Followers

Follow on Bloglovin

Thursday, December 12, 2024

Day 2: Slovenia – Bled and Ljubljana

On Day 2 of our adventure, we explored the enchanting beauty of Slovenia.

BLED
Our first stop was the magnificent Bled Castle, perched dramatically on a cliff overlooking Lake Bled. 
Bled Castle was built by the Bishops of Brixen around 1011 as a fortress and administrative center. It was originally constructed to assert the power of the Holy Roman Empire over the region and to protect against invasions. The castle served as a feudal stronghold, and its strategic position atop a steep 130-meter cliff overlooking Lake Bled made it an ideal site for defense. Over the centuries, it evolved from a primarily military fortification into a residence for aristocracy and a center of regional governance. Today, Bled Castle is Slovenia’s oldest castle and a popular tourist attraction, showcasing its history through museums, artifacts, and glorious views of Lake Bled and the surrounding Alps.
A turret of  the castle against the breathtaking backdrop of the Julian Alps
Gothic chapel in the upper courtyard, dedicated to Bishop St Albuin and St Ingenuin. It was built in the 16th century; a baroque image was added to it at the end of the 17th century and was decorated with illusionist frescoes.

LAKE BLED

Lake Bled is like a fairy tale come to life! Nestled in the Julian Alps of Slovenia, this glacial lake is famous for its emerald-green waters, a charming island with a historic church, and the stunning Bled Castle perched high on a cliff overlooking the lake. The island, Bled Island, is home to the Church of the Assumption, where legend says if you ring the bell three times, your wishes will come true.
 A mysterious veil envelops the island, as if hiding its secrets from view
The veil is lifted, and Bled Island stands proudly in full view. 
The image of Bled Island has appeared as the background on my laptop a few times, thanks to Bing's random wallpaper feature. It’s surreal to finally see it in person. 
There is a captivating legend behind this beautiful bell tower that goes back to the 16th century. A young widow named Polixena was heartbroken after her husband was murdered by bandits and his body thrown into Lake Bled. In her grief, she collected all her gold and silver and had a bell cast in his memory for the church on Bled Island. However, a storm struck while the bell was being transported to the island, and the boat sank, taking the bell with it to the bottom of the lake. Devastated, Polixena sold all her possessions and moved to a convent in Rome. The Pope, touched by her devotion, had a new bell made and sent it to the church. According to the legend, if you ring this bell three times, your wishes will come true. It's said that on quiet nights, the original sunken bell can still be heard ringing from the depths of Lake Bled!
The Pletna boat is a traditional Slovenian wooden boat unique to Lake Bled. This flat-bottomed boat, with colorful awnings and a distinctive design, has been used to transport visitors across the lake for centuries. The tradition of the Pletna boat dates back to the late 16th century, and it's said that the right to operate these boats has been passed down through generations within certain families, almost like a heritage trade. One of the most interesting aspects of the Pletna boat is its unique rowing technique. The boatman, called a "Pletnar," stands and rows with two oars, using a technique similar to the Venetian gondolier. This method of rowing requires great skill and balance, allowing the Pletnar to maneuver the boat smoothly across the lake. Riding in a Pletna boat is the only way to reach Bled Island.






Lunch @ Restavracija Chilli, Bled
Kremšnita - the famous Bled cream cake. 
This delightful dessert is a well-known specialty of Bled.
After lunch, we made our way to Ljubljana, enjoying about an hour’s drive through the scenic countryside.

LJUBLJANA

Nestled along the emerald-green Ljubljanica River, Ljubljana is a charming European capital of Slovenia known for its pedestrian-friendly streets, colorful baroque architecture, cozy riverside cafés, and lush greenery. 
Ljubljana (pronounced as Lu-bee-yana) is often referred to as the "City of Dragons," a place steeped in history and mythology. The dragon, a powerful symbol of the city, is prominently featured on the iconic Dragon Bridge, where four majestic dragon statues stand guard.
These dragons are not just decorative; according to local legend, they wag their tails when a virgin crosses the bridge, adding an enchanting, mythical touch to this Art Nouveau masterpiece.
The legend behind the city's dragon connection dates back to the Greek myth of Jason and the Argonauts, who are said to have defeated a fearsome dragon in Ljubljana while journeying home with the Golden Fleece. This ancient tale, woven into the city's identity, gives Ljubljana a mystical and unforgettable allure.

