- Bled Castle
BLED CASTLE – according to written sources, the oldest castle in Slovenia, first mentioned in a 1011 donation deed as castellum Veldes.
Perched atop a steep cliff rising 130 metres above the glacial Lake Bled is a symbol of Bled and Slovenia – Bled Castle. The image of the castle forming a dramatic backdrop to the romantic island and the church on it has earned the resort worldwide recognition through the centuries. Castle terraces offer spectacular views of the lake and the island, down the Dežela area with Lesce and Radovljica and over to the mountain ranges of the Karavanke and the Julian Alps.
It has been over a thousand years since on 10 April 1004 the German king Henry II conferred the estate of Bled located in the province called in Carniola on Bishop Albuin of Brixen and his church. In 1011 Henry II awarded Albuin's successor, Adalberon, the castle on the cliff (castellum Veldes) in a charter in which the castle was first explicitly mentioned. The Bled Castle was the administrative seat of the Brixen estate in the Gorenjsko region. Medieval documents refer to Bled with its German name Veldes. In terms of written documents, Bled Castle is the oldest castle in Slovenia. Castle buildings are arranged around the lower and upper courtyards.
The fame of Bled and its beauties was spread around the world by world travellers, including Janez Vajkard Valvasor and his Glory of the Duchy of Carniola of 1689.
Owing to its strategic geographic location, Bled has always been an important venue of high–level political and other official meetings. Its castle has been visited by a number of high-ranking statesmen who enjoyed the breathtakingly beautiful views of the surrounding nature.
- Bled Island
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.
- Vintgar gorge
This ravine in the immediate vicinity of Gorje, approximately 4 km north-west of Bled, was discovered by Jakob Žumer, the Major of Gorje, and the cartographer and photographer Benedikt Lergetporer in February 1891. The discovery was accidental and took place at a time when the water level of the Radovna river which flows through Vintgar was very low. They started their exploration in Spodnje Gorje and headed towards Blejska Dobrava. They made it through, the otherwise impassable ravine with great difficulty and discovered so much natural beauty that they decided to establish a construction committee. The gorge was arranged for visits, especially for visitors to Bled. It was opened to the public on 26th August 1893. The 1.6 km long Vintgar gorge carves its way through the vertical rocks of the Hom and Bort hills and is graced by the Radovna with its waterfalls, pools and rapids. The path leads you over bridges and Šumer’s galleries, and ends with a bridge overlooking the mighty 16 m high Šum waterfall. Due to its natural beauty, Vintgar was classified among the more important tourist sights in Slovenia and the number of visitors increases every year. From the Šum waterfall you can take the opportunity of walking up a picturesque footpath through Hom to St. Catherine-a historical church with a beautiful view. At the entrance, and at the Šum waterfall there are cafes serving refreshments. Access by car and buses is possible as far as the parking area in front of the entrance to the ravine.
- Hills around the lake
Straža (642m)
This is the finest Bled viewpoint rising above the south-eastern lake shore. Mala and Velika Straža, covered with stand of linden aok and spruce trees offer a magnificent panorama. The Rikli Fitness Trail runs through meadows and wooded areas.
Osojnica
Take a winding trail from Velika Zaka to Mala Osojnica (685m). This peak offers the finest view of Lake Bled and its outlying areas, with the Karavanke, the Kamnik alps and the Gorenjsko plain in the distance. This is one of the fdavourite viewopints for photographers. All the well known panoramas of Bled hčave been shot from there. Another 20 minutes of walking separates us from the top of Velika Osojnica (756m)m, affording an even more sweeping view than Mala Osojnica.
Kuhovnica (714 m)
Starting out from the Kolodvorska cesta, we take the railroad underpass st the residential high-rises and continue along the Aljaževa cesta, turning left on razgledna cesta. Then a winding trail branching off to the right takes us to the top of Kuhovnica, offering a marvellous panorama of Lake Bled and its surroungings.
