SLOVENIA
Photo location: Lake Bled
Republika Slovenija
Currency: Euro, €
Official Language: Slovene
An Image of Paradise
It's stunning. It's idyllic. It's paradise.
May 9th evening
Stormed the castle, crashed a wedding,
celebrated with pizza 🍕
Upon arrival in Bled, we wasted no time making our bold ascent to the iconic Bled Castle,
climbing all 364 steps to reach its dramatic hilltop perch. Finding only one lone sentry
guarding the gate, for €15 each, he welcomed us in without resistance.
From the top, we were rewarded with breathtaking views of the lake and surrounding Julian Alps. Inside, we explored the castle’s fascinating museum and stumbled upon a wedding celebration unfolding in the courtyard—an enchanting surprise that added to the fairytale atmosphere.
After our castle conquest, we descended to enjoy a delicious dinner at Pizzeria Rustika, a cozy local favorite near the base of the hill. With spirits high as the mountains, we made our way back to Hotel Lovec–Bled, where we settled in for a restful night in this lakeside paradise.
Still catching our breath—
Mark and Becky
Simply Magical
Lake Bled
🏰
Photo Mailbag
Our Evening Delivered in Pixels
Bled Castle—1000 years
-same great view.
Bled’s Alpine Sentinel
Lake Bled • Day 14
Itinerary for Sat., May 10 7:00 Breakfast in hotel 8:15 Plenta boat ride 9:00 Explore Lake Bled's island 10:45 Return to mainland 12:00 Lunch on our own Free afternoon 7:00 Final dinner together Hotel Lovec Bled Our step count: 21,422
Helpful Phrases
Bled 🗣️ blayd Hello: Dober dan 🗣️ DOH‑ber dahn Thank you: Hvala vam 🗣️ HVAH‑lah vahm Please: Prosim 🗣️ PROH‑sim Cheers: Na zdravje! 🗣️ nah zdrahv‑YEH
Pletna Perspectives on Lake Bled
Morning of May 10—
Sore legs, full hearts,
and still happily ever after
💘
We were up early this morning, rewarded with a tranquil cruise across the glassy waters of Lake Bled in a pletna—a traditional, flat-bottomed wooden boat that’s unique to Bled. These handcrafted vessels, rowed by skilled oarsmen standing at the stern, glide gracefully across the calm water, offering peaceful views of the surrounding mountains. Our destination is the small, picturesque Bled Island crowned by the Church of the Assumption, its bell tower rising above the treetops. Local tradition says a groom must carry his bride up all 99 stone steps to the chapel door for a happy marriage. No wedding bells for us today, but Mark—ever the romantic—jokingly offers to hoist me over his shoulder and give it a try. After 40 years of wedded bliss, we laugh and agree: maybe that’s not such a great idea.
Still, in a fairytale-like place like this, you can’t help but feel a little swept off your feet.
99 steps, one pletna, and zero chances of Mark carrying anyone—
Mark and Becky 💖
Photo Mailbag
Our Morning Delivered in Pixels
Bled Boat Bliss
Boardwalk views at Vintgar Gorge
Afternoon of May 10th—
Gorge to glass to cream cake 🍰
This afternoon, with some free time on our hands, we teamed up with
another couple from our group for a little off-the-itinerary adventure. We set out to explore Vintgar Gorge—an easy drive from town, and well worth it. Picture this: turquoise water rushing through a narrow canyon, tumbling over mossy rocks and beneath charming wooden bridges. Wildflowers line the path, and birds rustle below. Sufficiently wowed in the natural beauty, we traded the rushing water for alpine air on a peaceful walk back to the free shuttle bus which returned us to Bled.
For dinner, we stayed close to home and headed next door to Tale of Us with our merry band. Over delicious food, flowing wine, and good company, we shared one last round of stories, laughs, and a farewell toast to the journey we've shared. Our grand finale—Bled cream cake—a taste of Slovenian hospitality and Alpine elegance—one glorious bite at a time.
From waterfalls to mountainsides—and loving every step— 🏞️
Mark and Becky
Photo Mailbag
Our Afternoon Delivered in Pixels
Vintgar’s Canyon Chorus
Alpine air
& Bled vistas
The iconic Bled Cream Cake—known locally as Blejska kremna rezina or kremšnita—is Slovenia’s beloved dessert, born at the renowned Park Hotel in 1953. Created by pastry chef Ištvan Lukačević, it layers a crisp puff-pastry base with velvety vanilla custard, a cloud of whipped cream, and a flaky top—served in its signature 7×7×7 cm cube and crowned with powdered sugar.
A taste of Slovenian hospitality and Alpine elegance—one glorious bite at a time.
Lake Bled • Day 15
Itinerary for Sun., May 11 7:00 Breakfast in hotel Tour over after breakfast Free until 6:30 transfer to airport. Our step count: 26,287
Helpful Phrases
Bled 🗣️ blayd Hello: Dober dan 🗣️ DOH‑ber dahn Thank you: Hvala vam 🗣️ HVAH‑lah vahm Please: Prosim 🗣️ PROH‑sim Cheers: Na zdravje! 🗣️ nah zdrahv‑YEH
The Jewel of the Julian Alps
Lake Bled
May 11—"Squeezing" in some fun!
🎶 🪗
Our final morning in Slovenia dawned bright and peaceful. The lake
glistened, the island church invited, and the Julian Alps looked as majestic
as ever. Over breakfast, our group shares one last round of stories and coffee before parting ways. Katka, ever the maestro, orchestrated a timely departure for all.
Our 6:30pm transfer means we’re not quite ready to leave. The sunshine invited us to take the full walk around Lake Bled—a slow, scenic loop with postcard views at every turn. And just when we think the day can’t get more perfect… we stumbled upon an accordion festival in full swing. Joyful music spilled along the lake as locals and visitors danced, clapped, and celebrated together. With a cold beer in hand and the rhythm in our feet, we settled in for an afternoon of pure delight—and a lot of accordions.
It’s the most unexpected and heartwarming send-off—a glimpse of Slovenia’s living folk traditions, proudly passed from one generation to the next. What a beautiful way to end an unforgettable journey.
With full hearts—
Mark and Becky
💗
Photo Mailbag
Our Day Delivered in Pixels
Be sure to see the videos of festival fun.
Accordion Festival—
folk tunes and finger work
Jun 18, 2025— Once a Daydream, Now a Trail
Back before streaming, Mark and I watched Rick Steves on public TV and daydreamed of Europe. It felt unreachable—exciting, a little scary to me. (Mark had already been.)
Our first tour? The Best of Germany, Austria & Switzerland, because I had to see the Alps before I died! And here I am, after our eighth European adventure—not only have I seen the Alps, I've hiked them several times. Truly unbelievable.
I’m forever grateful to Rick Steves for inspiring that leap. He always says, "Keep on Travelin’," and by golly—we will!
Wondering where we will visit in 2026...Portugal??
Until our next postcard adventure—
Thanks for reading — 🩵 Becky
Wanting more inspiration? Check out our previous Rick Steves tour scrapbooks.
Athens & the Heart of Greece 2023
Ireland 2022