Crossing Borders, Italy to Slovenia Part 2

After spending the morning at Lake Bled, my tour moved about an hour southeast to Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia.  Because my 1-day visit to Slovenia was a bit of an afterthought to a longer trip, I did very little research beforehand.  A friend had told me “go, you’ll love it” and so I went.  A great recommendation, because Ljubljana was a wonderful surprise!

Relatively small for a European capital city, entering Ljubljana near Congress Square (Kongresni Tag, above) immediately felt friendly and welcoming. A tree lined square with University of Ljubljana buildings and the beautiful Ursuline Church of the Holy Trinity, it provided a good cross section of the city’s diverse architecture.

The city is made for walking, with much of the center pedestrian friendly with only small golf-cart like vehicles, free and designed to help locals reach homes in the car-free zones, as the few vehicles around.

My afternoon was agonizingly brief – we had a great walk to see the main parts of the city, a quick lunch, but no time to linger.  A shame because Ljubljana seems tailor made for lingering.  How I wanted to spend hours sitting in one of its many riverside cafes, sipping a coffee, and soaking in the city. 

So many things make Ljubljana an appealing destination.  The city is defined by the Ljubljanica River which flows through the city and under its many bridges. The river is lined with cobblestoned streets, beautiful squares, cafes, restaurants, shops, markets, and centuries of history.  It hums with activity, but in a relaxed, contented way.  

Prešeren Square with the monument to the famous poet

The squares are filled with a mix of architectural styles and often feature historically significant monuments and fountains.  Prešeren Square is the main square, named after Slovenian poet France Prešeren.  A monument to the poet sits in the center of the square; across is a small bust of a women in a window.  She is Julija Primic, his sadly unavailable love interest.  Was his early death perhaps due to a broken heart?  Some would say so. Also in the square is the brightly colored Franciscan Church of the Annuniciation and a bronze scale model of the city.

One of the Dragon Bridge’s fierce dragons

Leading away from the square and into the Medieval part of the city is the Triple Bridge (seen in top photo).  This is one of the city’s famous bridges, a wide central stone bridge flanked by two newer, narrower bridges.  The angles of the smaller bridges and the many balusters make for a beautiful way to cross the river and good spot to watch the small boats that carry tourists along the river.

Another famous bridge is the Dragon Bridge.  Built in 1901, it is guarded by four large dragons, one at each of its corners.  Look closely and see several smaller dragons on the bridge as well.  The dragons have become symbols of the city and a local legend that says that the dragons wag their tails whenever a virgin crosses the bridge.

Not far from the Dragon Bridge is the lively Central Market.  There are both covered and open-air parts of the large market and booths filled with local produce, meats, fish, bread, flowers, honey, and lots of places to eat. The market was a center of activity on the day of my visit.

From the market, look up the hill to see the Medieval Ljubljana Castle with the funicular that ferries visitors up to the castle walls.   

Town Square, located in the Medieval section of the old city, is where the town hall is located.  The square also features the Robba Fountain (a reproduction of the original) and the Ljubljana Cathedral.

Town Square, Ljubljana

There was so much to see during my all-too-brief stop in Ljubljana – way too much for an afternoon visit.  Much was seen as we strolled (ok, marched) through the city with our tour guide.  Not an ideal way to explore this charming city. I am already planning a return visit. Those dragons are calling me back!

Crossing Borders, Italy to Slovenia

An early spring visit to Lake Bled avoids the summer crowds

Trieste is just about as far northeast as you can go in Italy before crossing the border into Slovenia.  Until recently, I had never been to Slovenia. But during a stay in Trieste last spring, that border (just a few miles away) seemed to have an almost magnetic pull.  And while I didn’t have much extra time, I couldn’t resist the opportunity for a guided day trip which included Lake Bled and nearby Ljubljana.

I won’t lie - a one-day tour was not a perfect way to visit. In fact it was pretty frustrating because the area was fascinating and I really wanted to linger.  But at least it gave me an introduction to two spots that are now on the list of places I want to explore in more depth.

The first stop on the tour, about 2 hours by car from Trieste, was Lake Bled.  The lake lies in the foothills of the Julian Alps, a range that crosses between Italy and Slovenia. Bled is not a big lake at just under 1.5 miles long and less than 1 mile wide. Nor is it a deep one at just about 100 feet of depth, but it makes a very big impact.   Surrounded by forests, cliffs, and the peaks of the Julian Alps, the setting is stunning, with a fairytale quality that is almost too perfect to be real. 

A Medieval castle, once a Bishop’s residence, sits above the lake. It houses a small museum, a chapel, and a restaurant. Things to explore on a future visit!

Bled Castle, a Bishop’s residence in the 11th century, sits on a bluff high above the lake

A small island with a steepled church, accessible only by boat, sits within the lake.  Traditional flatbottom and covered boats, called Pletnas, ferry small groups of visitors out to the island. 

Like the gondoliers in Venice, the Pletna rowers come from families who have been doing this work for generations.  Don’t bother applying for a job – you need to be born into it.    

Rowboats however are also available for rent; paddleboards too. You could even swim to the island.

A Pletna boat is the ideal way to reach the island. Thought you could rent a rowboat or swim!

Around the lake is a 6 km walking path with cafes, benches, boat launches, small swimming spots, and lots of places to stop and admire the views. 

A 6 km (3.7 miles) walking path surrounds Lake Bled

Our guide insisted that we stop to try Bled Cream Cake, the local delicacy.  Two different layers of cream filling between layers of thin, crispy pastry, it is officially called Kremšnita.  Delicious, it is served in huge squares – best to split it with a friend! 

The lake is a popular tourist destination and gets quite busy in the summer. In March, when I visited, it was peaceful and uncrowded.

My time at Lake Bled was much too short, because we were soon leaving for the next stop on the tour, the city of Ljubljana. I would love to return and spend a couple of nights in the town of Bled, ferry out to the island, and walk the path around the lake. Anyone want to come and share a cream cake with me?