The town of Blatná is about a 1 ½ hour drive from the Czech capital of Prague, and a pleasant place to visit for a day or two if traveling in the Czech countryside. It has a castle near the center of town which sits on its own island and includes a deer park to explore. There are traditional eateries to sample typical Czech dining, shopping, and sidewalk cafes for an afternoon coffee.
I stayed there for a week once after visiting Prague. Gazing out of the window of my clean and spacious room at the Penzion u Rybníka Pustý (which translates to “Hotel at the Desolate Pond”), one might think I’d feel melancholy looking out over the pond waters. Perhaps I was a bit for times past, when I would sit with my family who once lived nearby, around a small fire pit in the backyard, roasting sausages and listening to the gentle hum of conversations coming from neighbors also enjoying a warm summer evening in their backyards. Those times had passed, but I looked forward to exploring the town on my own that day.
Blatná Castle
The main attraction in town is Blatná Castle, which sits on a small island surrounded by a moat connected with two draw bridges. It is free to visit, and popular with families on a sunny weekend afternoon.
There are tours of the castle’s interior available in the Czech language for about $5. The park is open daily from 6am to 8pm from March to October and there is a gift shop at the front of the castle.
There is an adjacent deer park which I found pleasant to stroll through a couple of times, in the late mornings or afternoons when it was less crowded. The baroness who owns the castle still lives here. She asks only that you stick to the gravel paths and not walk on the grass, and to make sure to shut the wooden gate to the park behind you as you enter or leave the grounds, so that the deer that roam freely don’t escape. There are also colorful peacocks that inhabit the castle grounds.
After taking the brief tour of the castle, I enjoyed walking through the park, with its peaceful, forested canopy and water views. I just spent time listening to the gentle swaying of leafy boughs, the occasional chirping of birds and the stillness of it all.
I would gaze at wonderment then, as I approached a small group of deer which had gathered together just a few feet from where I stood.
You are allowed to feed the deer, and small bags of appropriate deer food can be purchased at the gift shop before you enter. I, however, was a little shy to feed them and just appreciated their graceful, strong presence from a distance.
Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary
A Czech cultural heritage site located just down the street from Blatná Castle, this church has a small indoor chapel with traditional religious statues and elaborate decoration.
I was taken by the wooden door at the entrance, painted around in waves of clay red, that looked worn with decades of time and use.
Afterwards, if you are in the mood for something a little upbeat and funky, you can stop for a bite to eat at the colorful pub U Bryndu, located just down the road from the castle.
For a more international dining option, try the nearby Pizzeria Casa Verde, located down the street Námeste Míru. Part of the Hotel Práchen, it has a clean, modern interior, outdoor seating and a nice selection of wines to go along with your pizza and salad. Other menu items include pasta dishes (I recommend the pasta with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes), and entrees like roast chicken with rosemary roasted baby potatoes.
Downtown Blatná
Take a walk through downtown Blatná for a little shopping and for more restaurants. A great spot for lunch or dinner is the restaurant at the Hotel Beránek, which is also a fine place to stay at to be centrally located. They offer typical Czech dishes with daily specials, and also offer a pizza and dessert menu. A must with either lunch or dinner is to order a Czech beer, which are some of the best in the world (my favorite being “Straropramen”). Another stop for Czech food is Restaurant Prostor, on the other end of the downtown square, which has a bar and stays open later into the evening.
The cafes (or Kavarna) dotting the downtown square are local favorites for lounging away a Sunday afternoon, grabbing some ice cream or grabbing a coffee drink in between shopping. The one that I liked best is located right in the middle of downtown, Cukarna Alfredo City. I love the tall coffee drinks and elaborate ice cream parfaits there.
If you want to buy a few snacks or fruit to take to your hotel room, a supermarket is located right there in the downtown square. There are also nearby houseware stores and local clothing boutiques. Look for the small bakeries that dot the town, offering freshly baked rolls and pastries which are often sold out before lunch.
Before leaving town, treat yourself to another Czech beer at one of the pubs, such as Zakladna Bar, and say a toast to Czech traditions that have lasted to this day. As Czechs say, “Na zdraví!” (to health!)
Date of trip: August 2018
The Full Itinerary 