Bled, a Challenge for the Eyes
A big blue lake, a fairy tale island, an emblematic church, a picturesque castle, and a tremendous view of the Julian Alps: what else could you possibly need?
Incredible photos of the lake found all over the Internet clearly raise some high expectations, but seeing the place onsite exceeds everything you could expect. Definitely, the experience of Bled will not soon be forgotten.
The place features everything you can imagine. It’s no wonder this town is the most popular tourist destination in Slovenia. In a random order of amazingness, you’ll get: a big blue lake, a fairy tale island, an emblematic church, a picturesque castle, and a tremendous view of the Julian Alps. The vanilla and cream pastries are a bonus; tourists can not say they have visited Bled if they haven’t tried these heavenly local sweets.
Bled Castle can be reached after a 15-minute steep climb, following the path marked “Grad”. From up there you can enjoy a unique view of Lake Bled. The castle features a museum and a restaurant (which is surprisingly inexpensive).
There is only one island in Slovenia and that’s the one on Lake Bled. It is located in the middle of the glacial lake and can be reached by rowboat or a pletna boat (which is similar to a big gondola). The island is home to the Church of the Assumption, where people used to ring the bell (which was installed in the original Gothic church in 1534) for good luck.
The town also has a rich history. Bled was first attested to in written sources in 1004, and the castle was first mentioned in 1011. During the 19 century, it was most notable as a health resort. Due to its mild climate and thermal springs, the town has been visited by aristocratic guests from all over the world.
Bled is surely one of the Top 5 Destinations in Central — Eastern Europe. Because it offers the opportunity for both summer and winter sports and many other activities, you can visit anytime. It is said that in winter, due to extremely low temperatures, the surface of the lake freezes. Now doesn’t that sound like an amazing reason to visit Slovenia in wintertime!
P.S. You might be lucky enough to catch a wedding on the island church. According to local tradition, a husband who can carry his newly-married bride the 99 steps up from the dock into the church will be ensured a happy marriage. Adding to the difficulty, the bride must remain silent all this time. How cool is that?
Photos via Flickr.
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We have also written about Prague, Viscri, Košice, the unique cave bath of Miskolctapolca, Kraków, Plitvice Lakes Natural Park,Veliko Tarnovo, Novi Sad, Stari Bar, Bánffy Castle, Hunyadi Castle, Gyula, Kaunas, Gauja National Park, Kuressaare, Ruhnu, Zadar, Mostar, Tartu, Wigry National Park, Krk Island, Budva, Mileştii Mici Winery, Ljubljana, and Rupea Fortress.
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