Things to do
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John's Castle
Built as a fake ruin for hunting parties, this folly stands in the floodplain forest about three kilometres east of the château, reached on foot, by bicycle or by horse carriage. Its tower and courtyard open in the main season, with a lookout over the Dyje meadows. Forest trails flood in wet springs. Mosquitoes are fierce from May onward.
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Lednice Castle
Remodelled in Tudor Gothic style in the 1840s, the Liechtenstein summer residence has carved wooden ceilings, an oak spiral staircase and a cast iron palm house. Interiors are seen on guided tours, with several routes to choose from. Full hours run April to October, while winter tours run mainly at weekends and the house closes in January. The park behind is free.
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Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape
Some two hundred square kilometres of parks, ponds and avenues link the two Liechtenstein seats, scattered with temples, colonnades and hunting lodges. Marked cycle routes thread between the follies on flat ground, and bicycle hire is easy in both villages. Most follies are small and keep short seasonal hours. A full loop takes a day, so pick four or five.
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Minaret
Sixty metres of sandstone rise from the far end of the château park in a Moorish style lookout tower. A climb of about three hundred steps reaches galleries with views over the ponds and toward the Pálava hills. Walking through the park takes about twenty minutes, or a boat runs along the canal in summer. It opens April to October only.