In addition to the dragon, Saint George holds a special place in Ljubljana’s history as the city’s patron saint. The legend of Saint George, who famously slew a dragon, is deeply intertwined with the city's dragon symbolism. This connection is celebrated in the Church of St. George, located on a hill near the city, reinforcing the theme of good triumphing over evil. The image of Saint George and the dragon remains a powerful and enduring symbol of Ljubljana's cultural and religious heritage.

Prešeren Square
Prešeren Square (Prešernov trg) is one of the city’s most famous and central squares. The area is a key meeting point and a popular spot for both locals and tourists, situated right at the entrance to Ljubljana's old town.

The Prešeren Monument

The Prešeren Monument honors Slovenia's national poet, France Prešeren, whose work significantly shaped the country's cultural identity. The statue of Prešeren is flanked by a figure of a woman holding a laurel wreath above him, symbolizing the muse of Slovenian poetry and the recognition of his literary contributions. The laurel wreath represents honor and achievement, highlighting Prešeren's enduring legacy in Slovenian culture. The monument celebrates his role as both a poet and a national symbol.


The Ljubljanica River, once called the Leybach in the Middle Ages, flows through the southern area of Slovenia's Ljubljana Basin. Ljubljana is situated along its banks.
The pink building is the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation, a beautiful Baroque-style church. In front of it are two of the Triple Bridges, a unique architectural feature designed by Jože Plečnik.

The Cooperative Business Bank Building
The Cooperative Business Bank Building, designed in 1921 by architect Ivan Vurnik and his wife, artist Helena Vurnik, is an iconic example of Slovenian "National Style" architecture. Completed in 1922, the building showcases a blend of Art Nouveau and the Vienna Secession style, adorned with vibrant decorative ornaments in the colors of the Slovenian tricolor—red, blue, and white. Helena Vurnik crafted the intricate patterns and floral motifs that cover the facade, symbolizing Slovenian cultural pride and traditional artistry.
Butcher's Bridge aka Love Bridge
 Similar to the Pont des Arts in Paris, couples leave padlocks on the bridge as a symbol of their love.
FUN FACT

I learned from my tour guide that Slovenia is the only country with "love" in its name—a perfect fit for its romantic landscapes and warm, welcoming culture.
Slovenia’s national brand, I feel sLOVEnia, emphasizes the love hidden in its name, reflecting the warmth and hospitality of its people. It’s more than a slogan—it captures the country’s spirit, where stunning natural beauty meets a genuine sense of belonging.

55 comments:

  1. Absolutely fabulous photos .
    Such an interesting place to visit.

    ReplyDelete
  2. so beautiful! The Bled Castle is stunning.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow! What an amazing trip! I loved your pictures and wouldn't be able to pick a favorite. The castle is beautiful, and that island in the mist is spectacular.
    I've never heard that slogan for Slovenia before, but now will always see the love in Slovenia.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great to see Slovenia-Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a great series of photos from Slovenia.
    Lake Bled is my favorite photos this time.
    The food looks delicious, especially the cream cake, I love pastries.
    I wish you a nice weekend.
    Greetings Irma

    ReplyDelete
  6. Very beautiful photos, Veronica! Lovely places. I have travelled through Slovenia and taken just a brief look at its capital, unfortunately. But it deserves much more.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Beautiful photos of Bled Island and the 16th century old tower. Glad to see you had a great holiday in that peaceful country located close to Italy.
    Ljubljana is a lovely town located along an old trade route between the Italian port of Trieste and Danube region. Thank you for sharing photos of the Slovenia's capital architecture. Great report & photos, Veronica :-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. WOW! What beautiful photos. I really loved the ones of Lake Bled with the fog and then it lifting.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Delightful! I visited Slovenia last year and your pictures have reminded me of just how beautiful it is!

