Bled
About Bled and it's beauties
Bled, together with its surroundings, has always attracted tourists, due to immense natural beauty, healing climate and thermal lake water
Rarely a traveller is left equanimous by the look of the beautiful lake Bled. On the island in the midle of the lake, there is a romantic church, above the lake stands the mighty Bled castle.
In the summer, you can refresh yourself in the Bled lake that is only 200m away, use a bobsleigh, to go down the Straža slope summer bobsleigh track, or go on a romantic walk around the lake.
For visitors looking for entertainment, Bled offers a lively night life . Only a few minutes walk, and you'll have fun in the best clubs, bars and discotheques in Bled.
In the winter, you can go skiing on the ski resort Straža, which is only 500m away or go to the bigger and better ones like Vogel, Kobla, Krvavec,...
to which also ski bus drives.
After a hard day of skiing,wellness programs, will do you good. In the Bled centre you can choose among varius Spas, swimming pools with jacuzzis, saunas, massages... Our apartments are also appropriate for golfers because the golf course Golf Bled is near.
The lake is 2,120 m long and 1,380 m wide, with a maximum depth of 30.6 metres. The lake is situated in a picturesque environment, surrounded by mountains and forests. A medieval castle stands above the lake on the north shore. The lake surrounds Bled Island (Sln. Blejski otok), the only natural island in Slovenia. The island has several buildings, the main one being the Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary (Slovenian: Cerkev Marijinega vnebovzetja), built in the 15th century, where weddings are held regularly. The church has a 52-metre tower and there is a stairway with 99 steps leading up to the building.
The lake is also well known among rowers because it has very good conditions for the sport. It hosted the World Rowing Championships in 1966, 1979, and 1989. It will host the World Rowing Championship again in 2011.
The lake is 35 kilometers from the Ljubljana International Airport and 55 km from the capital city Ljubljana.
Bled History
A settlement area since Mesolithic times, Bled Castle was first mentioned as Ueldes (Veldes) within the March of Carniola on April 10, 1004, when it was awarded by Emperor Henry II to Bishop Albuin I of Brixen. With Carniola it was ceded to Rudolph of Habsburg after he defeated King Ottokar II of Bohemia at the Battle on the Marchfeld in 1278. From 1364 on Bled was part of the Duchy of Carniola and of the Napoleonic Illyrian Provinces between 1809 and 1816.
After the dissolution of Austria-Hungary in 1918 it belonged to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and became a summer domicile of the ruling House of Karađorđević, a tradition that President Josip Broz Tito continued, when he built his residence here in 1947. Bled became an independent municipality in 1996. In 2000, Bled became the home of IEDC-Bled School of Management, "the Harvard of Southern and Central Europe
Bled Tourism
Bled is famous for the glacial Lake Bled, which makes it a major tourist attraction. Perched on a rock overlooking the lake is the iconic Bled Castle.Naturopath Arnold Rikli (1823-1906) from Switzerland contributed significantly to the development of Bled as a health resort in the 2nd half of the 19th century. Due to its mild climate, Bled has been visited by aristocratic guests from all across the world. Today it is an important convention centre and tourist resort, offering a wide range of sport activities (golf, fishing, horseback-riding) and is a starting point for mountain treks and hikes especially within the nearby Triglav National Park.
A small island in the middle of the lake is home to the Assumption of Mary Pilgrimage Church; visitors frequently ring its bell for good luck. Human traces from prehistory have been found on the island. Before the church was built, there was a temple consecrated to Živa, the Slavic goddess of love and fertility. One can get to the island on a traditional wooden row barge called Pletna.