- The Pokljuka Ravine
The Pokljuka ravine lies above the valley of the Radovna river and is only 1 km away from the village of Krnica, 2 km from Gorje and 7 km from Bled. You can reach these places by bus, but if travel via private transport note that you can go as far as the entrance to the ravine above Krnica, or alternatively access is also possible from Zatrnik. The ravine is 2 km long and 40 m deep in its most picturesque part. It was carved into limestone by water flowing from the Pokljuka glaciers, the only reminder of which is the Ribščica stream, a tributary of the Radovna river. Paths for visitors lead into the most beautiful central part of the ravine. The main path runs along its bottom, while side branches lead to the edges of the ravine and connect it with Zatrnik.
There are numerous natural sights. These include: a tributary gorge with a 22 m waterfall when it rains, the Pokljuška Luknja – a spacious rocky cave with a fallen ceiling, a large natural bridge 24 m above the bottom of the ravine, and small round fields called “vrtci” (little gardens) by the locals. You can get through the very narrow straits in order to reach the most beautiful “little garden” and a small natural bridge by way of wooden galleries. Above them, a path will lead you through a partisan crossing, the only passage through this deep ravine. A diversity of vegetation, from ferns to forest and mountain flowers, grows in its bottom and on its rocky walls. The paths are similar to mountain trails – we recommend good footwear. To make walking easier, Pokljuka walking sticks are available.
- The Cave under Babji Zob
This approximately 300 m long cave is adorned with beautiful stalactite formations. A special feature of this cave is spiral stalactites, so-called helectites, and large calcite crystals which are rear in Slovenia. The tradition of visiting this cave dates back to the 19th century and has continued to the present day through the Bled Society for Cave Research. The Society in co-operation has arranged paths and electrical lighting to enable safe access to the cave.
Mai,June, July, August – Sundays at 10.00 a.m. or by agreement
- Triglav National Park
The Triglav National Park, the only national park in Slovenia, lies in the immediate vicinity of Bled. It comprises one of the most beautiful and attractive areas of Slovenia, almost the entire Slovenian part of the Julian Alps. The territory of the National Park is very picturesque and varied. The highest mountain in Slovenia, Triglav (2864 m), after which the park was named, lies in its centre. From Triglav, deep and sharply cut valleys, mainly of glacial origin, open on all sides in the form of a fan.
The valleys and plateaux are covered by a carpet of green forests and meadows. Bold, high pointed mountain peaks rise above them, with dark and deep abysses. Clear mountain streams and small rivers run in the numerous gorges and beautiful ravines and troughs (Vintgar, Mlinarica, Mostnica) and flow into two larger rivers – the Sava and the Soča. The watershed between the Adriatic and the Black Sea runs between them. There are mountain lakes (the Triglav Lakes, Kriška Lakes, etc.) high in the mountains, and Lake Bohinj, the largest permanent natural lake in Slovenia. This magnificent and rugged landscape is inhabited by an extremely rich variety of flora and fauna with numerous rare and protected plant and animal species. At the edge of the park, where man has been master for many centuries, history and human culture have left their traces.
In more remote places you can find old farms and homes characteristic to this landscape, and mountains of interest, on many of which cattle still graye – the farms in this area are well known for their cheese production. The tides of World War I and II also surged into the Triglav National Park. During World War I, the present-day National Park was part of the long-lasting Soča Front. The front line ran high in the mountains (over the peaks of Rombon and Krn) and through the valley of the river Soča. In World War II, this area was known for its well-organised and popular Partisan movement.
Many sights in the Triglav National Park are described in detail in his book and can be visited by tourists, since they are accessible to many sights: Vintgar, Pokljuška Ravine, Lake Bohinj, Vrata valley, Vršič, Trenta, Pokljuka, etc. Well-marked footpaths and mountain trails and numerous mountain huts enable hikers to visit the higher areas of the National Park. Such trips are easier and safer if guided by experienced mountain guides.