to go

April to early June for orchids and green grass, or September and October for the grape harvest and softer light. July and August are genuinely hot on the bare ridge, with no shade and no water on the crest. Start early in summer and carry more water than feels necessary. Weekends bring crowds to Devicky.

Honest expectations

There is no shade and no water source along the ridge, and people underestimate the heat. The rock is slippery limestone polished by boots, and the descents are steeper than the map suggests. The ruins are fragments rather than buildings. The reservoirs below are a modern engineering scheme and the shoreline is not attractive up close.

Nearby

Mikulov sits at the southern end, and the Lednice and Valtice estates are a short drive west.