Bled

A trip to Bled should be a part of any visit to Slovenia

We walked along the lakeside and sat to watch the swans and ducks swimming on the beautiful green, warm waters of Lake Bled. The backdrop of the mountains, church on the island the castle are magical. Try some Kremšnita,  the traditional Bled custard cream cake.

Bled Lake and Island

Bled lake is situated in a picturesque environment, surrounded by mountains and forests. It was formed when the Bohini glacier moved away. The water is incredibly clear and an emerald green colour, reflecting the surrounding landscape and buildings. We were taken in a traditional pletna boat ride to Bled Island, a top attraction in Slovenia. Pletna boats are unique to Lake Bled and operated by a single rower with two long oars. The boats are passed down the generations so the same families are still the oarsmen. We explored the little island, went in the museum, had coffee in the little café, bought some delicious chocolate and enjoyed the stunning views of the surrounding area. You can enter the Church of the Assumption (at a charge) and even ring the wishing bell, which has been ringing over Lake Bled since 1534. The stairway to the church has 99 steps and it’s a local tradition is for the husband to carry his new bride up them.

Bled castle

Perched on a sheer cliff high above Lake Bled, the castle gives spectacular views over the lake and surrounding hills. Bled castle is more than a thousand years old, and one of the most spectacular castles in Slovenia. In1004 when the German Emperor Henry II gave his estate at Bled to Bishop Albuin of Brixen only a Romanesque tower protected by walls stood in the place of the present day castle. The first castle was built in approximately 1011 but the Bishops of Brixen never resided there. This is why the castle has no luxurious halls as the greater emphasis was placed on the defence system. The Bled castle museum next to the 16th century chapel present the ancient history of Bled from the first excavations, and the castle in individual stages of its historical development with furniture, characteristic of those times. It also gives an insight into the history of the entire area. You can see the traditional manual procedures of printing in the castle printing shop.