bled church

Why Is Bled Lake So Popular Among Tourists?

Bled Lake is probably the most famous spot in Slovenia, as it attracts millions of tourists every year. It is renowned for being the best thing to see in the country, but how did it win this reputation amongst all of the other Slovene marvels?

Tourists find in Bled Lake a concentrated form of Slovenia, as it permits them to discover at the same time marvelous landscapes and to dive into Slovene culture and history. Bled Lake will satisfy at the same time sports and pastry lovers while offering a welcoming and quiet atmosphere. 

You will believe it when you will see it, but let review together with the many reasons that make tourists love Bled Lake so much.

A Unique Picturesque Spot

Bled Lake is one of a kind attraction. It is a true oasis of nature and turquoise water at less than one hour of Ljubljana. You can access it easily from any direction, by bus, train, or location car, and still enjoy an exotic and stunning trip.

The Lake is a unique place in Slovenia, but it is not just an excellent highlight for your Slovene trip. It is a great reason to come to the country since you will hardly have a similar experience elsewhere. 

This place is indeed unique in this part of Europe. You will have a feeling of being in a truly tropical seaside, especially in summer, when the heat becomes almost unbearable.

You have probably seen a lot of great pictures starring the Lake. If it did not convince you yet, a lot of testimonies could assure you that the place is besides even more tremendous in person. The site offers a terrific number of views from different types of standpoints, always with water on sight, so blue that it cannot be pictured truthfully.

It takes two hours to tour the Lake on foot. You can admire many landscapes as you walk around it, surrounded by the breathtaking Alps and its amazing Alpine forest. Tourists enjoy taking this mostly flat path of six kilometers, and sometimes stop to head out for a dip or take some pictures.

It delivers perfect panoramas at any time of the day, but we recommend staying until sunset. Taking photos at this moment is a guarantee to impress all of your relatives.

Bled Lake especially offers three main unmistakable viewpoints. They can satisfy every tourist, from the most venturous athlete to a family with kids. Ojstrica is the most popular site, accessible with a little hike and disposing of a bench you can rest on. 

A Touristic but Yet Quiet Place

You will soon discover that Bled Lake dues its reputation to many activities and resources in a remarkably calm atmosphere. Even if it keeps getting more and more famous, the place remains a peaceful haven for its visitors.

In Bled Lake, you will not see any crowd to ruin your experience. It is a subtle mix between calm and touristic, and we can assure you that it is in no way dull or overrated. On the contrary, we can even say that we tend to understate it compared to other European landscapes. 

Bled Lake is the perfect place if you are looking for a peaceful stroll. You have many options to enjoy the quietness of the site. First, we recommend you to tour the Lake. If you are looking for idleness, renting a rowboat in a small shop would be the best choice. 

However, do not hesitate to paddle out to the Bled island to discover its peaceful atmosphere. The small town of Bled also brims with resources. It is a perfect location to explore a Slovene village, especially in the evening when it is less busy with tourists.

It will give you an authentic taste of the country as it represents the typical central European town. Tourists find in Bled a fantastic spot to visit but also to rest. It is perfect, especially when you have the chance to stay at least two days to tour and impregnate the place.

The town has to offer a charming architecture with a lovely church, and above all, great boundary-breaking accommodations. The Garden Village is particularly worth the sight. It has different features, from a pier tent to a treehouse that will satisfy every budget but mainly to enjoy nature and calm around you.

Even when significant events are organized in Bled Lake, we can assure you that it will only help you appreciate it more. A lot of music festivals and open-air concerts give it additional unique cachet. You will also notice that the place is not deteriorated by pollution, which is rare enough to be noticed.

An Amazing Playground for Everyone

With more to offer than just some views, Bled Lake attracts tourists looking for a unique sports ground. If you long to discover the Slovene countryside while exercising, Bled Lake is one of your best options. 

It is the best way to explore this postcard scene. The fantastic sights you will find would even be improved by the satisfaction gained through effort. Moreover, one of its main advantages is that you can adapt to the difficulty depending on your age and fitness.

Children will particularly enjoy Bled Lake in Summer when the water is not as cold as usual. It will permit them to play water games in a beautiful frame. They could even swim till Bled Island under their parents’ watch. 

However, little kids usually appreciate the Straza Bled Toboggan track the most. Open from spring to autumn, it will represent a great distraction if you are willing to put the price (24 euros for three). 

There is also a lot of opportunities for hiking lovers. Whether you just want to climb the 99 steps in front of the Church of Assumption or go for the Velika Osojnica trail at 756 meters over the sea level, a visit to Bled Lake will make you burn calories in any case. 

If you are determined and sporty, do not hesitate to rent a rowboat. It will be a great occasion to impress your friends, allow them to enjoy the view, and make them buy you a piece of cake or a beer as a reward.

