In order to help you get the most out of your trip to Lake Bled, Slovenia, we have compiled a list of the most popular attractions and things to do in Bled and the surrounding area.
1. Lake Bled – the most stunning and romantic place you could ever imagine
In Slovenia, there is a real place that looks like it came from the fairy tale world! That place is beautiful Lake Bled which is a gorgeous glacier lake that was formed at the end of the Ice Age. With an iconic church nestled in a tiny island in the middle of the lake and a spectacular medieval Gothic castle built on a 100-meter cliff overlooking the lake, it’s a fairytale setting. (Image by Vicente Villamón / CC BY-SA 2.0)
2. Bled Castle – the oldest castle in Slovenia perched high above Lake Bled
Above the incredibly beautiful glacial Lake Bled, on a mighty steep cliff rising 130 meters high, is the iconic Bled Castle. It’s one of the most visited Slovene sights with over 300.000 annual guests. Bled Castle is the oldest castle in Slovenia. It was first mentioned in 1011 as Castellum Veldes (Veldes is the German name of Bled). Later on it was devastated by two earthquakes, ransacked in a peasant uprising, and finally beautifully renovated and restored in the 1950s. The entrance to the castle is particularly interesting due to its Gothic arch and drawbridge across a now filled-in moat and once you enter the castle, you’ll probably be surprised with the amount of things to do in the castle – there is a chapel, a restaurant, two courtyards, a museum, printing works and a wine cellar with wine tasting. The castle can be reached by car, but if the weather is nice, we would definitely suggest taking a 15-minute walk on a beautiful path towards the castle. (Image by Mihael Grmek / CC BY-SA 3.0)
3. Bled Island – the fairytale island with an idyllic baroque church on it
When people say that a place is like something from a fairy tale, often they are exaggerating, but that is not the case with this charming little tear-shaped island which is in the middle of an emerald green glacial Lake Bled with magnificent Bled Castle perched high on a cliff and overlooking this fairytale kingdom. It has such an extraordinary beautiful setting that photographs of it are regularly found in travel magazines and it’s without a doubt the most recognizable place in Slovenia. (Image by James Southorn / CC BY 2.0)
4. Church of the Assumption of Mary – the idyllic church on Bled island
The Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary, also known as The Church of Mary the Queen or Our Lady of the Lake is located on a a tiny, tear-shaped island in the middle of an incredibly beautiful glacial Lake Bled in Slovenia. Before the church was built, Bled Island was once home to temple consecrated to Ziva, the ancient Slavic goddess of love and fertility. The temple disappeared during battles between the followers of the pagan religion and Christians, who destroyed the altar and built a church. In the 15th century, it was rebuilt in the Gothic style and a new presbytery, a freestanding bell tower and the main altar were built. In 1509 the church was damaged by an earthquake to such an extent that it required thorough renovation, and this was carried out in the Baroque style. Only the frescoes in the presbytery and a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary were preserved from the previous Gothic church. The present form of the church dates from the 17th century when it was renovated after another earthquake. The main altar with its rich gold-plated carving, dates from 1747. (Image by Lemsipmatt / CC BY-SA 2.0)
5. Vintgar Gorge (also known as Bled Gorge)
Vintgar Gorge is the major attraction in the immediate vicinity of Bled. It’s a must see in Slovenia with its waterfalls, pools, rapids and vegetation. A decked footpath and several wooden bridges enable you to walk into the heart of the gorge. At the end of the gorge, you will find a beautiful 13 meter high waterfall. (Image by Gilad Rom / CC BY 2.0)
6. Adventure Park Bled
The Adventure Park Bled is located on the Straza hill above Lake Bled. It offers visitors the chance to enjoy adrenaline-pumping activities in the great outdoors. The park comprises 5 tracks of different difficulty levels with as many as 71 attractions, designed as a passage from treetop to treetop.
7. St. Martin’s Parish Church
The magnificent parish church is located by Lake Bled. The present neo-Gothic church, consecrated to St. Martin, was built in 1905 on the site of the previous Gothic church, dating from the 15th century. The church contains a number of frescoes painted in the 1930, including one portraying Vladimir Lenin as Judas Iscariot in a depiction of the Last Supper. (Image by Eneko Bidegain / CC BY 2.0)
 With an incredibly beautiful glacial lake surrounded by the peaks of the Slovenian Alps, an iconic church nestled in a tiny island in the middle of the lake and a medieval Gothic castle built on a 100-meter cliff overlooking the lake, Bled is possibly the most beautiful and remarkable Alpine resort in Europe. |