The Ride of the Kings

The ride survives in a handful of villages in the southeast corner of Moravia, and Vlcnov in late May is the best known. A boy of about ten is chosen as king, dressed in a woman's ceremonial costume and given a rose to hold in his teeth, which keeps him silent for the whole procession. Two riders flank him with drawn sabres; the rest of the company works the street in rhymed calls, stopping at houses to ask for coins and to praise or mock whoever lives there. The horses are dressed in paper flowers and ribbons that take the families days to make. UNESCO lists the ride as intangible heritage.

Highlights

• The king with the rose - a silent boy in ceremonial costume at the centre of the ride.
• The rhymed calls - riders shouting improvised verses at each house they stop at.
• The decorated horses - manes and harness covered in hand-made paper flowers and ribbons.
• The open cellars - village wine cellars serving through the afternoon once the ride ends.

When to go

Late May, usually across a weekend, and the exact date changes each year, so confirm before booking; not every village holds it every year. Arrive by mid morning to see the company assemble, which is more interesting than the procession itself. Park outside the village and walk in. Beds in the area sell out weeks ahead.

Things to know

It is a few hours of slow procession spread across a long, hot and very crowded day, and the rhymed calls that give the ride its whole point are dialect verse nobody will translate. The village takes in far more people than it is built for, food queues are long, and standing among horses and pressing crowds is hard work with small children.

Nearby

Uherske Hradiste and the wine villages of Slovacko.