Lake Bled - Slovenia
- Sal Schmidt
- Jun 16
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 4
A place that needs no introduction, we are all familiar with the fairytale pictures of Lake Bled, a Slovenian resort town in the foothills of the Julian Alps, set along the glacial lake. On a cliff overlooking the lake is the 11th-century Bled Castle, which houses a museum, chapel and printing press. Atop a small island in the lake's centre is the Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Maria, with its steep staircase and bell tower.
We were en route to Bohinj from Kranjska Gora for another night amidst the divine nature of Slovenia. Bled was on our list to visit, and it had been for eons, so it was a must!
As we arrived in the busy little town, less than one hour's drive from Kranjska Gora, we quickly found a car park and wandered to the lake, as they keep the tourist traffic on the outskirts of the lake.
Immediately, we came across a horse and cart carriage ride, the perfect way to circumnavigate the 2km lake and be able to soak up the atmosphere in a relaxed style whilst listening to the beautiful tones of the horse's hooves clip-clopping along, music to my ears!
The weather was perfect, and we loved the half-hour experience for €60; it provided us with just enough of the town's atmosphere, along with views of the beautiful castle and church.
Following the carriage ride, we were on the lookout for a lovely waterside restaurant to celebrate Bled over a bottle of champagne.
If you have a sweet tooth, you will be tempted by the renowned Bled Cream Cakes, originating from the Park Hotel restaurant in 1953, courtesy of pastry chef Istvan Lukacevic. Annually, the Park Café produces 500,000 Original Bled Cream Cakes, culminating in a staggering total of 13 million cream cakes over the years. Were these cakes to be arranged in a straight line, they would span the distance from Bled to Rome. Alternatively, if placed side by side around Lake Bled, they would form a towering 7-meter-high wall encircling the lake.
Unfortunately, being a Thursday, all the Michelin-recommended establishments were closed, and the places opened were unappealing and very busy with tourists, so we found a spot by the water for a quick aperitif, and you definitely could feel the poor staff were also over the tourism and were glad summer was coming to an end.
Slovenia holds the title of the Country of Chess, renowned for its masters of boutique chess sets, and boasts the world's first chess monument at Lake Bled. The chess sculpture, a collection of bronze pieces, is elegantly positioned within Park Villa Zora and was crafted by the sculptor Janez Boljka.
Our verdict is that, upon experiencing Bled first-hand, Kranjska Gora still has our hearts; there is no comparison. We had heard so much about Bled over the years; it was always a must-visit destination, but with Bled being popular with tourists, it lacks the warmth and soul of other areas of Slovenia. For an authentic experience of Slovenia, go beyond the obligatory visit to Bled; you will be pleasantly surprised.
Date visited: 28 September 2023
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