Lake Bled  Travel Guide : Food, hotel, Cost, Weather & geography, History, language, culture, things to see and do and how to reach

You can find about travel advice such as public places & services, best restaurants, activities, sightseen and other key facts of the in Lake Bled .

The lake surrounds Bled Island . The island has several buildings, the main one being the pilgrimage church dedicated to the Assumption of Mary , built in its current form near the end of the 17th century, and decorated with remains of Gothic frescos from around 1470 in the presbyterium and rich Baroque equipment.The church has a 52 m (171 ft) tower and there is a Baroque stairway dating from 1655 with 99 stone steps leading up to the building. The church is frequently visited and weddings are held there regularly. Traditionally it is considered good luck for the groom to carry his bride up the steps on the day of their wedding before ringing the bell and making a wish inside the church.The traditional transportation to Bled Island is a wooden boat known as a pletna.The word pletna is a borrowing from Bavarian German Plätten 'flat-bottomed boat'. Some sources claim the pletna was used in Lake Bled as early as 1150 AD, but most historians date the first boats to 1590 AD. Similar in shape to Italian gondolas, a pletna seats 20 passengers. Modern boats are still made by hand and are recognizable by their colorful awnings. Pletna oarsman employ the stehrudder technique to propel and navigate boats across the lake using two oars. The role of the oarsman dates back to 1740, when Empress Maria Theresa granted 22 local families exclusive rights to ferry religious pilgrims across Lake Bled to worship on Bled Island. The profession is still restricted. Many modern oarsman descend directly from the original 22 families.

Foods in  Lake Bled :
(1) Dumplings : 

Bite-sized and bursting with all manner of exotic fillings, the humble Slovenian dumpling is as close to ‘national dish’ status in Slovenia as any other traditional Slovenian food.Forget Mandu or Asian-style dumplings, Slovenians make theirs with buckwheat. This gives them a distinctly earthy, nutty flavour. Stuff these with cheese, veal, potato or pork. The result? A melt-in-your-mouth accompaniment to any meal.  This is one of those Slovenian dishes you’ll find on every restaurant menu across the country. But, like all traditional Slovenian food, every place will have its own proud twist.

(2) Kremna rezina :

Layers of custard, cream and puff pastry make this decadent Slovenian dessert utterly irresistible. Better still, find somewhere to enjoy both the views and the kremna simultaneously.Of course, cafés across Slovenia will offer it. However the best, or so they say, is found at Hotel Park in Bled. It’s so popular that the hotel sells 3000 slices of Kremna rezina every weekend. 

(3) Kranjska klobasa : 

It may look like any other pork sausage in the world but trust us, it’s not. What makes Slovenian sausage or kranjska klobasa truly special? In true Slovenian style, the perfect combination of flavours, of course.For decades, Slovenian babica (grandmothers) have blended the best pork meat and bacon with their own secret seasonings. The result? A hearty traditional Slovenian dish you’ll want to eat again, and again.Good news is that foodies can find kranjska klobasa across the country. Since it’s unlikely you’ll have an opportunity to taste babica’s best, rest assured that local restaurants pair it perfectly with a side of sharp sauerkraut. At food stands, snap it up served on warm bread with mustard and peppery horseradish.In other words, the Slovenian take on a hot dog – the emphasis here is on ‘hot’ in more ways than one.

(4) Trout : 

The Alpine-fed rivers of Slovenia are fertile ground for freshwater fish but on Slovenian menus, trout is the most common fish dish.More often than not, Slovenians roll the fish in their national staple, buckwheat flour, and then fry it.Enjoy it at its source if you can. The best trout in Slovenia is said to come from the Soča River region.

(5) Prekmurska gibanica :

 Headed to Slovenia in winter? End off all that traditional Slovenian food with something sinfully sweet. Keep your eyes peeled and your taste buds primed for Prekmurska gibanica. Previously, you would only find this festive Slovenian dish in the Prekmurje region. A Slovenian twist on a carrot cake, prekmurska gibanica graces the displays of bakeries across the country. The recipe is as delicious as it is simple. Layer apple, walnut, cottage cheese and raisins into a half-cake-half-pastry treat. Best of all, order it anytime and anywhere. 

