Trebon

Trebon itself is a charming jewel box of a town. It was settled during the 12th century by the Wittkowitzes (later called the Rozmberks, or Rosenbergs), once Bohemia's noblest family. From the 14th to the end of the 16th century, the dynasty dominated Southern Bohemia; they amassed their wealth through silver, real estate, and fish farming. You can see their emblem, a five-petal rose, on castles, doorways, and coats of arms all over the region. Their official residence was 40 km (25 mi) to the southwest, in Ceský Krumlov, but Trebon was an important second residence and repository of the family archives, which still reside in the town's château.

Thanks to the Rozmberk family, Trebon became the center of the Czech Republic's fishing industry. During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Rozmberks peppered the countryside with hundreds of enormous ponds, partly to drain the land and partly to breed fish. Carp-breeding remains big business here. The closest pond, Rybník Svet Svet Pond), is on the southern edge of town; try to fit in a stroll along its banks. You can even swim here in summer (the pond has pleasant, sandy beaches), but it can get crowded (with people, not carp).

Trebon has also recently developed into a mecca for cyclists, as an elaborate chain of cycling and hiking trails snakes past the area's ponds and peat bogs. Several places in town now rent cycles in season. There's also a nascent spa industry under way, and some places even offer elaborate "peat" treatments.

The partially intact town defenses, made up of walls, 16th-century gates, and three bastions, are among the best-preserved in the Czech Republic. Near the Svinenská Gate there's an 18th-century brewery, still producing outstanding Regent beer. The main square, Masarykovo námestí (Masaryk Square), is adorned with a collection of arcaded Renaissance and baroque houses.