23rd International Conference on Text, Speech and Dialogue
TSD 2020, Brno, Czech Republic, September 8–11 2020
 
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Conference trip

The Thursday afternoon of the conference will be devoted to the cultural programme with a trip to a selected historical sightseeing followed by a dinner with wine degustation.

South Moravia

The regional capital Brno, the second largest city of the country, has a rich industrial and cultural tradition and at present is connected particularly with science and research.

South Moravia prides itself on numerous cultural, historic, religious, and natural jewels, some of which are listed as UNESCO heritage sites. Admirers of historic and Jewish monuments, as well as modern architecture will be satisfied. Among the most significant monuments are Villa Tugendhat, the functionalist jewel in Brno, and the Lednice-Valtice Area, a unique “man-designed landscape” with the Lednice and Valtice Chateaux as the biggest landmarks. History enthusiasts can visit the Špilberk Castle in Brno, the Slavkov (Austerlitz) Chateau and adjoining Napoleonic battlefield, or the fairytale Gothic-Renaissance Pernštejn Castle.

The region may also pride itself on its unique beauties of nature. The Moravian Karst protected area with fascinating dripstone formations will amaze all its visitors. The Bílé Karpaty (White Carpathians) and Pálava UNESCO biosphere reserves, and the Podyjí (Thaya River area) National Park along the Austrian border offer numerous experiences to lovers of u nspoiled nature. South Moravia possesses typical and unique wine-growing regions, rich folk costumes and live folk traditions, and also excellent cuisine. The local wine-making tradition goes back to the ancient Romans, whose legion stayed near the village of Mušov, and has survived to this day. Superb wines are offered throughout the region in picturesque wine cellars. Visitors may enjoy also the atmosphere of folk festivities in the South-Moravian countryside, including folk costumes, brass or cimbalom bands, and typical dances. All these treasures of folk culture may be seen also in the folk festivals with which the region has become internationally renowned.

Castles and Chateaux

Czech castles and chateaux are not just sleepy museums where time has stood still. They also offer historical festivals and markets, night-time tours, costumed guides, displays of trained birds of prey, demonstrations of ancient crafts, and tastings of traditional Czech delicacies, as well as theatre and opera performances, fencing matches, concerts, art festivals, exhibitions and workshops.

Viticulture

Viticulture in Southern Moravia belongs to the oldest in Europe, as vines have been grown here since the Celtic times. The people here know very well that the real treasures are not concealed at the bottom of the seas, but in wine cellars or archives. Not only the vineyards and famous wine cellars and cellar alleys attract people to visit, but also wine expositions, exhibitions, fairs and wine harvest festivals.

Although only a tiny spot on the world map of wine-growing areas, South Moravia contributes to the varied collection of international wines extraordinary wines of high quality with an age-old tradition. The charm of local wines lies mainly in the variety and richness of their tastes – while St. Lawrence from one winery smells after roses, the same wine from the next winery smells after dried plums and the next one perhaps after strawberries. Local specialities include a half-fermented wine called "burčák", yellow and cloudy, with sweet taste, which can cloud your mind very quickly. Its time is short, sometimes only a few hours, and you have to be lucky to come at just the right time. The delicious beverage is the bliss of the local community in a country full of characteristic wine cellars with ancient vaults and painted entrances, tempting you to enter and taste what the last season yielded or what matured during recent years – whether it is Veltlín, André, or Ruland - Moravian for Burgundy. Sitting in a cellar, you can enjoy local gastronomic specialities – pork dishes, feast cakes, fresh fruits, roasted ducks or the famous pickles of Znojmo. And don't forget the slivovitz, an odorous beverage from ripe plums, harvested from the slopes of the Moravian hills.

The return to Brno should be around 24:00.

Sources:

Czech Convention

Czech Tourism

South Moravia

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