Imagine the4 dusk in summer, the gentle waves on the surface of the Bata channel rocking the boat that you have taken from Spytihněv smoothly as you leave a rippling wake behind you while the engine is quietly droning. You have just entered Moravian Slovakia. As we are familiar with all the possibilities that the region and Bata waterway offer, our boat is well supplied. This is because we have hired one of the "Culinary Boats”. The baskets full of irresistible cakes, smoked meat and sausage guarantee that we won’t suffer from a lack of anything, so a gentle clink of glasses filled with ruby wine from local vineyards may be heard in the quiet twilight on the very border of the region.

This is how many fancy Moravian Slovakia. The reality will look like this and even better when you come.
The tourist area of Moravian Slovakia is a region lying both in the Zlín Region and the South-Moravian Region; and these two regions have a lot in common. Not only the Baťa channel, whose course may take you as far as Veselí nad Moravou or Strážnice, but also delicious wine, pleasant climate and natural hospitality. This is because Velehrad, Uherské Hradiště, Buchlovice or Nivnice, Hluk, Vlčnov, or any other town or village in the region have long and ancient traditions. This is where people learned to live together, trade, meet, sing and work as far back as ancient times - as is proved by many archaeological findings. History may even become the topic of your entire summer or autumn holiday. Just a few examples: you can start by seeing the wonderful exposition in the Memorial of the Great Moravian Empire in Staré Město, then you can continue by visiting Velehrad, an important and famous sacred place, whose monastery was built as early as the 13th century, then you should not miss the archaeological open-air museum in Modrá.

From Velehrad, the gate of the solid castle of Buchlov, which has been guarding the surroundings on the top of one of the highest hills of Chřiby for more than seven hundred years, is only a few steps away.
By the way, the castle is as young as Uherské Hradiště, which became a natural administration, economic, politic and social centre of the region shortly after its origin. And the city has preserved its status to the present. If you come, you will find countless buildings of historical heritage, traditional fairs, festivals, wine festivals, tasting events and many other experiences at any time of the year.
From February to March it is the traditional "Fašank”, a Shrovetide carnival, which symbolizes that the spring is drawing near, then it is Easter, the renowned Kings Ride in Vlčnov and the Best Verbuňk Dancer of Dolňácko Contest, which takes place in Staré Město. “Kunovské léto” is a festival that takes place in June; July will invite you to Starý Hrozenkov and its "Kopaničářské slavnosti" and to Hluk, where "Dolňácké slavnosti písní a tanců a jízdy králů" takes place. You will have the opportunity to verify the motto of Hluk: “Silence cures, Hluk [noise] heals”.
The "Slavnosti bratrství Čechů a Slováků” taking place on top of Velká Javořina in the southernmost spur of the Zlín Region represents another beautiful tradition.

You will have only a little time to recover from this festival before the "Slovácké slavnosti vína a otevřených památek” festival begins. The central square in Uherské Hradiště will turn into a fair of traditional crafts and local cuisine, you will be offered delicious young, wild “burčák” and you will certainly be invited to taste white and red wines by the winemakers of Moravian Slovakia. A long procession of people dressed in folk costumes will set off from the vineyards of Mařatice for a tour of the town. Each of the towns and villages of the region as well as the microregions will perform parts of their folklore on the central stage. But there will be several more stages scattered around the town, where performances will go on until very late at night. Then you may enjoy the “Beseda u cimbálu” near Slovácká búda in Smetanovy sady. However, that’s not all. “Musicians' boats" will be launched on the river Morava, hot-air balloons will hover high above Uherské Hradiště and its surroundings - if you have the courage, book a flight in advance. Seeing the wine festival from a bird's-eye view is really worth your while. After you have landed safe and sound, you can taste some of local culinary specialities or ease your unsettled stomach with medicine from Vlčnov, Velehrad or Kunovice.

The following day of the festival is traditionally devoted to open buildings of cultural heritage. All historical buildings of the town and region will open their doors and gates to you. The Franciscan monastery, the churches in Masarykovo and Mariánské náměstí, the Gallery of the Museum of Moravian Slovakia, the château in Uherský Ostroh, the château and castle of Buchlovice, the archaeological open-air museum in Modrá, the basilica in Velehrad, Vlčnovské búdy, the fortress in Hluk, the entire area in Veselí nad Moravou as well as many other buildings will show off their treasures for free.
However, wine connoisseurs must not be forgotten. For they will be given a chance to taste, consider, compare and assess the best wines from the vineyards of the vine growing sub-region of Moravian Slovakia as well as from vineyards from the regions of Znojmo, Mikulov or Velké Pavlovice. The great hall of Reduta will house a collection of late harvest wines, selections of grapes and berries, wines made of botrytis-affected grapes, straw and ice wines. This is an occasion you should not miss!

Detailed programmes of all events taking place in Moravian Slovakia are available at:
Region Slovácko, Tourism Association,
Masarykovo nám. 21, 686 01 Uherské Hradiště,
Tel.: ++420 572 540 303, fax: ++420 572 525 527,
e-mail: info@slovacko.cz , www.slovacko.cz

or in the Town Information Centre, Masarykovo nám. 21,
686 012 Uherské Hradiště, tel.: ++420 572 525 525-6,
Fax: ++420 572 525 527, e-mail: mic@uherske-hradiste.cz

And of course at www.slavnostivinauh.cz
www.mesto-uh.cz , or www.uherskwe-hradiste.cz and www.kkuh.cz