A visit to Slovenia is always a pleasure.
Contributed by Jens Hoffmann
Photos: Annamaria Veszeli
Slovenia is cool, creative and dynamic.
Here you’ll find the perfect blend of tradition and modernity, sports, cuisine and joy.
In this country, you can ski, swim in the sea, soak up metropolitan flair and discover romantic places.
For almost 700 years, Slovenia was part of the Habsburg Empire, and naturally, much of the food is Austrian influenced, with some Hungarian accents.
Being so close to the Ottomans, there’s a Turkish perspective, and the Italians during the wars left marks.
I’ve been told there are 24 different culinary regions in Slovenia.
Wow.
We found a delightful town with a healthy, subalpine climate and a beautiful lake.
A fine Alpine spa town in northwestern Slovenia that I hadn’t heard of before.
The town called Bled.
Welcome to Bled this charming town belongs on every bucket list.
It was the summer residence of Josip Tito, the former President of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
He obviously knew how to enjoy and fall in love with Bled.
Bled is nestled in the mountain panorama of the Julian Alps and attracts tourists and locals alike.
Above the lake is a fine castle.
The medieval Bled Castle.
It is the oldest castle in Slovenia and is one of Slovenia’s tourist attractions.
There is also a museum that explains the history of Bled and the castle.
Wow.
After climbing the castle, I headed down to the lake.
Unfortunately, a sports injury prevented me from walking around the lake.
It takes six kilometers to walk around the lake, and there are beautiful spots everywhere for lovers, romantics, and Instagram photo fans.
Now that’s what I call a welcome.
In the middle of the lake is a small island with a church.
We arrived late and didn’t have time for mass, only enough time for a short stroll along the lake.
But it was quite something.
We found exactly what stressed-out guests from all over the world are looking for and find here: total relaxation and plenty of enjoyment.
On the shore of the lake, there’s a beautiful restaurant, more like a small, fine café.
A break from protocol, clocks, and appointments.
We eat regional specialties and drink white wine.
It doesn’t take long before we’re relaxed and at ease.
Here, we’re served a variety of snacks and we try the region’s specialty: a cream slice, similar to a Frankfurter Kranz (a German cake).
These cream slices are unique worldwide, and what sets them apart is their regional appeal: they’re casually transported to fine dining.
The result is an absolute delight; the Bled Cream Cake with Heart is highly recommended.
Everything we ate was “brutally local” and produced in the region.
In the restaurant, you can enjoy the view of the lake, the island, and the mountains beyond.
Beautiful.
On Lake Bled lies a small island with a church and a museum.
You can row there in the typical boats called pletna or rent a boat yourself.
We’ll do that on our next visit.
It was a bit rainy and cold, but that didn’t spoil the romantic atmosphere.
We dreamed well at the Hotel Triglav Bled.
Bled is a unique and exciting experience for romantics.
A heaven on earth.
No wonder so many people get married here; it’s an unforgettable experience to be here.
Culinary delights with outstanding regional specialties can be found in numerous restaurants in Slovenia.
Slovenia, you beauty of mountains, lakes and sea.
We’ll be back very soon.
Place to stay:
Hotel Triglav in Bled.
https://www.hoteltriglavbled.si/en/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwy46_BhDOARIsAIvmcwPs6iBB2IhEDS3Bo2zg27aHJZ06La358ROnaQHn6_-2BwEtQhXpJNcaAsNLEALw_wcB
My research trip to Slovenia was supported by MGM Mediaoptima in Ljubljana.
The content of this article is unaffected. A delicious introduction to Slovenian cuisine.
