Why Bled is the best city in Slovenia to visit
Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Maria, Bled, Slovenia (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/30 s)
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**This post is the 4th of a 7-post series discussing what to see on your Slovenian road trip (You can check out the other parts in the list below, separated by each city/region (just click the name to see the blog post. Everything is also summarized in another post here.**
Ljubljana (Blog Post: Why Ljubljana, Slovenia is such a wonderful country capital)
Ptuj (Blog Post: Check out the small Slovenia town of Ptuj)
Maribor (Blog Post: Take a trip to the wine region of Maribor, Slovenia)
Bled (Blog Post: Why Bled is the best city in Slovenia to visit)
Triglav National Park (Blog Post: The best places to see in Triglav National Park in Slovenia)
Piran (Blog Post: Why Piran is a hidden gem in Slovenia)
Slovenian Road Trip Summary (Blog Post: The Epic Slovenia Road Trip)
Soteska Vintgar, Triglav National Park, Slovenia (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/22, 1.6 s)
At the base of the Julian Alps sits one of the most gorgeous towns you will ever come across, I promise you. This city is called Bled, and it is my personal favorite in all of Slovenia. It is perhaps most recognizable by its Lake and the Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Maria sitting on its own island on the Western part of the lake.
Bled was heavily developed by Swiss Naturopath Arnold Rikli as a health and wellness resort town. Since then, Bled offers a variety of outdoor activities and is juxtaposed to Triglav National Park, making it a great ‘home base’ to stay at while hiking around the park. My recommendation is to spend 3-4 days in the area to adequately see the city and go for some hikes.
You can easily drive to Bled in an hour’s time from the Slovenia capital of Ljubljana and you’ll want to stay for at least the weekend. What is especially amazing about the city is that you can walk all along lake to get every vantage point of Bled.
Furthermore, there are trails that will take you to great viewpoints over the city as well. (More info on that later). You can check out the Google Map at the end of this post to see all the places I will talk about.
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Check out my drone video of Bled, Slovenia below!
The crown jewel of the city has to be Lake Bled itself. It was formed by tectonic and glacial events, and is most recognized by the small island that is situated in the eastern portion of the lake which is home a church). What I really enjoyed about the lake was the walking path that went along its perimeter, offering so many different viewpoints of the area.
Lake Bled, Bled, Slovenia (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/50 s)
The Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Maria is indeed the church that inhabits this island on Lake Bled. You can reach it simply by hiring a row boat and docking there. I imagine the water would be way too cold to swim in. The Baroque stairway composed of 99 steps and constructed in 1655, lead up to the church with its 52 meter high bell tower. Because of this excellent and picturesque location, this is a popular spot for weddings.
For those who want a great photo of their trip to Bled, for the ‘Gram, be sure to check out the Heart of Bled, an observation deck on the west side of the lake. The best times to come here are obviously in the mornings as it gets quite popular by mid day. Though it is a prime spot for photos of Lake Bled, you can get just as good or even better photos while walking along the perimeter of the lake on the many footpaths that have been erected.
Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Maria, Bled, Slovenia (ISO 200, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/50 s)
Bled Castle (Blejski Grad) is hard to miss, as it stands on top of a cliff face, overlooking the entire town. It is the oldest Slovenian castle and currently serves as a historical museum, highlighting the lake’s history. The first mention of the castle in history was in 1011, on a property deed issued by Emperor Henry II. The views from this castle are insane and it is a must see on your trip to Bled. The Castle itself is full of courtyards and auxiliary castle buildings, even featuring a moat and drawbridge.
The Church of St. Martin is a rather modern Neo-Gothic church built in 1905. Kind of strange given how old everything else is in Bled, but it was built on the site of a razed 15th century church. One of the most notable features of the church and the grounds around it is garden, which was designed by Jože Plečnik, considered to be the greatest ever Slovenian architect.
There are various hikes you can take as well that give you great views of the entire town. These hikes are quite popular but best taken at sunrise, but bear in mind that quite a few other tourists have this idea as well, so I’m not so sure when the best time to go would be.
Three such hikes include:
Ojstrica - 611 meters, 20 minutes from Zaka camping.
Mala Osojnica - 670 meters, 35 minutes from Zaka camping.
Velika Osojnica - 756 meters, 65 minutes from Zaka camping.
All hikes start at the parking lot at Zaka camping, on the West side of the lake, near Bled Island. From this area, there is a path that leads into the forest that leads you to a larger path which veers right. Eventually you will see a sign for the Ojstrica viewpoint at which point you will take a right. Just a few minutes later, you’ll reach the viewpoint. Signposts to Mala Osojnica can be seen once you reach the Ojstrica viewpoint and you will eventually be led to a few benches and sweeping views of the Lake. From there, signposts to Velika Osojnica will guide you to that viewpoint.
Bled, Slovenia (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/80 s)
Getting back to the Zaka camping parking area from here can be slightly treacherous depending on if the area has experienced rain recently. You must cross this steep slope, go down metal stairs, and then take a narrow path along a wooden fence until you reach a road. From here, you take a footpath back. Some people avoid this by descending the same way they ascending via the two viewpoints.
Lake Bled, Bled, Slovenia (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/80 s)
If you have a car, I suggest also seeing some of the spots a little outside of Bled, that are within the confines of the Triglav National Park. Two such spots are Pokljuka and Soteska Vintgar.
Pokljuka is a small plateau with picturesque mountain pastures and littered with small Slovenian log cabins. Indeed this area is popular among skiers as is host to a winter sports facility and the yearly Biathlon World Cup competition.
Soteska Vintgar (Vintgar Gorge) is a 1.6 km long gorge, discovered in 1891. Be sure to plan your trip accordingly as the gorge closes in the late fall and winter seasons. Upon entering, you will travel along a series of footbridges and paths that take you along the pristine blue/teal waters of the gorge. It is perfect for trying out that misty water effect people usually get with fast moving water photos. There are two hiking routes throughout the gorge:
Saint Catharine circular route - 5,7 km – 85 min.
Blejska Dobrava – ‘Strma stran’ route - 4,3 km – 75 min
Both are just as nice as the other, but differ in origin, exit, and duration. Bear in mind that the Saint Catharine route is most ideal when you want to return to your origin without relying on further transport to get you back.
Iglica Falls is a 24 meter high waterfall in the cliffs of Iglica (go figure). Access to the falls is very easy and manageable with limited athletic ability.
