Slovenia
When
April to Oct
Price
From 1 600€ excl. flights
(based on 2 people sharing)
How long
3 nights
Ideal length
Lake Bled, nestled at the foot of the Julian Alps, owes its worldwide fame to its central islet, Slovenia's only natural island, on which stands a pilgrimage church accessible only by traditional rowing boat known as a pletna. A persistent local custom holds that every newlywed groom must carry his bride in his arms up the ninety-nine steps leading to the church, a ritual said to guarantee a happy marriage that many Slovenian couples continue to honour.
The islet in Lake Bled, the only natural island in all of Slovenian territory, formed several millennia ago through the gradual accumulation of glacial sediment at the centre of the lake, before being chosen as early as the High Middle Ages as the site of a pre-Christian shrine and later a successive Christian church. Access to the island remains today exclusively reserved for pletnas, traditional rowing boats built using artisanal methods passed down through generations by a small number of boatman families.
Bled Castle, perched on a cliff over a hundred metres above the lake, ranks among Slovenia's oldest castles with origins dating back to the 11th century, offering from its ramparts an iconic panorama over the island and the surrounding Julian Alps. A persistent local custom holds that every newlywed groom must carry his bride in his arms up the ninety-nine steps leading to the island's church, a ritual said to guarantee a happy marriage that many Slovenian couples continue to honour each year.
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A Boutique Villa Overlooking Lake Bled
A boutique villa overlooking Lake Bled, a terrace with a direct view of the island and castle, a short distance from the pletna dock.
A Charming Lakeside Inn
A charming inn directly on the shores of Lake Bled, a private dock and views of the surrounding Julian Alps.
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