Hatín – Water Landscapes, Cultural History and Cycling

Hatín is a Czech destination for travellers who want to combine nature, cultural history and a specific activity. The area around the town is characterised by bodies of water, meadows and forests; this setting provides a habitat for a wide variety of animals. The combination of water, meadows and forests creates different landscapes for nature observation and active exploration.

This means that your planning can focus on the experiences you would like to discover during your stay. For your planning, you can therefore combine a focus on cultural history with experiences in nature.

Jemčina: Hunting History and Cultural Monument

At Jemčina, the history dates back to 1702. At that time, Prokop Vojtěch decided to establish a game preserve near Jemčina and build a hunting lodge there for summer stays and the hunting season. The Jemčina hunting lodge is listed as a protected cultural monument. This provides a clear historical focus for a stay with an interest in Bohemian cultural history.

Another trace of small-scale sacred architecture is the Chapel of St Wenceslas in Stajka. It was restored as part of a project in 2025; the exterior and interior plaster, damaged benches and the altar were repaired or restored.

Holná and the Nežárka

Holná in the Jemčina forests covers 244 hectares and is one of the oldest artificial water structures in Bohemia. Its large extent and historical classification give this landscape feature particular significance among the natural and cultural themes around Hatín. The body of water is therefore part of both the landscape and the history of the region's water structures.

At the Jemčina weir on the Nežárka, boats can easily be carried around the weir on both banks. Below the Jemčina weir, the Nežárka flows between higher, partly regulated banks. Broad meadows lie along the river, while extensive forest areas stretch farther away. The landscape therefore does not appear as a uniform backdrop, but as an alternation of a watercourse, open areas and forest. The river section's bank formations, meadows and forests make it perceptible as a sequence of different landscape spaces.

A Signposted Route for Cyclists

With “In the Footsteps of Ema Destinová”, cyclists have a clearly described opportunity to connect Jemčina and Hatín. The signposted cycle route is 41 km long, takes 3 to 4 hours and is classified as easy. Its length, duration and rating provide specific key figures for planning the day. The combination of length, duration and rating makes it easier to fit the route into your daily plans.

In the former Jemčinská game preserve, the directional signs for cyclists and pedestrians were supplemented with tourist destinations. The route and these signs make cycling and walking two different ways to explore the historic landscape and its destinations. The added destinations give the directions a connection to the places visited in addition to the route itself.

More Destinations for Your Research

If you would like to continue your research beyond Hatín, you can also visit the destination pages for Újezdec U Kardašovy Řečice, Horní Meziříčko, Sedlo, Pleše, Budíškovice, Rodvínov, Staré Město Pod Landštejnem and Velký Ratmírov.

To the higher-level travel overview: Jindřichův Hradec District.