Surprising Slovenia – Lakes Bled and Bohinj

Even after seeing all the photos, Lake Bled still seems like a fairy tale.  The walk around the lake is 5 km (3 miles) takes 2 hours, not because it is strenuous (it’s flat) but because of the number of stops to take photos.  The only difficult thing might be the parking but the lot at the far end was relatively open even at 11 am, at a cost of 3 euros per hour.  Other than walking, biking or renting a boat are other options to see the lake.

The town of Bled is also lovely, though I admit to being surprised how much the buildings reminded me of Switzerland or Austria – alpine architecture and very neat and clean, with tree-covered hills and mountains and lush, flat valleys.

I am traveling with two friends, and we stayed at an apartment about a 12-minute walk from the town center and lake, which means the countryside, including horses.  From there, we took the back single-laned, curvy road to read highway 209 to go to Lake Bohinj.

A 37 minute, 24-kilometer drive away from Lake Bled is Lake Bohinj, the largest natural lake in Slovenia, in the Triglav National Park.  At the foot of the Julian Alps, it is more dramatic than Lake Bled and also less touristy in every way.  The path here is sometimes stone instead of pavement, and sometimes across the road from the lake.  Swimming is also an option here, as are other sports such as paddle-boarding, kayaking and canoeing, and right across the road from the lake, a climbing school.  Tempting though it was, I resisted 🙂

Both nights in Lake Bled, we ate at Restaurant Murka, recommended by the owner of the apartment house as a place that serves good, traditional Slovenian specialties.  The boletus mushroom salad with gorgonzola on polenta and a bed of arugula was so good we ordered it both nights.  And among us, we had bratwurst, veal stew, venison and pork medallions with boletus mushrooms.  All were excellent, and if I were to be here a third night, I would eat there again!  The house Slovenian red wine was also excellent and a steal at 1.50 Euro for a glass!

And my last note for the night is about the water.  It is drinkable from the tap and is excellent, which also makes their Lasko beer very tasty and clean tasting, possibly why Heinken bought the brewery!