Day 3: Beautiful Lake Bled
If there was one thing on this tour I was looking forward to above all else . . . it was Lake Bled. I had seen pictures from friends who had visited the area, and it looked absolutely stunning.
So, I couldn't have been more excited to wake up on day 3, hop on our tour bus, and make our way to Bled.
Our first stop was Bled Castle. The 1,000-year-old castle has plenty of history but, more importantly, it has VIEWS.
Yep, Bled was just as stunning as I hoped it would be.
We departed the castle and headed down to the lake, where we had several hours free to explore. We opted to take a boat to Bled Island.
Once on the island, we visited the church (and rang its giant bell), poked around the various pathways, and generally just soaked up the lovely autumn views.
After the island, we headed back to the mainland with a mission: cream cake, the dessert Bled is known for. Cream, vanilla custard, and puff pastry crust--what's not to love?!
For more highlights from Bled, click through the gallery below!
Autumn in Lake Bled
On Bled Island
Mom and me on Bled Island
Autumn in Lake Bled
Into the Soča River Valley
In the afternoon, we departed Bled and headed toward the Soča River Valley. En route, we made a surprise stop in Breznica, where we met Sašo's wife, Tina, and his two sons. We visited an apiary and Tina told us how important beekeeping is in Slovenia. We also had a little honey tasting, sampling three different varieties. What a fun surprise!
Next, we made a brief stop at the Planica Nordic Centre, home to a ski flying hill, seven ski jumping hills, and a cross-country skiing track. One of the more unique rest stops I've experienced!
En route to Bovec, our home for the evening, we were treated to some truly stunning views of the Julian Alps (I was thrilled we were there to see the fall foliage!). We stopped at a particularly scenic viewpoint for a honey brandy toast at "the highest point of the tour."
Click through the gallery below for more gorgeous Alpine views!
Stunning Alpine views
Our bus / chariot for our two weeks on tour
Stunning Alpine views
Stunning Alpine views
Scroll below for extra photos from day 3
(You can click on any image to learn more!)
We arrived in Bovec, settled in, and made our way to Martinov Hram for a group dinner of traditional Slovenian foods:
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Boiled potatoes + cottage cheese
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Frika, a dish of potatoes, bacon, and cheese
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Goulash with polenta
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A little dumpling filled with pear and nuts for dessert
Not exactly a light meal, but a delicious end to our day!
