Travel: One of the most photographed lakes in Europe

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Matthew Lotz
  • 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --  I finally reached a town called "Bled" after almost three hours of travelling; my eyes dodged between trees and buildings to catch a glimpse of the one-of-a-kind scene Lake Bled offers.

With my wife and two friends, we watched in awe as we descended into the quaint, thousand-year-old town, climatically setup for such a beautiful entrance to the vibrant turquoise-blue lake.

After the initial "wow" coming from everyone in the car, I glanced at the lake once more to catch a glimpse of the two historic buildings - a castle on the side of the mountain and a church on an island in the middle of the lake.

Lake Bled is found approximately 40 minutes outside Slovenia's capital, Ljubljana. The mile and a half long lake lies between the Alps. During the summer, the lake is visited by tourists from all around for its warm weather and refreshing water temperature; while in the winter, the lake is frozen over and skiers enjoy the three ski areas: Kobla, Vogel and Krvavec.

Once we reached the town, finding a parking spot along the river was challenging. If you get into the town later than 10 a.m. there is a good chance parking along the lake will be scarce. Luckily, the town has plenty of paid parking - a five minute walk to the lake.

Inside Bled, Slovenian shops, restaurants, bars and even a casino, gave visitors something to do. I was more interested in the lake though.

Boats fill the lake, all rowing back and forth to the island where the church is found. The 17th century church called the "Church of Assumption" has a bell tower, in which if you ring, is said to bring you good luck.

Instead of having the Pletna boat, a boat in which someone is paid to take you to the island, I thought it would be fun to rent a boat. Although the experience was memorable, I would recommend going with the Pletna. Once I reached the island, I had no desire to climb steps to ring a bell for six euro, but instead, spent five on the "bell ringer" gelato.

Exhausted from rowing back toward the town, we decided to find our hotel, change clothes and head out for dinner.

Unfortunately, while our hotel was only a short drive from Lake Bled, we quickly realized the many incredibly steep hills we had to drive up and that there was no walking to the lake from where we stayed. For those looking for easy access to the lake, the more expensive hotels near the lake offer free parking and priceless views.

The town has a variety of restaurants along the lake to include fast-food-like places, an Irish pub and a place called "Ostaija Peglez'n" that was recommended by all the locals.

With our stomachs full from the delicious meal, our next adventure was to make it to Bled Castle that sits on top of the hill, overlooking the lake. Unfortunately, weather permitted us from going. The castle that was once a Romanesque tower in 1004 A.D. is now a museum that holds a collection of armor and weapons from the 16th and 18th centuries, but the view is the reason we wanted to go.

Even though we missed the view from the castle, this trip was still a success.

It's difficult to plan last minute trips, such as this one with the base being so busy. Individuals with a little motivation to travel, but confused on how to get started, the Information, Travel and Tickets office is available to help. For assistance with hotel prices, train tickets or other travel questions, call 632-3107.