The Magical Lake Bled
This iconic Lake, with the only island in Slovenia, Lake Bled, has been photographed millions of times from every angle. I have plenty of photos in the sunshine reflecting a million shades of green, from the water to the trees. But, if you visit and it is overcast, it will give you completely different photos as it adds even more varieties of colour. It’s a magical lake with so many sides depending on the time of day and the time of year.
The Lake sits between the Julian Alps of the Upper Carniolan region of Northwestern Slovenia; it is only wee at 2,120 m long and 1,380 m wide, with a maximum depth of 29.5 m. Nevertheless, it is one of the most visited sights in Slovenia by over 300,000 people each year.
Around the Lake
The walking path is 6km alongside the Lake, is relatively flat and gives you various views of Bled Castle, the Island and Bled Town. The walk should take around 2 hours, depending on how many stops you make or how quickly you walk. The temperatures can quickly soar when the sun is out, plus it can also be quite humid, so the water fountains are a great addition to the path. It would be a lot busier in high season than we experienced in May, so you might have to wait to get the right photo and weave in and out of all the other visitors; however, your patience will be worth it.
Bled Castle
Bled Castle presides over the Lake and the town of Bled, which dates to 1011. However, after an earthquake partially destroyed it in the 1500s, the rebuild mirrors how it stands today. It is used for many events in summer, including a medieval festival with jousting knights. Or visit the wine cellar for a wine tasting, and as a souvenir, you can bottle, cork and seal your own wine.
Walking around this Magical Lake
Walking around this Magical Lake, you will see Villa Bled, the former presidential palace, most famously President Tito of the Former Yugoslavia’s’ summer residence. This is now a luxury hotel with Spa facilities and rooms refurbished in a 1950s style. It has a beautiful terrace with amazing views of the Lake and over to the Island.
The Lake hosts the European Rowing Championships. It is regarded as one of the most beautiful settings for a rowing course anywhere in the world, with its backdrop of the impressive Julian Alps. We were in Bled when the teams practising for the races. We just happened to pass by when the British and Austrian teams were practising, so we supported them both!
On the Lake
On the Lake, you could also take a “Pletna” boat to Bled Island with the unique Church of the Mother of God. Many people like to head to the Island to ring the “wishing bell”. I cannot confirm whether their wishes come true, but whatever you need to do, go for it.
Every time I see the steps up to the Church, I think of friends who got married here, and as part of the tradition, the groom had to carry his bride up the 99 steps in order to get married in the Church. Well, done, Pav; I still admire your tenacity.
When to go
We visited in May and mixed our holiday with walking and cycling. I recommend walking around the Lake as there are so many people, making cycling an effort. After all the walking, we decided coffee and cake were required. The famous Bled Cream Cake should be tasted by anyone new to the Lake. However, I am not a massive fan of it, so I had to settle for a Chocolate Bomb with Peanuts. It was a chore but also delicious.
We had to do more cycling the next day, as we also had “Burek or Börek” for lunch, which is minced beef wrapped in flaky pastry, delicious but not great for the waist or arteries! This is a much loved “fast food” in Slovenia and the other Balkan countries. Find a small bakery that makes them on-site, as they will be the best-tasting ones by far.
The Weather
The weather when we were there in May was warm and sunny. However, it can become quite humid and hot during the high season. As with any mountain destination, you need to expect changeable weather. Nonetheless, the weather is irrelevant here; rain or shine is incredibly pretty.
Cycling
We had 5 days here, for walking and cycling and there is plenty to choose from. There is an excellent addition by the tourist office on their website, which will give you all the routes around Bled along with the elevation, distance, and difficulty – https://tinyurl.com/mvbwdtm2
Getting out into the countryside to enjoy this beautiful place is what I would recommend. There are loads of small villages and secondary roads that are quiet to choose from. There is little directional signage for cycling, but as long as you have a GPS, follow a few of the routes set by the Tourist Office on the above link, and they will take you to some gorgeous places.
Elan Ski Factory
We are both keen skiers, so when we passed the Elan Ski Factory, we decided to take a tour, and it was interesting, fun and worth the stop. You learn about the history behind the brand and the famous skiers they have worked with in the past right up until now. You can have a go on the simulator, which was a lot more difficult than it looked. I particularly liked the special skis they make for their police force, something I had never seen before. https://museum.elanskis.com/
Vintgar Gorge
We visited the Vintgar Gorge, rode our bikes to the parking area, and completed the round trip. Through the gorge, then up and round the mountain back to the start. It is a beautiful walk of 1600m through the gorge. Take your time to see the amazing colours and more shades of green you will ever have seen.
Once you have completed the gorge, you have 2 alternative ways to walk back. The one up and over the mountain is quite strenuous. However, there are mini-bus transfers on offer to take you back; it really depends on how much effort you want to exert. https://vintgar.si/?lang=en
In Summary
- Plenty to do for a 5-7 day holiday on and off the bike.
- Get higher up above the Lake for great views of the area.
- Walk around the Lake as cycling is too complicated with the number of people.
- Take a Pletna boat on the Lake to see it from a different angle.
- Try the famous Bled cake.
- Go further afield on the bike to take in some of the surrounding countryside. It’s worth it.