When you think of Slovenia, you probably think of Lake Bled…at least, I did. It’s blue tones of the water paired with the lush greens of the trees lining its edge, makes life slow down and makes you feel like you can breathe again. With the castle perched up on the hill and the small church on the island in the centre, Lake Bled easily feels like it been directly taken from a fairytale.
Arriving into Slovenia, the first thing I noticed was the amount of space. After London, anywhere that has vast open spaces instantly captures my attention. The clean, crisp air and the rolling hills are a welcome change from cityscapes for a few days. The purpose of this trip was a girls getaway with Annie and her sister. To slow down from the normal pace of life and do a little exploring along the way.
Due to this we didn’t really do too many tourist things, however we still got to experience a beautiful part of Slovenia. The first couple of days were very chilled. During the hottest part of the day we naturally gravitated toward the lake. For me, lake life will always take a little getting used to. More accustomed with beaches and rugged coastlines, sunbathing lakeside on a designated piece of grass is foreign and slightly strange. After a few days this became more comprehendible, but I think I will always find it a little weird.
The evenings are magical at the lakeside. The sunsets behind the surrounding mountains creating a colourful reflection in the water as the sky transitions into night. We spent a few of our evening this way. Relaxing over a glass of wine with dinner chatting over the happenings of the day and all things travel. There were a few places we found within Bled township. The restaurants are great for experiencing quintessential local food. We were not disappointed.
If you’re wanting to get to the middle of the lake its a pretty easy task. There are a few options…paddle boarding, hiring a boat or getting the bigger style boat across. Once at the island it takes approximately 20 minutes to walk around, however if you want to explore the church and relax at the cafe allowing a little extra time is a good idea. During the summer, the water is reminiscent of island destinations. Clear light blue fades into the deeper tones letting you glimpse into the life of fish below the surface.
One of the main points in Bled is the castle. It sits perched up on the hill and once inside it’s walls it gives one of the best views over the lake itself and the surrounding mountain landscape. There are different parts within the castle walls. Different sections of museums give a history of the region and for those wanting to relax and take in the view, small cafes are dotted around the perimeter. On a clear sunny day, there is nothing better.
We got to experience a little more about the region on our final day. Vintgar Gorge is one of the most popular things to do (apart from the lake), and was probably one of my favourite things. It’s an easy and stunning walk along the river running through the gorge. Leading from the main carpark at one end to the Sum Waterfall at the other, the track is mostly a boardwalk with patches of gravel and plenty of spots along the way to stop, take photos and breathe it all in. Trust me, you are going to need some space on your camera for this one. The colours as you pass along the track made me feel like I was home again.
Our afternoon was spent in more, shall we say ‘extreme’ conditions. It started well, heading out on a small walking trail on the other side of the lake to a viewpoint over Bled township. We headed up the initial track before we started to hear thunder and and see flashes of lightening through the spaces in the trees above us. We were about halfway up to the summit at the this point, so kept walking up.
Once at the top, we could then observe more clearly the flashes of light traveling across the sky above and the rain in the thunderous clouds starting to move from west to east. I think we were at the summit for 10 minutes before hastening down off the top of the mountain. Long story short, we got 500 metres down and the heavens opened on us. By the time we reached the car it looked like we had been for a swim in the lake. I loved every minute. Annie however…is never going hiking again.
Sending hugs & smiles,
Vanessa
