Bled Castle

What makes it special

The terraces are what you come up for. From the edge of the cliff the whole lake lies below you, with Bled Island in the middle of the lake and the mountains of Gorenjska and the Julian Alps on every side.

The castle was built and added to over the centuries, which is why the courtyards mix several styles instead of following one plan. The upper courtyard holds a small Gothic chapel, painted inside with illusionist frescoes, and the museum, whose new permanent exhibition traces the region from prehistoric times to the present.

The detail to look for is down in the lower courtyard, where the old servants' quarters now house a printing works built around a replica of Gutenberg's wooden press. A master printer works it on handmade paper with historical blocks and lead letters, the way printing was done when the press was invented. The memorial room above it is dedicated to Primož Trubar.

Below the courtyards is the wine cellar, where you can bottle your own wine and seal the bottle with wax.

Visiting

Two halves divide the visit: the terraces and courtyards for the view, then the rooms for the press, the chapel and the museum. One ticket covers the whole complex. Buy it at the ticket office, or online if you want to be sure of entry at a set time.

From the car park there is still a short climb on steps and slopes to the entrance. Once inside, go straight up the steps to the highest terrace for the view, then work your way down.

Look into the chapel in the upper courtyard, which takes only a few minutes, then go down to the printing works. When the printer is at the press, you can take a turn yourself for a few minutes and leave with a printed certificate. Finish in the cellar, and carry your sealed bottle down with you.

Tips

Arrive when the gates open, or after 17:00 in summer. Tour coaches from Ljubljana start arriving mid morning, and the small upper car park fills by late morning in summer, so walk up from town instead. The path is lit and railed, so the walk down after dark is safe.

Leave yourself at least an hour before closing. In winter the castle closes earlier and the days are short, so come mid morning or early afternoon.