An Attraction Straight Out of a Fairytale

Bled Lake is a perfect place if you want to see all of the treasures of Slovenia in one place. In this beautiful nature gazebo, you will be able to discover its monuments. The unique frame gives them a magical aspect that you will not see anywhere else.

When you enter the Lake, you will see the magnificent Church of the Assumption. Let yourself be transported into a medieval fairytale by this 17th-century sacred monument. It is said the temple of the Slavic goddess Živa used to be located there.

If you come to Bled Lake, you will hear music from the angels. This sweet melody is the sound of the church’s bells people ring to make their wishes come true. Climb the 99 stone steps of the bell tower and ring it three times for your request to be granted. 

Legend says that 500 years ago, a bell was made for the late husband of a woman. Unfortunately, a storm on Bled Lake sank the boat the bell was transported in and everyone on board. The Pope decided to create a new bell as a memorial. It was installed in the church, and now you can ring it to honor the Virgin Mary and make a wish.

After your wish, do not hesitate to rent a rowboat to enjoy the mythical side of Bled Lake. Navigate across the swans and relax. This experience, although it might seem very touristic, is a must-see.

The castle on the northern part of the Lake hanging on the cliff is one of the most beautiful monuments of Bled. This splendid castle is more than a thousand years old. It dates back to 1011, making it the oldest Slovenian castle. 

You can even visit it to discover the spectacular terrace, museum, and wine cellar of this historical and cultural attraction. Where the courtyards are located, climb up the stairs to find a beautiful chapel decorated with frescoes. The castle is mostly of Renaissance style, except for its oldest part: the Roman Tower. 

For a complete experience, stop to eat at the Bled Castle Restaurant. You will have the chance to eat while having the best sight in Bled. Although visiting the castle is quite expensive – about 10 euros per adult – it is worth paying if you want to eat at this lovely restaurant.

A Taste of the Slovene Culture

One of the main advantages of Bled Lake is that it disposes of various unique things to discover. There are many famous Slovene features that you can only find in Bled. It is often a guarantee that you will come back to have the chance to enjoy it again.

The Traditional Pletna Boats

Bled Lake is the only place in the world where you will pass by pletna boats. You can find them all around the rowing center and will not miss them as they are colorful and recognizable. They can fit up to 20 people, and will undoubtedly make your trip unforgettable.

Visiting the Lake by pletna boat indeed makes you peer back in time. They were first used in 1590 but will still carry you around for 15 euros per person.  

The Famous Bled Cake

The Slovene culinary specialties are emphasized in Bled Lake. In Summer, you can enjoy one of the startling flavors of ice cream that are really popular in Slovenia. However, the local headliner remains the Bled Cake.

The place’s real showstopper is indeed this amazing cream cake, considered to be one of the best in the world – if not the best. Even those who are less fond of pastry and vanilla cream fall for it. 

The whipped cream finishes to convince everyone, but some curious are allowed to try versions with fruits or sweet chocolate. In reality, you have to taste it in person to understand, which can only happen at Bled Lake. 

It is called Kremsnita or also Kremna Rezina in Slovene. This specialty was first baked in 1953 by Ištvan Lukačević, that modified a Hungarian Cake. It rapidly became a huge success.

This cake is actually an excellent motivation for tourists, as a demi million of these cakes are sold each year. You can enjoy it for only 4,70 euros at the Park Cafe, but we recommend you to try it at the Cafe Belvedere, Bled Lake’s most hidden place. 

A Leap Into History

This fantastic place offers you a breathtaking view of the Lake for very moderate prices. For 9 euros, you will be able to enjoy a beautiful cafe and piece of Bled Cake in a wonderful frame. 

The view on the Lake itself could be enough, but the Pavillon is also an actual piece of art. Designed by Jože Plečnik, this building makes us dive in Slovenian history thanks to its post-war period decoration and socialist-style paintings. 

Bled Lake then has an abundance of historical sites. It also houses Vila Bled, the former summer residence of Tito, Yugoslavia’s leader from 1953 to 1980. If you can afford it, we advise you to spend a night there to impregnate the aura of the place truly.  

As the rest of the site, Vila Bled seems to be stuck in time. It also benefits from some of its guests’ celebrity, as it accommodated a lot of famous leaders, such as Nikita Khrouchtchev or Helmut Kohl, but also glamourous people like Paul McCartney or Prince Charles. 

Now that we gave you some clues of what is so attractive in Bled Lake, we bet you will have to come here to see it by yourself! We can assure you that this very touristic place is a fantastic spot that will not disappoint you; there is still a lot more to discover about the Lake. 

Thank you for reading our article. We do our best to provide you with first-hand information about Slovenia and its wonders. We know we are not infallible though. In case you encounter any mistakes in our articles or you have any suggestions, please contact us. Let us know how we could improve. It will help us to keep our information updated and deliver to readers the most valuable possible content.  We will gladly take your suggestions!

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