At first sight, the landscape of South Moravia (Jižní Morava) appears little different from that of much of Bohemia, a mixture of rolling hills and dense forests. Only as you move south towards Vienna does the land become noticeably more plump and fertile, with the orchards and vineyards continuing into Austria itself. Brno is the most obvious starting point: an engaging city, whose attractions are often underrated due to its heavy industrial base and conspicuous peripheral housing estates. Brno is also within easy reaching distance of a host of sights, most notably Moravia's karst region, the Moravský kras, which boasts the country's most spectacular limestone caves, and the atmospheric medieval castle of Pernštejn.

South of Brno a whole string of pretty villages, towns and chateaux punctuate the River Dyje (Thaya) as it meanders along the Austrian border. Historically, the land on either side of the Dyje was for centuries German-speaking, its buildings designed by Austrian architects and its sights set firmly on Vienna, just 60km to the south. However, as in the rest of the country, the ethnic German population was forcibly removed from South Moravia after 1945. The region's viticulture kept going on private plots even after nationalization in 1948, but in every other way the last half century has driven a great wedge between two previously identical regions on either side of the river. Mikulov, on the main road from Vienna, is a great introduction to the region; close by, at the chateaux of Lednice and Valtice, the Liechtensteins had their base for many centuries. Further west, another border town, Znojmo, harbours the country's most precious medieval frescoes, and is a great jumping-off point for the Podyjí national park, formed by the damming of the Dyje and dotted with castles and chateaux.

Further west still, on the Bohemian border, Telč and Slavonice are two of the most beautiful Renaissance towns anywhere in Europe. Yet while Telč is a popular stopoff on whirlwind tours of the country, Slavonice – every bit as perfect – sees far fewer visitors. Telč and Slavonice sit at the southern end of the Bohemian-Moravian Uplands or Vysočina, a poor and sparsely populated area which separates Bohemia and Moravia, and which is viewed by most travellers only from the window of their bus, train or car en route to Brno. Jihlava is the area's most convenient starting point, but it won't hold you long. More compelling is the pilgrimage church at Žďár nad Sázavou, another of Santini's Baroque-Gothic confections.

To the east of Brno, the landscape around the River Morava is visually pretty uninspiring, but the wine and rich folk heritage are good reasons for stopping here. To the south, the area known as Slovácko hosts the country's two largest folk festivals, in Vlčnov and Strážnice. Further north, the provincial treasure house and graceful gardens of Kroměříž provide a fascinating contrast with the modernist aesthetics of Zlín, where the multinational Baťa shoe empire has its roots.

Transport is fairly good throughout Moravia, though the train system is not quite as comprehensive as that of Bohemia, petering out in the Vysočina and degenerating into a series of overcomplex branch lines along the more industrialized River Morava. In such instances, buses are invariably quicker and more direct.