Today we are traveling north to see lake bled and its castle. Lake Bled is a lake in the Julian Alps of the Upper Carniolan region of northwestern Slovenia, where it adjoins the town of Bled. Travel on Slovenia's road system, particularly its motorways is almost a pleasure. Far less traffic then we are used to in the west.
The lake lies in a picturesque environment, surrounded by mountains and forests. Medieval Bled Castle stands above the lake on the north shore. I am looking forward to seeing the castle.
We drove around the lake to allow us to have the best view of the 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 fresco's from around 1470. Weddings are still sometimes carried out at the island.
For me the highlight of this visit is Bled Castle. Bled Castle is a medieval castle built on a precipice above the town of Bled, overlooking Lake Bled. The castle was first mentioned in 1011 and is the oldest recorded Slovenian castle. The castle is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Slovenia.
The oldest part of the castle is the Romanesque tower. In the Middle Ages more towers were built and the castles fortifications were improved. Later other buildings were constructed in the Renaissance style. The buildings are arranged around two courtyards, which are connected with a staircase. There is a chapel in the upper courtyard, which was built in the 16th century and renovated around 1700, when it was also painted with illusionist frescoes. The castle also has the obligatory drawbridge over a moat and a nice cafe, whose terrace overlooks Lake Bled and the town. A perfect place to relax and refresh yourself after the riggers of exploring the castle.
Castle Bled is well worth the visit even though it has a short steep incline, to the entrance.
After this visit we say farewell to Slovenia and head on to Italy and Venice.
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