*A complete circle of ‘the world’ – a 12 km tour around Třeboň’s famous Svět fishpond*

• The Czech Republic is famous for its man-made ‘fishponds’. These are not, however, small garden ponds for goldfish and the like. Some of the Czech ponds are as large as many countries’ biggest natural lakes. The largest complex of Czech ponds is located in the Třeboň region, a UNESCO biosphere reserve. One of the most well known is called ‘Svet’ (meaning ‘world’).
• Many of the ponds were constructed in the 15th and 16th centuries, when the area was under the control of the aristocratic Rožmberk family. Until that time the region was mostly a marsh and swamp landscape. The 200ha pond of Svět was constructed directly adjacent to Třeboň’s historical center by the legendary 16th century pond-builder Jakub Krčín.
• The pretty town of Třeboň is worth visiting in its own right. See here for details of the short – 3 km – walk around the town. The walk around Svět fishpond is a bit longer – around 12 km for the full tour. There is a marked nature trail on the whole route with information boards describing the history and natural landscape of the area.
• Amongst other sites, the route passes the famous neo Gothic tomb of a branch of the noble Schwarzenberg family. The route is essentially flat and combines ( sometimes ashpalt) sections directly beside the lake with footpaths through the forest/meadow areas. The latter can get muddy and although flat this is not an ideal stroller walk. Note that in the warmer months there can be a lot of mosquitos on some sections of the walk (as with most walks in the wetland areas of Třeboňsko). The paths are also quieter in the cooler months, with fewer cyclists (who frequent this popular trail, even though it is not marked cycle path) .
• The walk can be done in either direction (clockwise or anticlockwise) and for the brave there are swimming possibilities at various points on the circuit. The best options for refreshment are back in the main town, where there are some excellent possibilities – see the short Třeboň walk for some recommendations.

Directions

• The walk can be started at any point on the lake and it follows the marked nature trail (green-white diagonal markers) for the full circuit
• The most popular section is the initial section from the port area close to the town fortifications to the Schwarzenberg tomb, which is around 1.3 km
• It is suggested to do this busy section first and then the route becomes quieter (so taking the route clockwise from the town center)