Slovenia's Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj

In my last blog post I talked about Bled Castle, a beautiful fortress perched on a hill above the serene Lake Bled. Just about three miles away is another iconic spot in this area, the stunning Lake Bled Island. You might have seen pictures of a church on a tiny island in the middle of a sky-blue lake surrounded by the beautiful Julian Alps and wondered if it was real. I am here to tell you that yes, it is indeed real and just as beautiful as all the photos you’ve seen!

Lake Bled is simply stunning to look at and provides a beautiful view for a nice four mile walk around it while offering a gorgeous sight from every vantage point. For centuries, it has captivated people including prominent citizens -- it was the summer residence of the Yugoslav family and also the former Yugoslav president, Josip Broz Tito.

A major highlight of Lake Bled is going to the small island in the middle of the Lake. You can take special wooden boats called Pletnas to get across the lake if you want (which is what we did). I must make comment about these special boats as these boats are only known at Bled and go back to the year 1590. The Pletna boat is operated by the Pletna oarsman which is a special and very respected profession that has remained in individual families for centuries. You could get to the island other ways but why would you knowing this?

The boat rows to the South staircase (originally built in 1655) that leads up to the church. Local tradition mandates that a new husband must carry his bride up the 99-step staircase. The steps are a little bit steep so the groom must do some training beforehand to make sure he can complete the challenge!

As I mentioned, at the top of the staircase is the lovely Baroque Church of the Assumption which dates back to the 17th century although there’s been a church on this spot since the 9th century. The inside still contains fragments from the 15th century -- there is a glass floor underneath the bell that contains some of the original for easy viewing. I was amazed at how beautiful the inside of this church was in spite of its small size and old age.

The 15th century belfry contains a bell with a sad but interesting legend attached to it. In a quick summary: a widow in Lake Bled saved all of her gold to have a bell made in memory of her husband. The boat transporting her bell sank in a storm. She then sold her fortune and had a new church built on the island. After her death, the Pope heard of this tragic story and had a new bell blessed and sent to the island in 1534. Because of this blessing, a wish will be granted to anyone ringing the bell. Did I ring the bell? Of course, I did!

You may also climb to the top of the Bell Tower and see the pendulum clock if you want to. The bell tower was built after an earthquake in 1511 but renovated in 1680 into what it is today. The clock is a pendulum clock powered by wheels, weights, and the pendulum. It was really fascinating to see the mechanical function of the clock and how it works from the inside. I would definitely check it out if you have time.

Only about 16 miles to the southwest of Bled is a larger lake, Bohinj (largest lake in Slovenia). We were told that there is a sort of rivalry between the two lakes as to which is more beautiful -- I will be diplomatic and say they are equally beautiful in different ways. We saw the phrase, “Enjoy the beauty of Lake Bled, then come to Bohinj to become one with nature!” – that seemed fitting after experiencing both lakes but I’ll let you decide for yourself.

Bohinj lacks Bled’s glamour, but it’s less crowded and has a simpler beauty about it. This town reminded me of a true small mountain ski town that only locals know. The seven and a half mile walk around the lake can be done in about 4-5 hours depending on your walking speed and whether you stop for well needed photos along the way. For those who wish to experience the lake itself, there are scenic boat excursions available as well.

People come primarily to chill out or to swim in the crystal-clear water, with leisurely cycling and walking trails to occupy them as well as outdoor pursuits like kayaking, hiking and horseback riding. Not only is the lake a great place to spend a day trip but it’s also the start of about 16 hiking trails in to the Alps.

During the winter, it is a popular ski destination for tourists and locals alike. The Mount Vogel Ski Resort is located next to Bohinj and has a total of 14 miles of ski slopes and 5 miles of tracks for cross country skiing, as well as a snowboard park. Or you can just take the gondola up 5000 feet for the perfect views like we did, and trust me, the views were amazing. We could even see some of Italy and Austria from the top of the mountain. The crisp alpine air felt like a little bit of heaven -- I can only imagine what it would be like as a ski destination in the winter!

Visiting both Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj was a busy but perfect action-packed day – it was one of those days where you should have been tired but you weren’t because you had so much fun and saw so much beauty! We could have stayed longer in lovely Lake Bohinj’s town, Ribčev Laz, but we needed to get back near Bled for our next stop in another quaint town for a traditional Slovenian evening with wine, food, dance, and games. Stay tuned next week and I will share more – definitely something you will want to do when traveling to this area.

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