1. Lednice-Valtice: The Garden of Europe

Located just a short drive from Mikulov, Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape is one of Central Europe's most impressive cultural monuments. Here's what makes it special:

This UNESCO World Heritage site features two magnificent châteaux - Lednice and Valtice - connected by a carefully designed landscape park spanning nearly 300 square kilometers. The Liechtenstein family, who owned this estate for almost 700 years, transformed it into what's often called "the Garden of Europe."

Lednice Château is a neo-Gothic masterpiece with stunning interiors, including a spiral staircase carved from a single tree trunk. The surrounding English-style park features a 60-meter minaret offering panoramic views, a Chinese pavilion, and an artificial cave.

Valtice Château, the family's main residence, exemplifies Baroque grandeur with its richly decorated ceremonial halls and impressive wine cellars. The town of Valtice itself is known as the capital of wine in the Czech Republic.

Between these two anchors, you'll find numerous follies and monuments scattered throughout the landscape - the Temple of Apollo, the Three Graces, the Temple of Diana, and many others, each designed to create perfect vistas.

The region is ideal for cycling, with well-maintained paths connecting all major sights. It's also part of the South Moravian wine region, so wine tasting is a must. Local specialties include the aromatic Pálava variety.

Visit during spring when the park's rhododendrons bloom spectacularly, or in autumn when the vineyards turn golden. Summer brings various cultural events, including classical music concerts in the château gardens.

The Archeopark Pavlov is a remarkable archaeological museum located near Mikulov, in the town of Pavlov. It's dedicated to preserving and showcasing the prehistoric Paleolithic settlements of mammoth hunters who lived in the area around 30,000 years ago during the last Ice Age.

The museum itself is architecturally significant, designed as a partially underground structure that blends into the landscape beneath the Pálava Hills. It won the prestigious Czech Architecture Award shortly after opening in 2016.

Inside, visitors can explore impressive exhibits featuring authentic archaeological finds from the region, including carved ivory figurines, tools, and remains of mammoth bones. The most famous artifact is likely the "Venus of Dolní Věstonice," one of the oldest ceramic artifacts in the world. It was discovered in 1925 in the village of Dolní Věstonice near Mikulov. This small (about 4.4 inches/11 cm tall) figurine depicts a nude female figure with exaggerated features - particularly pronounced breasts, belly, and hips - characteristics shared with other prehistoric "Venus" figurines found across Europe. What makes this Venus particularly significant is that it's made of fired clay, representing one of humanity's earliest experiments with ceramic technology, thousands of years before pottery became common.

The museum offers interactive displays, reconstructions of prehistoric dwellings, and educational programs that bring to life how these early humans survived in the harsh Ice Age climate. The exhibits demonstrate the sophisticated hunting techniques, tool-making skills, and artistic capabilities of these Paleolithic people.

The Archeopark is part of the broader Pálava UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and makes for an excellent educational stop while exploring the Mikulov region, complementing the area's wine and natural attractions with a fascinating glimpse into prehistoric human history.