Summer is drawing to a close, but cycling in South Moravia is still in full swing, as the most colourful autumn part of the tourist season begins. Getting to know South Moravia from the saddle of a bicycle is becoming increasingly attractive – cyclists can combine their trips with music, architecture and gastronomy, while using over 1,800 kilometers of cycle routes criss-crossing the region.
Cycling is the central theme of tourism in South Moravia this year, and several improvements have been added, such as a newly added team of cycling coordinators, tasked with coming up with new projects and suggestions for more comfortable and safer riding.
“Thanks to the network of cycling coordinators that we have managed to establish for each area, we are able to coordinate projects across regions,” explained Vojtěch Kubík, the main cycling coordinator for the South Moravian Region. “This year, for example, we have marked out the new Milling Trail, which will connect cycling with the history of milling and lead from Jaroslavice in the Znojmo region to the neighboring Vysočina.”
In addition, the South Moravian Cycling Portal offers up-to-date maps, route tips, and an overview of places where cyclists are welcome, and the South Moravian Tourism Office has published a new leaflet this year with a map and an overview of routes, and has also invited influencers to promote cycling tourism.
“We want to show that South Moravia is not just a region with a high-quality network of cycle paths, but above all a destination full of monuments, unique stops and great experiences along the way,” said Martina Grůzová, director of the South Moravian Tourism Centre. “That is why this year we have prepared cycle trips in which we have combined cycling with discovering cultural attractions and diverse gastronomy. Thanks to this, we are able to present South Moravia as an ideal destination for cyclists who are looking for an active holiday combined with exploring and tasting the region.”
Growing interest and new services for cyclists
The South Moravian Region is also supporting cycling with special buses for bicycles and low-floor trains. According to data from the South Moravian Integrated Transport System (IDS JMK), approximately 18,000 bicycle tickets were sold for trains and buses from April to June.
“By the end of the year, we expect the number of cyclists transported this season to increase to more than 50,000,” said Květoslav Havlík, head of the tariff department at KORDIS JMK. “We have interesting tariff offers for cyclists within the IDS JMK, especially at weekends, when we recommend advantageous regional family regional or regional 24-hour tickets, which also allow the transport of a bicycle.”
A new project in the region is the pilot project of shared bicycles in the Kahan Microregion (Rosice, Zbýšov, Zastávka, Neslovice, Tetčice, Ostrovačice, and Říčany). This was launched at the beginning of June, and has already recorded over 1,200 bike rentals in just two months.
“Interest grew despite the rainy weather in July,” said Zdeněk Milan, mayor of Zastávka and chair of the Kahan Microregion. “There were an average of 22 rides on shared bikes per day, and users covered 1,745 km from the beginning of June to the end of July. The project has great potential and we want to continue it.”
Supporting cycling events in South Moravia
Organized cycling rides and the connection of cycling tourism with folklore and gastronomy are also helping to promote cycling, such as the traditional series of popular events known as “Krajem vína” (Wine Region), held under the auspices of the non-profit organization Partnerství.
From June to the end of September, the Great Summer Cycling Competition also takes place along the Moravian Wine Trails and the Baťa Canal, motivating cyclists to participate in organized cycling tours and collect stamps for their cycling passports.
“In May and June alone, over 1,600 participants registered for our cycling tours,” said Romana Tomášková from the Moravian Wine Trails. “Our survey results show that the majority are people from the South Moravian Region, but a relatively large proportion are also people from the Moravian-Silesian or Olomouc Regions. Overall, we have recorded participants from all regions on our cycling tours.”
