Lake Bled, Slovenia
Stop 1 on our road trip from Bologna, Italy, to Split, Croatia, was Lake Bled in Slovenia. But let me begin by telling you that the scenery on the drive there is pretty incredible in and of itself.
How we got there:
From Bologna, we rented a car, packed to the ceiling, and drove to Venice’s Marco Polo Airport, where we dropped it off and picked up another car. Why? Not all rental agencies allow you to drop off a car in another country, and those that do were quoting us around 2400 Euros for the one-way trip. By exchanging cars in Venice (which was along the route anyway), we were able to save 1000 Euros. Two plane tickets would have been cheaper, and so would a boat across the Adriatic, but with Vannah, the car was our only option. Not to mention, we had accumulated enough stuff to fill the car to the ceiling (multiple monitors, cleaning supplies, groceries, clothing, art, camera equipment, and plenty of wine, olive oil, and balsamic).
We drove a short time through Austria, and then into Slovenia and the landscape quickly changed from hills covered in vineyards to jagged peaked mountains. The architecture also changed from villas to Alpine architecture, including ski chalets and buildings and houses with steeply pitched roofs with flowers boxes and ornate wooden details.
Lake Bled was much the same, after all it is another Alpine village. We were happy that we made it there in the summertime though because this glacial lake was turquoise blue, framed with patches of Lilly pads, and surrounded with lush forest and the Julian Alps.
Lake Bled is known for the small island in the middle, and the Assumption of Mary Church, a popular pilgrimage site with a 99-step staircase that visitors often climb. Tradition holds that ringing the church bell brings good luck. The island also has a small museum and a café. It is accessible by traditional wooden boats called pletna or by rowing. We were only there for two days and just as we were going to jump on a row boat to get to the island, a massive storm came with sideways rain. I put the “raincoat” around my camera bag and we walked about 3km back to our hotel. Perhaps we will stop again on our way back to Italy after the new year. In January, the mountains are covered in snow and the lake filled with white swans. We did walk the paved trail around the lake, which is approximately 6 kilometers (about 3.7 miles) long. There are also longer hiking trails around the lake that go through the forest (not for us, but people travel to Lake Bled specifically for this). The swimming is incredible with crystal clear, very cool waters. And lastly, there is an alpine coaster that zig-zags up the mountain. This was hard to do with Vannah of course.
The cuisine was quite different from Italy. It combines influence from Austria, Hungary, and the Balkans. Traditional dishes often feature fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and include hearty soups, stews, pastries, and a variety of meats (and lots of sausages) and fish dishes. Everything reminded me of Germany.
Side Note: Slovenia has a very high number of Michelin-starred restaurants relative to its population. As of 2024, Slovenia ranks among the countries with the most Michelin stars per capita, thanks to its notable culinary scene centered in Ljubljana and other regions.
Despite the unexpected storm, our brief visit to Lake Bled was unforgettable. Slovenia, I believe, isn’t typically at the top of everyone’s travel list, but it really should be. It’s very easy to get to if you’re visiting Northern Italy, Austria, or Croatia. Take my advice and add it to your itinerary. Happy exploring!
