While I was visiting Ljubljana I couldn’t pass up on an opportunity to see one of Slovenia’s most beautiful natural locations. Bled, (the small town residing by Lake Bled) is located in the north western part of Slovenia, within the Upper Carniolan region.

Buses are plentiful between Ljubljana and Bled, including local buses and Flexibus. They range in price from €4 to €15, depending on the time of the year and time in the day.

There are also many tour options from Ljubljana or other neighbouring major cities in other countries, if you wish to have a guided experience.

I decided to catch a local bus and the trip took around an hour and a half to get to Bled.

My first stop was to see Bled Castle. It is known for being the oldest castle within Slovenia, with elements of it first being built in 1004 by German King Henry II. For €11 you can walk around through the castle and learn about its history.

Bled Castle is also known for its beautiful views over lake Bled. Perched on top of a hill, it has some of the best sights of the lake.

The circumference of Lake Bled is roughly 6km, and there is a walking track around the entire thing for visitors to walk, jog, run or cycle around. I had been told that sometimes in winter the lake can freeze over, and you can walk over to Bled Island which is in the centre of the entire lake.

Being January, it was a possibility for me, however it this was not the case this time.

Even though it was a bitterly cold day, the walk around Lake Bled was very beautiful. Being the off-season there was hardly anyone around, which made it that much more special.

There are several boat operators around the lake who offer ferry services to Bled Island. I managed to find one that was about to leave (in winter, some of the companies have limited services to and from the island – you can get a private boat but that will cost you extra).

The island is relatively small and easy to walk around. You can pay €6 to access to Bled Church and the Church of the Assumption.

At the base of a section of the island there are 99 steps that lead up to the small courtyard. In Slovenian tradition, the groom must carry the bride up the 99 steps!

I wonder how this works when a same sex couple gets married here? 49/49 split and jump the final step?

The steps were also a lovely spot to sit and eat my lunch, enjoying the tranquillity and beauty of the surrounding nature.

Back on the mainland I finished walking the loop around the lake, and then it began to rain. This was perfect timing as I was now in for a treat.

CREAM CAKE!

This beautiful, delicious piece of cake resembles a custard slice and would be loved by anyone with a sweet tooth like myself!

There are plenty of places to stay if you decided to spend the night in Bled and enjoy the fresh countryside air, but Bled itself is a great day trip opportunity when you visit Slovenia and is a must on the to-do list.

Safe Travels!