2024 Crossroads of the Adriatic - Day #18 - Lake Bled

Day 16 Ljubljana • Lake Bled

• Destination: Ljubljana
• Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
• Accommodations: Hotel Ljubljana or similar

Breakfast: Included at the hotel.

Morning: Today you will embark on a full-day excursion to Lake Bled (subject to local weather conditions). As we’ll see during a panoramic drive, the resort area of Lake Bled features a 17th-century church perched on an islet in the middle of the lake and an 800-year-old castle clinging to a rocky cliff, all against a backdrop of the Julian Alps.

After exploring the area around the lake, we’ll board a pletna boat (weather permitting), the locals’ version of a gondola, to reach Bled Island, located in the middle of the lake. We’ll disembark at the island and join our Trip Experience Leader for a walk, culminating at the island’s famous Church of the Assumption. We’ll then ride our pletna back to the mainland.

Lunch: Included at a local restaurant in the town of Radovljica.

Afternoon: We’ll return to our hotel after lunch. The remainder of the day is free for your own discoveries. Check with your Trip Experience Leader for ideas.

Dinner: On your own. Maybe you’ll choose to sample local pork sausage, known as krajnska klobasa, or savor jota, a hearty stew made from sauerkraut, kidney beans, potatoes, and garlic. Just make sure you save room for Slovenia’s famous cream cake, kremna rezina. Evening: Tonight, you’ll have free time to explore Ljubljana on your own.

We have been really lucky with the weather during the trip. While there was been rain, it never really rained during an organized OATS excursion. Our luck ran out today.

After breakfast at hotel, we were on the bus at 8:30 am. The itinerary for the day was Lake Bled. As we headed there, it poured.

The first stop was the Bled Castle. The castle dates back to 1004 when it was conferred to the Bishop of Brixen by the German King Henry II. The castle features a mix of Gothic and Renaissance architectural styles. It has been restored several times over the centuries.

From there, we headed to the lake. We loaded into a pletna boat. These wooden boats have a distinctive pointed bow and colorful awnings. They have been a staple on Lake Bled for centuries and their use is deeply rooted in local tradition.

We took the boat to Bled Island. We visited the Church of the Assumption of Mary. Sharon rang the wishing bell. Some of the group climbed the bell tower.

Frankly, the visit was a little disappointing due to the weather. You couldn't see the high mountains that surround the lake due to the low clouds. The Austrian border is only 29 miles north of Lake Bled. It rained off and on the whole time we were at the castle and the lake.

Taking the boat back to the bus, we headed to Radovljica for lunch. We had lunch at Gostina Avgustin. We had a mushroom and pasta soups, a salad and trout with mash potatoes.

We were back in Ljubljana by 3:30 pm.


Holly, Van, Sharon and I finished the day with early dinner at Restavracija Strelec. It has been awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand. We had a small adventure getting a taxi up to the restaurant. It is located in the Archers Tower of the Ljubljana Castle. All four of us had the five course tasting menu with the wine pairing. It included:

• AMOUSE BOUCHE
• BREAD, SMOKED BUTTER;
• TATAR [ROE DEER, HAZELNUTS, FOIE GRAS, PERILA OR SHISO LEAVES CELERIAC];
• PASTA [AGED CHEESE, CHANTERELLES AND CELERY];
• ONION [ALBUMIN COTTAGE CHEESE, BEER, AMAR CHEESE, YEAST];
• SEA FISH [TURBOT, BROWN BUTTER, LEMON, SWISS CHARD, NETTLE, ADRIATIC PRAWNS];
• VEAL [EGGPLANTS, PINE NUTS, OLIVES AND SMOKED BONE MARROW];
• PEACH [ROSEMARY AND HONEY]; and,
• PETIT FOURS.

For entrees, Sharon had the veal, while I had the fish. The food and the setting was amazing. This will compete for the best dinner of the trip.

Getting a taxi back to the hotel, Sharon and I crashed about 10:00 pm.