Around Kounice and Ivančice – Wine, Asparagus and Whimsical Summer

Put your bike on a train and get off in Silůvky, then follow bike trail No. 5171. After three kilometres, turn left at the crossroads, go over the rail line and up the hill (the route is not marked as a bike trail). You are heading for a beautiful viewpoint, the Chapel of St. Anthony. It has been protecting the villages in the surroundings from natural disasters for already four centuries. And it has been doing it well! Then go down, cross the Jihlava River and pass the varied sights of Dolní Kounice. Visit the restored Jewish synagogue and the mystic Rosa Coeli convent, which the local castle and chateau in one was built to defend. You can try the famous Blaufränkisch grape of Kounice, known here as Frankovka, in the Sklep U Dvořáků (Wine Cellar of the Dvořák Family).

Continue upstream along the Jihlava River to Nové Bránice. If you love wine, take a small detour to Moravské Bránice. The winery with a cosy sitting area at Jan Plaček's place or at Mr. Rathouzský's place will enchant you with their exquisite samples. After Moravské Bránice, continue along bike trail No. 403. Go under the railway viaduct with the iron bridge from 1897, which closely resembles the famous Eiffel Tower. A bit further along the way, you will find a river weir near Stříbský Mlýn (Stříbský Mill). Take the plunge into the water and have a picnic, this place has the attributes of a film backdrop! Then go past the field with the green asparagus of the town’s asparagus-growing enterprise, which was founded not long ago. The asparagus from Ivančice used to be a more famous export item than Pilsen beer. You will encounter sculptures by Josef Zahradník in the open air along the way. The Alfons Mucha lookout tower rises on the Réna hill atop all of that, so you can crown your day’s experiences with a bird’s eye view. When you get back to the square in Ivančice, visit the local information centre and draw new inspiration.