Weather & geography in  Lake Bled :
In Bled, the summers are comfortable and wet, the winters are freezing, and it is partly cloudy year round. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 22°F to 78°F and is rarely below 11°F or above 87°F.

Per day Cost in  Lake Bled :
We found prices ranging from 59-75 Euros per person for a full day on a group tour, or up to 350 Euros for a private tour (total for 1-2 people).

History of  Lake Bled :
Legend has it that fairies created Lake Bled, Slovenia. Once upon a time, as the story goes, Lake Bled was a fertile valley that attracted shepherds by day and fairies by night. The latter came to dance on the valley's lush carpet of grass. Bled is known for the glacial Lake Bled, which makes it a major tourist attraction. Perched on a rock overlooking the lake is the iconic Bled Castle. The town is also known in Slovenia for its vanilla and cream pastry (Slovene: kremšnita, kremna rezina)

Language in  Lake Bled :

The official and national language of Slovenia is Slovene, which is spoken by a large majority of the population. It is also known, in English, as Slovenian. Two minority languages, namely Hungarian and Italian, are recognised as co-official languages and accordingly protected in their residential municipalities.

Culture of  Lake Bled :

The most well-known folk tale about the origin of Lake Bled tells that the lake was created by fairies. According to the story, the area of the lake used to be a valley full of luscious grass. The local shepherds liked to bring their sheep to the valley during the day, and fairies loved to use the soft grass as their dance floor at night. Afraid that the sheep would eat all of their grass, the fairies asked the shepherds to build a fence around their dance floor. The shepherds refused to help the fairies and soon the sheep ate all the grass and left nothing but bare earth behind. Seeking revenge, the fairies flooded the valley and created a lake with a small island in the middle, where they could continue to dance at night.The island in Lake Bled is not only the most popular island in Slovenia, it is the only natural island in Slovenia. Just under an acre in size, it now houses several buildings, including a 17th-century church dedicated to the Assumption of Mary.The best way to visit the island in the middle of the Lake Bled is by the Pletna boat. This traditional boat has a flat bottom and a signature colorful awning that offers shade to passengers on their journey. The first Pletnas were built in the 12th century and the special rowing technique, used by the oarsmen, has been passed down through the same families from generation to generation.Another folk tale tells of a young woman who lived in blead castle .After thieves killed her husband, the widow collected all her silver and gold to buy a small bell. She intended for the bell to be installed in the chapel on Lake Bled’s island where she prayed daily after her husband’s death. Unfortunately, a storm hit the lake during transportation, and the bell and boat sank to the bottom of the lake. Devastated, the widow gave away her fortune, built a church on the island, and moved to Rome where she became a nun. After her death, a different bell was blessed by the Pope and was sent to the island’s church in memory of the widow. Since then it is believed that the c hurch bell on the island grants a wish to whoever rings it.

Place to visit in  Lake Bled :

(1) Lake Bled with an island

(2) The Bled castle

(3) The pletna boat

(4) The Vintgar gorge

(5) Cream cake 'Kremšnita'

Hotel in  Lake Bled   :

(1) Rikli Balance Hotel – Sava Hotels & Resorts 

(2) Hotel Park - Sava Hotels & Resorts

(3) Hotel Lovec

(4) Vila Bled

(5) Hotel Ribno Superior

How to reach in  Lake Bled :

The Bled Jezero station can be reached by train from Jezenice. By bus: getting to Lake Bled by bus is quite easy, from about 06:00 (6 AM) to 22:00 (10 PM) you have hourly departures from the main bus station in Ljubljana. During winter season, there are fewer departures.

Travel Guide for  Lake Bled : Food, Cost, Weather & geography, History, language, culture, things to see and do and how to reach. – Published by The Beyond News (Travelling).