Vranov Reservoir

The Vranov dam was built between 1930 and 1934 on the Dyje and backs the river up about thirty kilometres through a narrow wooded gorge towards Bitov, with steep forested sides and few flat shores - the water is deep and, because the surface is sheltered and the summer here is the warmest in the country, it reaches temperatures unusual for a Czech reservoir, which is why the local nickname is the Moravian Adriatic. It is one of the main sailing and swimming waters in Moravia, with beaches at Vranov and Bitov, boat services, and a great deal of holiday accommodation on the accessible stretches. Above the dam stands Vranov chateau, a baroque house on a rock spur with an oval Hall of Ancestors by Fischer von Erlach. Bitov castle sits at the upper end. Podyji National Park begins downstream of the dam.

What you actually see

• A thirty-kilometre lake - backed up through a narrow wooded gorge.
• Warm water by August - the reason for the Moravian Adriatic nickname.
• Vranov chateau - a baroque house on a spur with a Fischer von Erlach hall.
• Bitov castle - at the upper end of the reservoir.

When to go

June to September. Two days.

Honest expectations

Shores are steep and access points are few - most of the length has no path. Very busy in July and August. Water levels drop noticeably in dry summers. Boat services are seasonal.

Nearby

Podyji National Park begins below the dam; Znojmo is downstream.