Bled is a small, charming town in the Alpine world of northern Slovenia. It was formed on the lake that is navigated by pletnas, traditional boats, and has an island in the middle with a church on top, known for its wishing bell. This is the birthplace of Slovenia’s most popular dessert, the cream cake or “kremšnita”. Bled is one of the country’s oldest and most beautiful tourist destinations, nestled in the glacially formed landscape under the Julian Alps and the Karawanks. The castle’s beauty was also acknowledged by Condé Nast Traveler magazine, which listed it among the 24 most beautiful castles in Europe.
You can reach Bled by car from the capital, Ljubljana, (55km) following the well-marked motorway, and from Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport (33km). The town makes for an excellent stop for a day trip if you’re travelling from the capital to the coast.
A castle proudly stands on top of a steep cliff. There are many paths leading up – you can start from the town centre and climb up a slightly steep path, but there’s also a road winding all the way up to the castle’s backyard. We parked our car at the car park underneath the castle. We were early, so we arrived to the top before the tourist buses. The castle offers a wonderful view of the emerald lake, the surrounding mountains and the unspoilt nature of Triglav National Park in the distance. We admired the gorgeous view from the castle courtyard and then headed to the castle café. All this was followed by a walk through the royal chambers where we learned about the history of not only Carniola (Gorenjska), but of whole Slovenia, and we also visited the wine cellar, the smithy and the castle printers. Along with the 200-year-old “press” or printing press that shows how printing worked in the old days, I was also impressed by Puhar’s camera obscura.
We drove by the lake towards Camp Zaka and parked our car there. We then set off to the view point. The first view over the island and the town opens up on Ojstrica (611m), a 20-minute walk from the camp, but Mala Osojnica (691m, a 15-minute walk from Ojstrica) and Velika Osojnica (756m, a 25-minute walk from Ojstrica) offer even more spectacular views. Velika Osojnica is also known for the bench of love or, should I say, a bench with a heart carved out. The hike isn’t difficult but you need appropriate footwear because of the rocky terrain, and the rocks can get slippery (especially in wet weather). The view from Velika Osojnica, though, is marvellous and the 40-minute walk up the steep slope is definitely worth it.
We made a stop at Camp Zaka and sat down on a large terrace. The clock hands moved towards two in the afternoon and we were pleasantly warmed by the sun. We ordered some coffee and cream cake (kremšnita). The latter is a must since Bled is the birthplace of this dessert made of dough, custard, cream and the top layer of dough sprinkled with powdered sugar that has been produced for decades, using a secret recipe.
Just a stone’s throw from the town centre, approximately four kilometres north-west of Bled, lies a gorge that was carved out by Radovna river. We headed towards Gorje and signposts for Vintgar Gorge directed us down the right road. We parked the car in a designated dirt road car park and got our tickets at the information centre before entering the Gorge, making our way along the 1.6-kilometre path. Along the way you’re accompanied by the sound of the rushing river and it’s a pleasant and easy walk over the rapids. The cliffs that were formed by the river become narrow at times and then widen up again. Wooden bridges and galleries lead along the river-bed and in some places also cross rapids and pools. The gorge ends with a steep and loud Šum waterfall that reaches 16 metres.
In nice and sunny weather, Bled offers numerous attractions: you can row with pletna to the island and the church, or you can drive around the lake in a carriage for some sightseeing. In winter, around Christmas, a true advent fairy tale comes to life and a winter village is erected. And in spring and autumn, the mountains attract hikers who want an adrenaline rush. Bled is interesting and worth visiting any time of the year.
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