A medieval castle on a cliff. A lake of clear, deep blue water. A tiny island in the lake. A steepled church on the island.
If you have ever seen a picture of Slovenia, it was most likely a picture of Lake Bled. Impossibly picturesque, it must have fallen from the pages of a fairy tale and landed in the real world. I spent a day at Lake Bled, experiencing the beauty of this magical place.
Things to do in Bled, Slovenia
Visit Bled Castle, Blejski Grad
Perched high on a cliff over the lake, Bled Castle is believed to be the oldest castle in Slovenia. It’s a long climb to the top, but the view is worth it! The castle has a museum that covers the history of Bled. There is also a restaurant and some shops. In nice weather, treat yourself to a cold drink and piece of the famous Bled cream cake while enjoying the view across the lake.
The famous Bled cream cake. 
Blejski Grad – Bled Castle 
Bled Castle on the cliff overlooking the lake.
Visit the Island
To visit the island, take one of the traditional “Pletna” boats. Walk down by the water to find one. Each boat is manned by an oarsmen who rows the passengers across the lake to the island. Rates are generally posted by the boats.
After the leisurely boat ride, there is a climb to the top where you will find the Church of the Mother of God. There is a tradition that if a couple is married on the island, the groom must carry his bride to the top. So if you find yourself struggling with the climb, be grateful you don’t have to carry anyone else!
Inside the church is the wishing bell, tied to a local legend about a bell lost in the lake during a storm. Ring it three times to have your wish come true!
Traditional Pletna boat, Lake Bled, Slovenia 
Climbing the stairs to the church 
Church of the Mother of God on the Lake
Find Adventure
Slovenia has many opportunities for adventure sports. While there, I opted to go paragliding. I went with www.adventures-nature.com, who picked me up at Lesce-Bled train station and dropped me off in Bled. This was amazing! It’s very easy to do and very comfortable – you are basically sitting in a sort of chair while twirling high above the mountains. I don’t think I ever stopped smiling through the whole trip.
There are also opportunities nearby to go kayaking, rafting, canyoning and more. Get out there and find an adventure that suits you!
Getting to Bled
Getting to Bled from Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, is easy by train and takes about an hour. There are two “Bled” train stations: Bled Jezero (jezero means lake) and Lesce-Bled. You want Bled Jezero to end up closer to the lake. You will need to transfer in Jesenice. Talk to the ticket conductors if you have questions; they are very helpful.