* The town is known in Slovenia for its vanilla-and-cream pastry called kremna rezina or kremšnita. The name is derived from the German word Cremeschnitte, literally meaning 'cream slice'. * The island on Lake Bled has 99 steps. A local tradition at weddings is for the husband to carry his Bled
From Wikitravel Europe : Central Europe : Slovenia : Julian Alps : Bled Jump to: navigation, search Contents * Understand
* [+] Get in
o By plane
o By bus
o By train
o By taxi
* Get around
* See
* Do
* Eat
* [+] Sleep
o Budget
o Mid-range
o Splurge
Bled [1] is a town in Slovenia, on the east side of Lake Bled. Bled viewed from the Castle [edit] Understand Bled's scenery is almost impossibly romantic, with a little white church on an island in the center of an emerald green mountain lake, Bled Castle perched high above and the peaks of the Julian Alps all around — and it is consequently often packed with honeymooning couples and the like. The town is also a popular access point for Triglav National Park and offers numerous possibilities for an active holiday, including hiking, mountain biking, swimming, rafting and skiing in winter or a relaxing spell in a modern wellness centre. [edit] Get in [edit] By plane The nearest airports are Ljubljana-Brnik & Maribor, EUR 35-45 & EUR 130 by taxi, Klagenfurt (Austria), EUR 85-120, Trieste & Venice (Italy), EUR 120 & EUR 230 respectively. The Slovenian national airline, Adria Airways flies to London-Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham! EasyJet operates flights from Ljubljana to London Stansted [edit] By bus Buses from Ljubljana city leave hourly and take about an hour and 15 minutes to reach Bled. The buses from Ljubljana leaves the bus station right next to the train station every hour on the hour. The return buses leave Bled every hour on half hour (10:30, 11:30..) [edit] By train Lesce-Bled International Station is 5 km from town, there you can buy international RW-tickets. Connections via Ljubljana and Villach, Austria are available several times daily. Bled Jezero, local is located on the "wrong" side of the lake opposite the town, some 1,5km away. Trains from Jesenice and Nova Gorica leave every two hours or so. If you are coming from Ljubljana, Lesce-Bled is the right station. You can also take a bus (2 euros) or a taxi (8-10 euros) or take a 1-hour walk to town. Alternately, you can take the train to Jesenice and change there to a train to Bled Jezero (adding an additional hour of travel and 1 mile walk to center). [edit] By taxi
When you came by train, it's stops on station LESCE-BLED. For Bled you have to go by foot app.4km to reach the city center or use taxi transfer like below. Same, if you came by plane, you need to use taxi service.
* BLED-TAXi transfer pick up from The Airport Ljubljana to Lake Bled & Bohinj, KranjskaGora SLOVENIA - bled.taxi@gmail.com,
* Airport Taxi ( Brnik ) Jože Pučnik Ljubljana-Slovenia,+386 41 670216,taxibrnik@gmail.com,[3].
* TAXI BLED transfer pick up from The Airport Ljubljana to Lake Bled & Bohinj, KranjskaGora SLOVENIA - bled.taxi@gmail.com,
* Bled Taxi Airport Taxi Taxibent, Brane Ostojič s.p., +386 41 623556 Tel/Fax +386 4 5310090,
* BLED AIRPORT TRANSFER airport transfer from Ljubljana airport to Bled, Bohinj, Kranjska gora, Portorož, Tourist agency 3T Bled tel: +386 41 616 407, - info@3tbled.com
[edit] Get around Bled is small enough to cover on foot; a walk around the lake won't take much longer than an hour. The traditional way to reach the lake's island is by pletna boats, although those feeling fit can also swim (take an air mattress in any case) or rent rowboats. As of 2008, the round-trip fair is a fixed 12 EUR per person, and the rowers will typically wait to get at least 3-4 people on the boat (max capacity is about 10 people), so leave plenty of time for the trip to the island. Once on the island, the boat will wait 30-60 minutes, so the total trip time will be about 90 minutes. These pletnas depart from various locations around the lake. If the departure point is far from the island (thus more rowing time), that means you will get to spend less time on the lake, because the total round trip time will be 90 minutes. Horse drawn carriages are available for rides around the lake, to the castle and further afield. [edit][add listing] See Bled Castle Bled Castle Bled Island in the distance from the castle Bled Island in the distance from the castle Ringing the Lucky Bell Ringing the Lucky Bell * Bled Castle is a picturesque white and red castle, perched on a rock on the northern side of town. There is a little museum inside with an exhibition on the castle's history and the usual array of medieval pomp, pageantry and weaponry. There is also a small wine center run by Andre, the monk. There, for the price of a champagne bottle (15€) Andre will teach you how to perform Sabrage, or Sabree, the art of cutting the top of the bottle off with a blade. You can also bottle, label, and wax stamp your own wine right in the cellar with Andre. Very fun. By taking the wooden steps near the wine cellar above the courtyard, you can find a small shop that sells various herbs and oils. Go in here for the smell if anything. * The little island on Lake Bled. The small church on the island dates back to the 10th century, but the present building was built in the 17th century. According to local tradition, a husband who can carry his newly married bride the 99 steps up from the dock into the church will be ensured a happy marriage, and ringing the bell in the church will fulfill one of your wishes. The way to reach the island is by a special boat called Pletna +386-41-948-168. * An alternative to taking the Pletna to the island is to rent a kayak and explore Lake Bled yourself. With a kayak a person can easily reach the island, tie up, and go exploring by foot, and also explore the hidden shorelines of the lake, otherwise inaccessible without a small boat. Your hotel or hostel can give you information on where to rent a kayak.
