Lake Bled, Slovenia: An Enchanted Kingdom
One of my favorite destinations is Lake Bled, Slovenia. I have no doubt that Elizabeth Kostova described the fantastical Romanesque setting as her “not to be named” city at the beginning of her mysterious adventure in the Historian and perhaps the intriguing city is the motivation of where she finds a clue where Dracula lives.
Reaching the picturesque town located in the northwest nook of Slovenia is difficult. We hired a chauffeur from Italy; however, cross-country bicycling is popular. Bled remains secluded at the base of the Julian Alps and surrounds the glacial Lake Bled. In the center of the magnificent lake rises the only natural island in Slovenia, Bled Island. The island sits like a masterpiece as the focal view for the community. Bled Island displays the 15th century building, Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary – a magical setting for a wedding. You could arrive by boat and ascend the pearly steps to the chapel to take your vows. Athletic tourists make use of the lake by rowing, sailing and swimming. The World Rowing Championships honored Lake Bled numerous times.
Bled Lake hypnotizes you. Its misty texture and black surface beckon you to merge with its breathtaking beauty. I say breathtaking, because even thinking about the atmosphere causes my heart to beat more slowly. We couldn’t resist walking around Lake Bled and my poor planning proved to be an obstacle, once again. As is our family custom, I carried our child despite my wearing spiked heels. When we reached a rickety, wooden ladder emptying onto a floating platform that led to boulders along the shore, I refused to hike further. We were greeted by two elderly Englishwomen who advised me to keep a stiff upper lip for the Queen. Well, I did, but not without clarifying that I was not wearing orthopedic shoes.
The Queen would have suffered her dignity to hike around Lake Bled, also. The community kindly provides a cozy bar mid-way where you can appreciate communist sculptures with your dainty feet elevated before finishing the trail. When we continued our journey, we came across a horse and carriage and I questioned why my husband didn’t splurge for one of those.
Built earlier than the year 1004, one of Slovenia’s oldest castles looms over Lake Bled on a rugged cliff protruding from the fairytale forests. Bled Castle offers a museum with authentic ironwork. The seamless combinations of Romanesque, Baroque and Middle Age influences create clean lines and unexpected architectural features. A simplistic, 16th century chapel is decorated with airy frescoes.
Trekking down the mountain takes such a long time, stairwells are carved into the mountain, but you must remain alert in order to find them. Along the way from Bled Castle to the Lake Bled hotels you can find antique shops full of political statuary and bronze sculptures from the many eras of Slovenia’s history. The restaurants offer light dishes and delicacies for dessert. Children are welcome and if they are old enough to read stories about royal families in faraway kingdoms, they will love the holiday. Even I looked for fairies hiding within the mysterious forests.
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