Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Golfing at Bled
Slovenia's top golfing spot,
Bled Golf and Country Club
(www.golf.bled.si), is
just 3km (1
3
⁄
4
miles) from the lake, and includes thrilling views; the 18-hole
King's Course was laid out by Donald Harradine. Ask your hotel to book your
tee time several days ahead of schedule.
Tips
seldom seen reminder that Jesus was Jewish.
Note:
If you swim to the island, you won't
be able to explore the church unless you ask someone to bring a change of clothing by
boat.
Bled. The Church of the Assumption is open to visitors from 8am until sunset.
Blejski Grad
Backed by Mount Triglav and the Julian Alps, the real drama of
Bled Castle is its striking position atop a sheer cliff, 138m (460 ft.) up. The castle
traces its history back to 1004, and was once the center of an important self-sufficient
state measuring 900 sq. km (351 sq. miles), and ruled by the bishops of Brixen. Today
it's the most obvious of Bled's attractions, but perhaps a little jaded, housing as it does
an uninspiring museum and soulless modern chapel. But there are rewards for mak-
ing the journey to the top (around 15 min. by foot via three different paths, or 5 min.
by car, after which there's still a stiff climb up the final stretch):
Views
from the
castle ramparts are without equal. There's a restaurant and ice-cream shop at the top.
Reciska cesta 2, Bled.
&
04/578-0525.
www.bled.si. Admission 6.05
€
($7.50) adults, 3
€
($3.75) children ages
4-14. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 9am-8pm in summer.
Bohinjsko jezero
Measuring over 4km (2
1
⁄
2
miles) long, Bohinj is the largest
permanent lake in Slovenia. Because it's inside Triglav National Park, it has been
spared the development which has affected Bled, so there's no town on its shores;
instead, there are small villages nearby and there's a road connecting its two ends,
Rib
c
ev laz and Ukanc, where you'll find a range of accommodations. Visible on the
local flag, the
Church of St. John the Baptist
, at the head of the lake, near Hotel
Jezero, is Bohinj's best-known man-made attraction, mostly built in 1520 and
renowned for its interior frescoes. For heart-stopping views of Bohinj and the Julian
Alps, take the cable car up
Mount Vogel,
or head for the
Vodnikov razglednik view-
point.
Bohinj's Tourist Association can suggest walks to bring you closer to the lake's
many charms. From Ukanc, you can hike to
Savica Falls,
the best-known of Slove-
nia's 260 waterfalls, immortalized in France Pre
s
eren's epic poem,
Baptism on the Sav-
ica,
published in 1836, and dedicated to his friend who drowned in the Sava a year
before. The two-pronged waterfall measures 51m (167 ft.); the gushing water comes
from Black Lake (
C
rno jezero) half a kilometer farther up. There's a small fee to be
paid at the entrance to the path leading to a wooden pavilion that offers the best views
of the falls.
Bohinjsko jezero.
&
04/574-6010.
www.bohinj.si/tdbohinj.
ADVENTURES IN & AROUND THE LAKES
Bled's
Lifetrek Adventures
(
&
04/578-0662;
www.lifetrek-slovenia.com) offers a
variety of water- and mountain-based adventures to meet your level of experience.
3Glav
Adventures
(
&
041-683-184;
www.explore-more.com) targets a younger crowd.
