Discover Bled

Why visit Bled

Bled is one of the most photographed lakes in Europe — a small emerald glacial pool 2km long, set in a deep valley at the foot of the Julian Alps in northwestern Slovenia, with a tiny island in the middle holding the picturesque baroque Church of the Assumption (the only natural island in the country) and a dramatic medieval castle (Blejski grad) perched on a 130m cliff above the northern shore. The walk around the lake takes about 90 minutes; rent a traditional flat-bottomed pletna boat (rowed by a single oarsman in the same family-handed-down tradition since 1740) for the 20-minute crossing to the island, where you can ring the wishing bell in the church bell tower (climb 99 stone steps; reputedly grants one wish). Bled Castle, dramatically restored, has the country's oldest standing fortifications (10th century) and brilliant views over the lake; the small in-house printing-press demonstration is genuinely fun. Don't leave without trying the famous Bled cream cake (kremna rezina) — the local pastry tradition since 1953 — at the Park Hotel patisserie where it was invented. The wider area is the gateway to Triglav National Park; the dramatic Vintgar Gorge 4km away (a series of waterfalls and wooden boardwalks through a narrow limestone canyon) is an essential day visit.