    ReplyDelete
  10. These photos are breathtaking, Veronica, and the legends you shared here are so interesting and intriguing. Mystery and magic are everywhere! Thanks for sharing the beauty of Slovenia with us here today. Blessings!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Dear Veronica, oh, you weren't far from our country! As you can see on your map (in the introductory post), Bled is not far from Villach, and that is already in a part of Austria, namely in the federal state of Carinthia. (Nevertheless, I have to confess to you that I have never been to Bled, and generally not to Slovenia. However, it is on our list. We are just trying to travel to the more distant destinations first before it becomes too difficult. However, we have already visited Croatia several times - even in my childhood, when the whole country was still called Yugoslavia. Since we live so close, I knew about it, of course, but there are so many places in the world that I also only learned more about through traveling - both about the history and the landscapes, the peculiarities, the people, the food...) You had a lovely trip, as I can see from your pictures and your descriptions!
    Warm greetings from Austria and a wonderful Advent season, Traude
    https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2024/12/es-weihnachtet.html
    ✨🎄🌟🕯️🌟🎄✨

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love that you are traveling to places that I have never considered going to and now wanting to. Bled Island and Castle are gorgeous!! Thanks for sharing your adventures with us.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Liking the view from the upper courtyarrd and looking at the castle in among the clouds looks so magical.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow, what amazing places. The scenery is spectacular. That looks like a great trip.

    ReplyDelete
  15. What a nice places, thanks for your sharing

    ReplyDelete
  16. Me enamore del lugar. Bellas fotos. Me dio ganas del postre. Te mando un beso

    ReplyDelete
  17. WOW! Such pretty places and I do love that castle...and the dragon too. The food sure looks good.

    ReplyDelete
  18. This is just fascinating and all new to me. I'm espeically intrigued by Bled Island and the Bled castle, which was beautiful. That photo of the full fog with only the tower showing-- if you can enter that in a competition, do it! It's striking! I love the white church towers too -- they show so well. You make me want to visit!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thanks for the information. The Castle, gorgeous photos, you did well. Love the foggy ones in particular.

    ReplyDelete
  20. So beautiful views ! I want to go there

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thank you for sharing all the beautiful photos from Slovenia. I like the dragon very much, and the foggy castle. Have a nice weekend, Veronica!

    ReplyDelete
  22. So jelly of your travels! So cool to travel to Slovenia. I would love to travel to the part of the world. My great grandfather was from Poland.Your photos are great love seeing Bled Castle and Bled Island. And the dragons wow!

    Allie of
    www.allienyc.com

    ReplyDelete

  23. Slovenia is beautiful, the water, the landscape. The photos are magical. <3

    ReplyDelete
  24. The pictures of castles in the fog are great. Loved the pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Bled Castle offers stunning views and rich history, dating back to 1011. Its transformation from a fortress to an aristocratic residence makes it a fascinating destination, blending scenic beauty with cultural heritage.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Your photos are spectacular. Love the one of the little island surrounded by fog.
    Bled castle and surroundings looks like a very beautiful place,
    The pink bank building at the bottom of your post is quite different looking. I like it.
    Interesting myths about the bell that rings from the depths of the waters, and the dragons that wag their tails.
    Thanks for sharing your adventures with us.

    ReplyDelete
  27. This place looks so good. I would love to visit. Wishing you a great day!
    Rampdiary 

    ReplyDelete
  28. Wow, Bled Castle is so cool. Probably literally, I would not want to have to pay to heat that thing! And your picture of the island in a veil of fog is spectacular, what a great trip!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Wunderschön liebe Veronika, man sitzt fast sprachlos vor diesen Fotos. Der See und das Boot und das nebelige Foto dazu sind einfach beeindruckend. Man möchte sich sofort dorthin wünschen. Nein, ich war dort noch nie aber jetzt hätte ich große Lust einmal dorthin zu reisen. Danke für diese Eindrücke und Impressionen aus Slovenien mit love♥

    Herzliche Grüße
    Kerstin und Helga

    ReplyDelete
  30. Wow so beautiful. The castle look straight out of a fairytale. Love the pics with the fog.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Veronica Lee, thank you for sharing in great detail, words and wonderful images, all about this amazing trip. As you know from my own trip posts, I enjoy learning about the places we’ve visited and usually learn even more when sharing adventures in a blog post. I loved Slovenia as well..

