Vrbovec combines a history of winegrowing with sacred architecture and a distinctive natural landscape. There are several points of interest to help you plan your trip: the five-kilometre Hroznové kozy wine trail, a cellar lane with around 260 wine cellars, and a short walk to the Chapel of St Bartholomew. The history of the churches and the importance of a wetland in the Znojmo area also give the place a distinct cultural and landscape profile.

Wine Trails, Cellars and Festivals

The Hroznové kozy wine trail is five kilometres long. Its stated length offers a concrete measure for anyone choosing winegrowing as a focus for their stay. Sklepní ulička offers a different perspective: along the road towards Znojmo, around 260 wine cellars line the street, which is about one kilometre from the village. The two places offer different highlights—the trail here, the concentrated row of cellars there.

Events are also part of winegrowing in Vrbovec. Odemykání naučné stezky Hroznové kozy takes place every year in spring. Wine tasting and carrying the billy goat out into the vineyard are part of the festival. A festival is also held in the immediate vicinity of the Chapel of St Bartholomew in the second half of August, around the saint’s feast day. It includes Zarážení hory; the exact dates may vary.

At Vrbovecké vinobraní 2025, the end of the grape harvest was celebrated on the last Saturday in October. The venues were the U kapličky vineyard, Sklepní ulička and open cellars. This information relates to the 2025 festival and describes its date and setting at the time.

Churches from Different Historical Periods

The Church of the Beheading of St John the Baptist has an old Romanesque predecessor. After a fire in 1727, it was rebuilt from 1747 onwards and consecrated on 27 June 1767. Its three bells date from the 17th and 18th centuries; the oldest is dated 1626. The bell therefore predates the church’s reconstruction, providing an additional point of reference for the history of this building.

The Chapel of St Bartholomew has a different timescale: it was built in 2022. A short walk outside Vrbovec leads to it. This means that a five-kilometre wine trail and a short walk to a newer chapel are two options of different lengths for planning an outing.

The Chapel of Panny Maria Pomocné in Ječmeniště is also within Vrbovec’s cadastral area. It is the last surviving monument of a vanished winegrowing village in the South Moravian border region. Its connection to the history of winegrowing thus extends beyond the cellar lanes and the trail: here, a single surviving monument is linked to the disappearance of an entire village.

Wetland and Nature

Vrbovecký rybník is the most important wetland in the Znojmo area. It is also considered a site of regional to supraregional importance for the fire-bellied toad. This natural history highlight complements the cultural themes of the place. Visitors choosing Vrbovec can therefore follow a range of interests: winegrowing and its events, historic churches, a single monument in the border region, or the importance of the wetland.

The length of the wine trail and the short walk to the Chapel of St Bartholomew provide a tangible difference when planning an outing. The church’s historical dates offer a different focus from the spring and late-August festivals; for the wine festival, 2025 is explicitly the year in question. This makes it possible to explore Vrbovec through specific places, history and types of events without combining these different offerings into a single itinerary.

Discover more destinations: Uhercice U Znojma, Hodonice, Podhradí Nad Dyjí, Břežany U Znojma, Stálky, Litobratřice, Plenkovice, Hrušovany Nad Jevišovkou.

For the overview of the wider travel area: Okres Znojmo.