Slovenia It is a country that is slowly gaining ground among European tourist destinations. Is beautiful! Among its medieval cities and landscapes, the truth is that it continues to garner admirers. One of its natural pearls is, for example, the Lake bled.
Any photograph of the lake looks like a postcard, so if Slovenia is among your destinations to visit, do not forget to take a tour of this beautiful alpine lake. It seems that at any moment a fairy will emerge from its waters.
Lake Bled
It is a lake that is located in the so-called Julian Alps, in northwestern Slovenia. This just 55 kilometers from the country's capital, Ljuljana, so it would really be mischievous to go and miss it because distance is nothing.
The lake is a lake that has partly tectonic, partly glacial origins. Everything around him are forests and mountains and a city, Bled, of medieval origins. The water mirror has a width of 1380 meters, 2.210 meters long and an average depth of almost thirty meters.
The lake has an island, the bled island, Blejski otok in Slovenian, with several religious buildings dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Most date from the end of the XNUMXth century and the oldest still have some Gothic-style frescoes from the mid-XNUMXth century. There are also some Baroque-style constructions.
The old church still has a 52 meter high tower which can be seen from the shore of the lake, and inside its baroque staircase is formed with 99 stone steps dating from 1655.
The good news is that the church is still used to officiate weddings so imagine what it must be like to get married here… wonderful! Tradition indicates that the groom must carry the bride to enter the temple, ring the bell, and make a wish. And everything refers to one legend...
A legend that says that once a very young widow lived in Bled Castle. Her husband had been tied up by thieves and his body had been thrown into the water. She was destroyed by the loss and melted all her silver and gold to make a bell for the island church in memory of her love. The truth is that the bell never arrived because the boat that was carrying it sank in a storm.
Even more heartbroken, the widow sold all her possessions to build a new church on the island, left the castle and moved to Rome to become a nun. Upon his death, the Pope on duty learned of his sad story and decided to finally make a bell, also saying that anyone who rang the bell three times and believed in God would see his wish fulfilled. Hence the tradition of the bride and groom.
Visit Lake Bled
There is a six kilometer long path that surrounds the lake and it can be done quietly on foot or by bicycle in a pleasant walk. As you travel you have great views of the lake, the forests, the castle and the hills. There are also benches to rest a bit located in convenient places that allow you to enjoy the views: the island, the mountains, the lake ducks ...
From the coast itself you can pay a horse drawn carriage ride and that travel the paths around. The coachmen are called fixers. There are also traditional wooden boats, plates, which take you to the island from the coast. They are operated by rowers called pletnars and in summer they come and go all the time.
Another good point to enjoy the lake is its own Bled castle It seems to be hanging from a rocky cliff. It is very picturesque, dates from XII century and it houses an interesting museum with a cellar still in operation. You can even taste their wines in the castle restaurant and in the summer months maybe you can meet the lord of the fortress or watch an archery tournament during the Medieval days.
It also has a beautiful chapel Gothic style with a patio. It was built in the XNUMXth century and has some later Baroque renovations. Near the altar are paintings of the German Emperor Henry II and his wife Kunigunda and some beautiful frescoes. Some of the interior rooms of the castle are prepared to be exhibited and show the history of the fortress and its architectural development or what life was like in it through time.
The truth is that you cannot miss the castle because it offers the best view of all of Lake Bled and its picturesque island.
So, the only way to get to the island itself is in those nice wooden boats. You have to pay to visit it and the ticket also includes a visit to the bell tower to enjoy the panoramic view it offers. An adult pays $6, 4 students, children only 1 euros and families pay a joint ticket of 12 euros. These are the valid prices for 2018. You visit the island's website and you can buy them right there.
You just have to bear in mind that on this page it is warned next year the renovation works of the bell tower will begin so maybe it will stay closed for a while. The stone steps will be restored to make it safer to climb, and also an old clock.
On the website you also find out that around the lake there is a hotel, simple but beautiful, of the style B&B, It costs from 45 to 98 euros a night. It offers WiFi, it is one hundred meters from the lake, next to the Church of San Martín, 300 meters from the castle and with the island one kilometer away, it has a bar, private parking, rooms with TV and private bathroom. How about?
Lastly, Bled. It is one of the most beautiful corners of the country and also one of the best known because there are hot springs that have been popular since the beginning of the last century. In fact, Bled is reputed to be the healthy resort most beautiful in Austria and Hungary. To stay here with height, a recommended but expensive hotel is Vila Bled, a place from the 50s.
And now yes, finally, not far from the lake is the Vintgar Canyon, beautiful, with wooden bridges that allow you to travel its kilometer and a half long and appreciate its waterfalls and ponds.