Lake Bled: Visiting fairytale Slovenia

Lake bled

In a place in Slovenia trapped between Julian Alps one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. One of those places that evokes the magic of fairy tales and Disney movies thanks to the blue of its waters, its mountainous environment and the charm of a certain small island. Welcome to lake bled.

Introduction to Lake Bled

Bletna boat on Lake Bled

Legend has it that in the place where Lake Bled is today there was a Madonna chapel that was neglected by the locals. As soon as the place was cleaned, its structure began to crack and goats came and went as they pleased. This is how the gods punished the fervent locals by wrapping water in this chapel that with the passage of time would be known as Church of the Assumption of Mary.

An iconic monument whose huge bell also carries the legend of the death of the owner of the castle near the island. In order to feel more accompanied by the Virgin Mary in that time of darkness, the widow commissioned a bell for the church on the island of Bled, with such bad luck that it sank along with the boat that transported it on a day of storm. Although he later commissioned a new bell from the Pope himself in Rome, the locals assure that the sunken bell is still ringing from the depths of the lake.

Fueled by unique folklore, Lake Bled is as enigmatic a place as its own past. The only natural lake in Slovenia whispers among the peaks of the Julian Alps to 475 meters above sea level in the northwestern contour of Slovenia, not far from the Austrian border.

With a width up to 1380 meters and a depth of 30,6 meters, Lake Bled is possibly the most iconic place in all of Slovenia and one of those typically European settings that contains the magic of the classic tales of the Brothers Grimm. From that fantasy that feeds an ideal setting to rest and delve into local legends.

A corner where it is worth spending more than a day using the bled village, overlooking the lake, as the perfect base to visit the surroundings, practice water sports or relax in one of the many exquisite accommodations in this area.

Visiting Lake Bled

Church of the Holy Assumption on Lake Bled

If you go near Lake Bled, you may be met by a typical wooden boat called bletna. The perfect support from which to leave the shore and head to that enchanting island where a church stands out on a speck of magical forests.

Upon reaching the island, you will be able to check the presence of 99 steps leading up to the church. A mythical walk that invites you to visit this monument woven by pre-Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque styles, famous among the many weddings of the locals for the luck it brings. The reason is none other than the presence of the one known as "Bell of Wishes", which brings luck if you think about your wish just before making it ring.

After this magical walk, the island of Bled includes from a souvenir shop and typical crafts to a jetty from which different activities depart. Either kayaking, diving, fishing or rowingAmong many other options, Lake Bled is the perfect place to spice up your body and complement it with a morning on its shores soaking up the sun.

But calm, because in Lake Bled there is more, much more. In addition to its famous island, you can also visit the medieval castle overlooking one of the shores of the lake from a 130-meter high cliff where different archery tournaments are held during the summer months. This construction was erected for the first time in the eleventh century, although the main extension took place between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, giving rise to a set of galleries and exhibitions ideal for moving back to the Middle Ages.

And it is that the Bled area brings together an irresisible set of events throughout the year. Come over at Christmas and you will see the divers leaving by dragging the old sunken bell of the lake widow. Or else, drop by on the penultimate weekend of July and attend one of the most beautiful celebrations not only in Slovenia, but possibly in all of Europe: the festival «Bled Days and Bled Night». An appointment in which many locals throw into the water at dusk different homemade candles placed inside eggshells. A total of up to 15 thousand candles that illuminate the entire lake during the night giving away an unforgettable scene that, in a way, is reminiscent of that mythical scene from the Disney movie Tangled.

What to see and do in Bled

Bled castle by the lake

Lake Bled is just the tip of an iceberg as is the Bled area, ideal to link from the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana, to enjoy the presence of immense forests, mountains that seem to whisper and an almost infinite peace.

Opt for accommodation in the area and enjoy the meadows and secrets of the Triglav National Park, ideal for different hiking routes. Or get lost for the vintgar gorge, an extension of 1.6 kilometers that crosses the Hom and Borst hills along the Radovna River, ideal to follow its course until reaching a bridge that protrudes above the Sum Waterfall, which reaches up to 13 meters in height.

A natural spectacle to conclude in a tavern among trees where you are served a Kremna Rezin, a kind of typical cake that consists of a simply spectacular cream-filled puff pastry sandwich.

The best sweet snack with which to end a few days of rest in this particular Wonderland where Lake Bled is consolidated as one of the most beautiful places in Slovenia.

Like the perfect fairytale setting to peek into in search of silence and magic.

Would you like to visit Lake Bled?


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