Vizovice

Slivovice - plum brandy - is the spirit of eastern Moravia and Vizovice is where it is centred: the Rudolf Jelinek distillery was founded here in 1894 and became the largest producer, exporting widely, and it runs tours through the production and the ageing cellars with tastings. Alongside the industrial product sits a practice that surprises visitors: Czech law allows households to bring their own fruit to a licensed pestirna, a contract still, and have it distilled for their own use up to a limit, paying reduced duty, so families across this region grow plums, ferment the mash in autumn and take it to be run off - the resulting home slivovice is a matter of local pride and comparison. Vizovice also has a baroque chateau with furnished rooms and a park, and it hosts the Masters of Rock festival, one of the largest in the country.

What you actually see

• The Jelinek distillery - founded 1894, with tours of production and ageing cellars.
• Contract stills - households distilling their own fruit under licence, a living practice.
• A baroque chateau - furnished rooms and a park in the town.
• A large rock festival - Masters of Rock, held here each summer.

When to go

May to September; autumn for the distilling season. A day.

Honest expectations

Distillery tours are booked and timed with age limits. Home slivovice offered by locals is strong and refusing takes tact. Festival week fills the town completely.

Nearby

Zlin is twelve kilometres west; Luhacovice is south.