The Moravian Karst possesses all the characteristics of limestone karstic formations: potholes, underground rivers, chasms and caves with impressive stalactites and stalagmites. The most popular sites are the caves of Punkva (Punkevní jeskyne), with the 138m-deep chasm of Macocha, and a walk along the banks of the underground river of Punkva.

Lined with constructions of varying styles, the Vegetable market is adorned with a column of Trinity and a Parnassian Fountain (1695), an amazing construction in the shape of a cave. The provincial museum (Moravské zemské muzeum) is housed in the Baroque Dietrichstein Palace. Its collections feature detailed accounts of the Moravian Prehistoric period and its natural history. The Capuchin Church (Kapucínský kostel) possesses a crypt where the mummified bodies of monks and benefactors of the convent are buried.

The origins of Lednice Palace date back to medieval times, when it defended the trade route between Austria and Moravia. Altered countless times, it owes its current Neo-Gothic aspect to a restoration commissioned in 1846 by the Liechtenstein family. The palace is now home to exhibits of the National Museum of Agriculture and a superb library. Another high spot of the visit are the superb grounds, French-style gardens, 92m-long greenhouse, a park complete with a minaret and a 34ha lake dotted with small islands.

On the top of the hill of Petrov, the impressive nave and slender towers topped by arrows of the Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul can be seen far before you reach the town. Of Gothic origins, it was burnt to the ground by the Swedes during the siege of 1645; it was rebuilt in the Baroque style, and in the 19C in a Gothic style.