    ReplyDelete
  32. I know very little of Slovenia and this is a very informative post. The photos are simply gorgeous. The tower rising out of the fog is especially pretty. So much history and interesting stories.

    ReplyDelete
  33. I love all of these photos, but the one of Bled Island bathed in fog is stunning! What a treasure.
    Thanks for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2024/12/donegal-town.html

    ReplyDelete
  34. Hello, Veronica,
    I loved travelling with you through Slovenia and all its legends, I loved the castles, the statues, the capital city and the food! Oh and Lake Bled is marvellous! Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  35. So beautiful.
    www.rsrue.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  36. I absolutely adored all of your beautiful photos from Valencia. This is such a gorgeous region and I definitely would love to visit someday. Thank you so much for sharing these fun memories!

    ReplyDelete
  37. What a nice post and photos looks really nice there and quaint too

    Have a prettytastic week 👍

    ReplyDelete
  38. Marvelous captures and narration!

    ReplyDelete
  39. Wow what an interesting Journey and your photos are so wonderful. So Picture from the Island in the Fog is really magic - this ist my favourite photo today,
    Greetings
    Kirsi

    ReplyDelete
  40. Veronica, your photos are so beautiful and really show the beauty of this place. Can you imagine that I visited Bled in the 70s when it was still part of a country called Yugoslavia? Judging from your photos it hasn't changed very much, at least not these more famous and historical parts of it. Slovenia was lucky that it wasn't fully involved in the horrible wars of the 90s, but declared independence pretty early and sent the JNA on its way after the Ten Day War. Thank you for sharing these beautiful pictures with us.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Great post. You do your adventures right. I loved all the fairy tale scenes you captured plus the story of the bell at the bottom of Lake Bled.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Absolutely wonderful place, Veronica.
    The painted walls of the Gothic Chapel are lovely. Interesting choice of colours for that time period. I'm not sure I've seen those colours used before.
    Bled castle and the island are magnificent.
    And the Bled cream cake looks so tasty.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Such a beautiful place and photos. I love the photo of the island shrouded in mist.

    ReplyDelete
  44. The island is beautiful and magical! Mom has not gone to that part of the world, never had the desire to go there, but it has some beautiful places and architecture.

    ReplyDelete
  45. ...Veronica, thanks for taking me along to see these sight straight out of a storybook! Take care and be well.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Hello Veronica.
    Beautiful trip photos. The castle and the chapel are my favorites. What a lovely and scenic place to visit. The dragon sculptures are cool. Great post. Thank your for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, enjoy your day and the rest of the week.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Your photos are magnificent, particularly the castle on Lake Bled. Slovenia is on my bucket list. Thank you for sharing your trip with us.

    ReplyDelete
  48. A trip of a lifetime. Beautiful memories. Wow.

    Love the food. Delicious.

    Thank you for joining the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.

    Have a fabulous Wordless Wednesday. ♥

    ReplyDelete
  49. LOVEly! The castle bled is a fairy tale. Fog certainly makes things even more magical. What a trip! Season's greetings from Florida! Have a meaningful holiday and a happy new year!

    ReplyDelete
  50. Stunning photos and a fascinating travelogue, Veronica! I especially loved the dragons. ☺

    ReplyDelete
  51. Incredible and beautiful photos. I enjoyed them very much.

    ReplyDelete
  52. What a fantastic post. Your trip was so interesting and thank you for sharing
    all the details about it. Never been there.
    Happy WW, dear Veronica! Hugs and joy!❤️😘

    ReplyDelete
  53. Thanks for the armchair travel to Slovenia.

    I would love to try the famous Bled cream cake! .

    ReplyDelete