Bled Overview

Snow-covered peaks, a turquoise lake, and a stately medieval castle make Bled (pop. 11,000) one of Slovenia’s most striking, visited destinations. But its beauty is only slightly diminished by popularity: more crowds show up each summer to swim, hike, paraglide, shop, or just enjoy the air.

Orientation And Practical Information.   Trains leave from the Lesce-Bled station, about 4km from Bled, for Ljubljana. (1hr., 7 per day, €4.) Buses, a more convenient option, go from Bled to Bohinjsko Jezero (45min., every hr. 7:20am-8:20pm, €3.60), Ljubljana (1hr., every hr. 5am-9:30pm, €6.30), and Vintgar (1 per day June 14-Sept. 30; €2.50). The lakeside tourist office, on the corner of the c. Svobode 10 building, gives out free maps of Bled and sells hiking maps (€4-10) of the region. (☎04 574 1122; www.bled.si. Open June-Sept. M-Sa 8am-7pm; Mar.-May 9am-7pm; Nov.-Feb. 9am-5pm.) Internet is available at the Apropo Cocktail Bar/Internet Cafe, Ljubljanska c. 4. (☎04 574 4044. €2 for 30min. Free Wi-Fi. Open daily 8am-midnight.) Postal Code: 4260.

Accommodations And Food.  The spotless new Traveller’s Haven  , Riklijeva c. 1. offers a great experience with a kitchen, free laundry, free Internet, free DVD rental, and free bike rental. (☎04 139 6545; travellers-haven@t2.net. Dorms €19. Cash only.) The comfortable dorm beds, spotless private baths, and filling breakfast at Bledec Youth Hostel (HI) , Grajska c. 17, make it feel more like a pension. Turn left from the bus station and follow the street to the top, bearing left at the fork. (☎04 574 5250; www.mlino.si. Breakfast included. Laundry €8. Internet €2 per 30min. Reception 24hr. Check-out 10am. Restaurant and common room available. Reserve ahead. Dorms €21, members €20; doubles €25; tourist tax €0.10. AmEx/MC/V.)

Big portions, high-quality regional food, and excellent service distinguish Gostilna pri Planincu , Grajska c. 8, near the bus station. Try the flavorful beef goulash (€3.80) or choose from the wide selection of meat and fish dishes. (☎04 574 1613. Dessert crepes €2.50-3.50. Open daily 9am-11pm.) Pizzeria Rustika , Riklijeva c., offers a variety of gourmet pizzas (€5.40-7.90), sandwiches (€2.50-6.60), and salads (€3-6). For dessert, guests can try one of their creative ice cream desserts (€2.10-3.80). (☎04 576 8900. Open M 3-11pm, Tu-Su noon-11pm.) Pick up some groceries at the various Mercator locations. One is located in the central area Ljubljanska c. 4; another is across from Traveller’s Haven hostel on Riklijeva c. (Open M-F 7am-7pm, Sa 7am-3pm, Su 8am-noon.)

Sights And Entertainment.  The Church of the Assumption (Cerkev Marijinega Vnebovzetja) rises from the only Slovenian island in the center of the lake. To get there, either rent a boat (1st hr. €12, €6.30 per hr. thereafter), hop on a gondola (round-trip €12), or just swim (500m from the west side of the lake, next to the campground). Entrance to the church and museum costs €3. Built in 1011, Bled Castle (Blejski Grad) rules the lake from atop a huge rock face cliff on its shores. The fastest way to ascend is from the small marked path branching off to the right of Riklijeva c., near St. Martin’s Church. Learn about the geological and archaeological history of the region at the castle’s museum, and snap fantastic photos of Bled Lake and the surrounding mountains. (☎04 578 0525. Open daily May-Oct. 8am-8pm; Nov.-Apr. 8am-5pm. €7, students €6. MC.)   Soteska Vintgar, a 1.6km gorge carved by the waterfalls and rapids of the Radovna River, winds through the rocks of the Triglav National Park (Triglavski Narodni) and culminates with the 16m Šum Waterfall (down the stairs behind the second ticket booth). Walk the 4km instead of taking the bus to the trailhead, and you’ll pass small towns and open fields. Bring food; a picnic bench tucked neatly into a nook lies halfway along the hike. The park info office is at Kidričeva c. 2. (☎04 574 1188. €4, students €3.) To get there, go over the hill on Grajska c., away from the town center, and take a right at the bottom of the hill. Turn left after 100m and follow signs for Vintgar. Alternatively, hop on one of the frequent buses to Podhom (10min., M-Sa 10 per day, €1.30) and follow the 1.5km route. From mid-June through September, Alpetour (☎04 532 0440) runs a bus to the trailhead (15min., 10am; one-way €2.50, round-trip €4.50). Agency Kompas, Ljubljanska c. 4, rents bikes (€3.50 per hr., €11 per day) and offers whitewater rafting trips. (☎00386 04 572 7500; www.kompas-bled.si. Rafting €25. Open M-Sa 8am-7pm, Su 8am-noon and 4-7pm. AmEx/MC/V.)

Daytrips From Bled: Lake Bohinj (Bohinjsko Jezer0) .  Although it is only 26km southwest of Bled, Bohinjsko Jezero (BOH-heen-sko YEH-zeh-roh) surpasses its famous neighbor in its largely untouched natural beauty. Protected by the borders of Triglav National Park, the larger glacial lake draws aquatic adventurers with its pristine waters, and the towering mountains rising out of the lake attract hikers who yearn to scale the summits. Trails are marked with a white circle inside a red circle; trail maps are available at the tourist bureau, Ribčev Laz 48 (☎574 6010; www.bohinj.si. Open July-Aug. M-Sa 8am-8pm, Su 8am-7pm; Sept.-June M-Sa 8am-6pm, Su 9am-3pm), in Bohinjska Bistrica, a bigger town 6km east of the lake. A Mercator supermarket neighbors the tourist office. (☎572 9534. Open M-F 7am-8pm, Su 7am-5pm.) See the beautiful Savica Waterfall (Slap Savica) , at the Ukanc end of the lake. It is a 6km walk from the bus station up to the waterfall. If the hiking spirit compels you, head to the stunning Black Lake (Črno Jezero) at the base of the Julian Alps’ highest peaks (1hr.). Although this is a fun climb, be aware that the hike is extremely steep; avoid going alone or bringing a heavy pack. Facing the small lake’s shore, a trail to the right (Dol Pod Stadorjem) leads to Mount Viševnik, a grassy hillside that overlooks the small peaks. ( Buses run to Bohinjska Bistrica, the largest town in the area, 6km from the lake; from there, trains head to Ljubljana (2hr., 8 per day, €5.30) via Jesenice. Buses also run from Hotel Zlatorog in Ukanc to Ribčev Laz (10min., every hr., €1.30) and from Ribčev Laz to Bled (35min., 11-16 per day, €3.60), Bohinjska Bistrica (15min., every hr., €1.60), and Ljubljana (2hr., every hr., €8.30). Buses going to Bohinjsko Jezero (Lake Bohinj) stop at Hotel Jezero in Ribčev Laz or at Hotel Zlatorog in Ukanc.)