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| Lake Bled and Castle in the winter |
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| Lake Bled and Castle in the summer |
If I was asked to name the most popular tourist destination in Slovenia, it would hands down be
Lake Bled. Lake Bled is located in the Julian Alps in the northwest of Slovenia and is the lower of the 2 glacial lakes in the region, the other one being Lake Bohinj. If you compare the two, Bled is the more commercial one, flocked by tourists all throughout the year. Both these lakes are easily accessible by public transport. Buses operate every hour as per the timetable. Trains can take you at the most close to Bled and then its a bus journey onward. Another nice weekend getaway/ day trip that is not too far from Ljubljana (up to 2 hours by public transport). There are 7 other lakes in the Triglav valley, which are apparently nice places to hike and stay over at mountain huts. But I am yet to experience these first hand.
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| Island on Lake Bled 'Blejski Otok' |
I personally also prefer Lake Bled, after the 10s of times I have been there as a tourist guide taking family and friends to see the highlight of Slovenia but also probably because I haven't been as many times to Bohinj; the first time having driven past and the second time in icy weather so it was hard to walk around the lake. Moreover, Lake Bled has a nice path around the lake, although crowded in the summer. It took us about 3 hours to leisurely walk around the lake and then climb up the hill to the castle. The view from the top is stunning but if you are not much of a walker, there are mini trains that take you to the top or you can even drive up.
At the centre of the lake there is a tiny island with a church, easily reachable by boats. Apparently this is the only natural island in Slovenia and is a popular place for weddings! Truly fairytale-like being rowed to church in this picturesque location for a nuptial! On that note, Lake Bled is quite popular among rowers. It has hosted the World Rowing Championship several times, including the one held in 2011.
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| Island on Lake Bled 'Blejski Otok' |
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The beauty of Lake Bled starkly contrasts during the seasons of the year but is breath-taking nonetheless. In the winter, it is just like an untouched iced cake with a frozen lake that you can skate on. In the summer, visitors are rowing and swimming in the warm waters. I have to admit that it's a more inviting place to swim than the short rocky Slovenian coastline.
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Bled Kremna Rezina- remembered to take a picture
before I gobbled it down! |
As food is always a crucial part of any trip, you CANNOT go to Bled and not have their mouth-watering, tummy-satisfying heavenly Bled Cake (Kremna Rezina). Although the origins of this cake is debated (several European countries claim it as 'theirs'), you definitely can find one of the best versions of this puffed pastry layered, vanilla cream and custard cake topped with icing sugar here. I have always been to the Hotel Park cafe to have this delicacy, as they claim to make the 'original' version. And they also have amazing food for a nice lunch on the shores overlooking the lake. There are several other restuarants around and by the lake boasting of quite good food too (apart from the take-away pizza place with the Pizza Hut logo, I was shortly excited to think that I found this much-loved chain in Slovenia!). Check out some more pictures below!
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Vegetarian Lasagne at Park Cafe,
Bled, Slovenia |
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Mushroom Soup in bread bowl at Park Cafe,
Bled, Slovenia |