Vintgar Gorge
Nearby Triglav National Park offers plenty of excellent hiking opportunities. In particular, the scenic Vintgar Gorge is only 4.5km away from Bled. A myriad of activities is available in Bled and the surrounding area, including easy walks and more demanding hikes, mountain biking, rafting, canyoning, fishing, climbing, riding, panoramic flights, tandem paragliding, adrenaline parks, alpine and cross-country skiing, ski safaris, snow-shoeing, sledging and ice climbing. These may be booked at hotel receptions and in a number of agencies in the town. * All-round relaxation for body and mind is provided at the Ziva Wellness Centre at the Golf Hotel and Wellness Centre Bled. Unwind in their thermal pools, whirlpools and saunas, or alternatively let yourself be pampered with a soothing massage, a calming bath or a rejuvenating beauty treatment. * Bled Golf Courses, [9]. Twin courses (18 + 9 holes) that are said to be among the most beautiful in this part of Europe. * Alpine Flying Centre, [10] offers you panorama flights, glider rental, and tandem para-jumps.Restaurants in Bled
There are a number of restaurants in Bled that we recommend:* Rikli Restaurant. Modern restaurant offering pasta, fish and meat dishes on the main promenade. Monthly specials.
* Rikli Pizzeria. Adjacent to the Rikli Restaurant. A selection of 15 pizzas, pasta dishes and light salads.
* Panorama Restaurant, [11]. Monthly special offers, mouthwatering desserts and a large terrace overlooking the lake.
* King's Club House , on Bled Golf Course. Definitely worth trying even if you have never held a golf club in your hands. A wonderful blend of international cuisine, local specialities and excellent wines. Large terrace overlooking the King's Course. * Julijana Restaurant. Intimate à la carte restaurant at the Grand Hotel Toplice. An excellent choice for gourmets, with seasonal specials such as asparagus and truffles. Especially inviting in the warmer months when dishes are served on its romantic terrace by the lake.
* Vila Bled Restaurant. Excellent international cuisine in a fabulous historic ambience. The Vila Bled, nowadays a charming small hotel, used to be a residence of President Tito of Yugoslavia. If you are on a tight budget, at least allow yourself a short stop for a coffee at this fascinating place.
* Castle Restaurant. In the castle above Lake Bled, as its name suggests. Good for special occasions, but not as expensive as you might think. Booking advised, especially for outside tables by the wall. Take a taxi up, 15 minute walk back down!
* Union. Piano and open fire.
* Pri planincu. Youth and bikers!
* Mayer. Near Golf hotel, ***** excellent food.
* Peglezn. Central, simply good!
* Okarina. Amazing quality, large menu blending Indian and Slovene dishes including a substantial vegetarian selection. Not the cheapest, but high quality and extremely friendly service. Beautiful decor, relaxed atmosphere. Highly recommended.
* Ribic. (fish)
* Topolino. Slow food.
* Restaurant Labod. Nice view.
* Try the local speciality kremna rezina, a cake of vanilla custard and cream, at the Park Cafe opposite the Park Hotel, where the dish was invented in 1953. The 'original' cream cakes are also served in the hotel, at the Rikli Restaurant & Pizzeria and at the Golf hotel, they are, however, popular in the whole town and may also be found on the menu at the Panorama Restaurant, Smon and elsewhere. new bride up these steps, during which the bride must remain silent.