This national park represents an excellently preserved example of river valley countryside in the hilly level of Central Europe.

 Location: Halfway between the cities of Znojmo and Vranov nad Dyjí, on the border with Austria. The Austrian National Park Thayatal is located on the other side of the Dyji River. Both parks make up a bilateral area unique in Europe.

Podyjí National Park is the smallest national park in the Czech Republic and is an exceptionally well-preserved example of the beauty and diversity of Central European river valleys. The Dyji canyon, some 220 meters deep in places, is a unique river creation with many bends, deep valley tributaries, unbroken rock faces, stones and cliffs. The park’s most notable attraction is the spectacular views into the depths of the canyon.

The area is also exceptional in its diverse array of plant and animal life. Exploring the Dyji canyon, one can find some of the few remaining foothill beeches, fir and yew trees, as well as oak and hornbeam forests. Nowhere else in the world is the Hardegg rowan tree as common as it is in Podyjí. Seventy-seven species of protected vegetation grow within the park, including 18 types of orchid.

The national park is also home to 65 types of mammals. Alongside the river live otters and kingfishers. High above the park’s deep forests soar black storks, while a local population of hoopoe lives in its moors. In the cliffs above the canyon nest eagle owls, and green lizards dart about the footpaths bordering the river. A lucky visitor may even spot a tree snake – the only one of its kind in Central Europe – or perhaps a spotted salamander.

Podyjí National Park is also extraordinary thanks its diverse selection of insects. The devout praying mantis is just one of many protected insects found here. There are also 12 species of protected butterflies in the park, including two swallowtail butterflies. Finally, several interesting types of beetles can be seen in the reserve, including the rhinoceros beetle, the common horn beetle and the sawyer beetle.

Tourist facilities

The administration of the Podyjí National Park has established and maintains the following tourist facilities for visitors: Čížov Visitor’s Center with 14 panels of terrain information about important individual locations, information panels with tourist maps located in municipalities in the protected zone, six wooden shelters for the event of foul weather and marked springs with drinking water, the quality of which is monitored regularly.

Podyjí National Park in numbers:

Area: 63 km²
Highest point: 536 meters above sea level
Lowest point: 207 meters above sea level

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