Looking for a travel spot that is a change from the stress and expense of the city? Look no further than Lake Bled, located in the Julian Alps in northwestern Slovenia.
Totally Picturesque
The lake is surrounded on all sides by snow-capped mountains and forests, creating one of the most beautiful environments one could ever imagine. It is just adjacent to the town of Bled itself, which is quiet, humble and gives you the perfect spot to relax and unwind.
What’s really perfect about the location, however, is that it provides tons of opportunities for active travelers as well, from hiking to boating to swimming. No matter what you like to do on vacation, there is something for you. Especially useful is the website from the city itself, which provides helpful information for all things tourist related: what to see, what to do, accommodation, meetings and events.
About Bled
The town of Bled dates back to the year 600 during the Slavic settlement of the Eastern Alps. Today, the population is about 5,500 inhabitants, with space for 4,000 tourists during the summer season. We stayed there during the early part of July, at a local hostel, which had a beautiful view of the fields, reminiscent of the Tuscany for less than 10 euros per person per night. We even had use of the entire kitchen for ourselves! This doesn’t seem to be far from the norm either, after a quick search on Airbnb I found tons of similar places to stay for the same price. Plus, the locals were really friendly, as it is a place that doesn’t receive massive tourism.
What To Do Near Lake Bled
Lake Bled, besides being a swimmable body of water in between snowcapped mountains, also has two distinct landmarks that make it unique. First, there is the Bled Castle, which was built in 1004. It is situated 611 meters above the lake and gives a stunning panoramic view of the landscape and lake below. Due to the moderate conditions (18° C average in July), we were able to comfortably hike up to the top of the castle.
The second distinctive landmark in Bled is the Church on the Island. It’s hard to believe that there would be a church on and island until you see it, really. Archeologists have discovered traces of prehistoric (11th to 8th centuries B.C.) settlements. We didn’t have a chance to go onto the island itself, but there were boats leaving regularly.
My favorite part about visiting Lake Bled, however, was finding the local beach spot where people soak up the sun, picnic, swim and even row. Did you know that the World Rowing Championships were held in Lake Bled in 1966, 1979, 1989 and 2011? The beach area is located near the rowing school, and there were many people just sitting out and enjoying the sun. The water itself was a bit cold, but with scenery like that how could you not want to just enjoy every moment?
[Wikipedia], [Bled Website]
