Moravian Karst

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Moravian Karst

The Moravian Karst (map) is a karst landscape and protected nature reserve to the north of Brno, located near the town of Blansko (map).

The Moravian Karst is one of the most important karst areas in Central Europe. It is comprised of heavily karstified Devonian limestones. Karst formations have developed here both on the surface and underground on an area of 100 km2. There are more than 1,000 known caves in this area, five of which are open to the public.

This region is also home to one of the most important single geological features in the Czech Republic, the Macocha Abyss (map), a gorge 138 m deep, which was formed when the ceiling of a cave chamber collapsed.

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The Moravian Karst is literally interwoven with a dense network of tourist trails. A green tourist trail, beginning at the railway station, leads from Blansko to Skalní Mlýn (the “heart” of the karst, map) where there is an information centre and car park. A yellow trail will bring you here from Sloup and the Sloup-Šošůvka Caves (map). Another important point is the upper viewing point of the Macocha Abyss, where the yellow trail from Sloup meets up with a red trail from Rudice.

It is essential to book tickets to the Punkva Caves in advance, especially in the summer tourist season. We recommend booking at least a week in advance! The caves can only accommodate a limited number of visitors in view of the maximum number of people that can be carried by the boat.

Tickets to the Balcarka, Katherine, Výpustek and Sloup-Šošůvka Caves are usually available, and no reservation is necessary.

Skalní Mlýn (map) is the starting point for your trip. You can buy tickets for all these caves and our ecological transport here. Katherine Cave – most famous for its stalactite formation The Witch and the legend of Katherine and her lost sheep – is just a ten-minute walk away. A tour of the cave, which is extremely popular with children, lasts 30 minutes.

Then you can go back to Skalní Mlýn and board the ecological train which will take you to the Punkva Caves. A tour of these caves is divided into a “dry” part and a boat trip, and lasts 60 minutes. Important note – entry to the caves is prohibited to children up to the age of 3. Not far from the entrance to the caves you will find the bottom of the cableway which will take you to the upper viewing point of the Macocha Abyss. You can get back to Skalní Mlýn on the cableway or by taking the footpath.

You can get to Ostrov u Macochy via Vilémovice – the Balcarka Cave (map) is just before the village. It is famous primarily for its richly coloured stalactite decoration.

No reservation is needed for this cave. From Ostrov set out for Sloup – Village of the Year 2000. The Sloup-Šošůvka Caves have recently been restored, and the tour also takes in the Kůlna (map) or Shed Cave, a famous archaeological site. You have the choice of two routes – a short route and a long route. The short route take 60 minutes, though we recommend the long route (which takes 100 minutes and covers 1,670 metres) for the more able-bodied.

From Blansko, go to Jedovnice and take the turning in the direction of Brno to Křtiny. The Výpustek Cave (map) is located in the Josefov Valley around 1 km from Křtiny (map). Centuries ago, the cave was an extensive and unique subterranean system. In the 20th century, the cave space was, however, greatly affected by the extraction of phosphate soils and the actions of the Czechoslovak and German armies. An underground nuclear shelter was built in one of its passages in the nineteen sixties.

Finally one important piece of advice – don’t forget to dress warmly, as the temperature in the caves is 7–8 °C!!! 

+ INFO >> Pavilon Anthropos • Jeskyně Balcarka • Býčí skála • Císařská jeskyně • Kateřinská jeskyně • Králova jeskynĕ • Propast Macocha • Punkevní jeskyně • Sloupsko-Šošùvské jeskyně • Ochozská jeskynĕ • Jeskyně Výpustek (showcaves.com)

Public transport

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IDOS | Seznam – Both sites cover all Czech trains, buses and city transport and many train and bus lines abroad.

IDS JMK – Integrated transport system of the region.

DPMB.cz – Public transport of the city.

+ Public transport in Brno (gotobrno.cz)

 BUS >   Good service is offered by Eurolines and RegioJet. Cheap tickets from Poland are offered by FlixBus.

 RAIL >   Brno is an important stop on the Prague–Vienna and Prague–Bratislava–Budapest railway line; all IC, EC and Railjet trains stop here. For some trains originating in Prague, it is a terminal stop.

The railway system of the Czech Republic is relatively fast, reliable and very dense. Most trains are operated by the state company Czech Railways (České Dráhy – ČD) + LEO Express • RegioJet. *Rail travel in Czech Republic

 AIRPORTS >   Václav Havel Airport – about 10 km west of the centre of Prague.

 WATERWAYS >   Korn Ferry • River Boats Prague

Mapy.cz – is a good source for cycling information – switch the map (via Změnit mapu – Turistická) to see cycling routes in violet color.

Useful links

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Tourism in the Czech Republic (wiki)
Tourist attractions (wiki)
List of World Heritage Sites (wiki)
Culture (wiki)
List of museums (wiki)
Transport (wiki)
Czech cuisine (wiki)
Beer (wiki)
Protected areas (wiki)

All articles of the country

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