When I first started planning a stop in the beautiful country of Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana, a Google search ultimately lead me to Pinterest where I found beautiful images of a lake with this little island in the center complete with a castle. It seemed as if it was just the mystical land that couldn’t possibly exist. So I went to investigate this place called Lake Bled nestled in the Julian Alps.
It really does exist! And it looks like this…
The tiny island in the center of Lake Bled is home to Assumption of Mary Pilgrimage Church where people visiting the church can ring its bell for good luck. To visit the island, you need to travel by boat – and not just any boat, take a Pletna boat! While there are various ways to take a trip across the lake, stick with the traditional boat made by the locals which are only available at Bled.
To get panoramic views of the lake you need to head to Bled Castle, a medieval castle built on a cliff overlooking the lake and the city of Bled. I found some signs that seemed to be indicating that this mysterious forest path led to a castle. So I followed them and soon found myself wandering through a fairytale forest.
Can you believe this really exists?
I soon arrived at Bled Castle, one of the oldest castles in all of Slovenia and according to some sources it is the most visited attraction in the entire country. The medieval castle is nothing other than great views. There really isn’t much of a castle to go into, but rather a great place to take panoramic shots of the lake, it’s tiny island in the center and the city of Bled.
How to Get There
From Ljublana, take the bus from the central station. It will take about an hour. Bus ticket will cost around €7.
Lake Bled is Slovenia’s most popular tourist attraction, and the stunning mountain scenery makes it easy to see why.