Vodňany offers several ways to enjoy a stay focused on fishing, culture and nature. The history of fishing features on a walking trail near the town, in exhibitions and in interactive learning activities. A church, gallery and protected pond landscape add to the options.

Fishing and Learning

The Městský rybářský okruh is a 3 km walking trail near the town that connects places directly linked to the fishing trade. These include the Velká Podvinice pond and the grounds of the Secondary Fisheries School. The route also passes the Velká Outrata, Malá Outrata and Malá Podvinice ponds before returning to the starting point. Check trail conditions before setting out. A tasting of carp prepared in the Vodňany style could be one way to round off the walk; availability at restaurants may vary.

For a shorter walk that lets visitors take an active part, there is the Stezka čápa Vodňany – Zátiší II: This 440 m trail features 16 interactive and informative elements that visitors can try for themselves. The Zátiší forest park is noted for its wooden objects, giant mushrooms, the Stezka čápa Vodňana and a place to rest or have a picnic. Here, opportunities for exercise and playful discovery go hand in hand with a place to take a break.

The interactive educational and experiential trail Cesta úhoře is located near MEVPIS Vodňany. In a natural setting, its play features introduce visitors to the migration of the endangered eel. The trail is freely accessible; conditions on site may change. MEVPIS itself is an educational and conference centre in the renovated Brokův mlýn, and runs educational programmes for different target groups. Specific programme details may change. The School Fisheries Museum offers a different focus, with aquariums containing live fish and a historical section.

Pond Landscape and Town History

Malý ústavní rybník lies 1.5 km northwest of Vodňany’s historic town square and is a protected natural area within a pond system. The name Vodňanské Benátky refers to a different kind of landscape: a picturesque stretch of a medieval millrace in Vodňany. The protected pond area and the old millrace offer contrasting aspects of the theme of water.

The Deanery Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary is considered the town’s most prominent landmark; written records about it date back to 1317. The Vodňany Town Museum is housed in the former synagogue and features an exhibition on the town’s history. It also has an exhibition on fishing in the Vodňany region. Městská bašta houses the exhibition on the military history of Jan Žižka and Vodňany. The bašta is accessible only on a guided tour.

Městská galerie Vodňany offers its own perspective on art and literary history. Its permanent exhibition includes the legacies of Julius Zeyer, František Herites and Otakar Mokrý, works by Czech artists from around the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, and drawings by Mikoláš Aleš. The gallery also hosts temporary exhibitions. Those interested in the town’s history and fishing will find different exhibition topics here than at the gallery, where artworks and legacies are the main focus.

Choose a Focus for Your Stay

Fishing can be explored here through exhibitions, aquariums, educational activities and the walking trail; art and town history are represented, among other places, by the church, town museum, bašta and gallery. Those more interested in trails and nature can explore the educational paths and pond areas described here. The different themes can help you decide what interests you during your stay, without requiring a fixed daily itinerary.

Discover more destinations:

Okrouhlice, Cerneves, Přechovice, Uzeničky, Kuřimany, Strunkovice Nad Volyňkou, Nebřehovice, Jinín

For the overview of the wider region: Okres Strakonice.