This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel.
Bled is a town located in the northwestern region of Slovenia and is without a doubt considered as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. It is famous for its lake, named simply Lake Bled, which surrounds a small island. You can get there with a number of different boats, but the most famous one is Pletna, which has a long tradition of bringing passengers to the island and back. However, this type of trips can be quite pricey (the price changes depending on the oarsman/owner of the boat).
On the island, you will find an old church where weddings are held frequently and a stairway consisting of ninety-nine stairs leading up to the building. The tradition is that a groom carries the bride over the ninety-nine stairs, makes a wish in the church, and rings the bell -- all in the name of good luck. Overlooking the lake is the medieval Bled Castle, which is believed to be the oldest castle in Slovenia. Besides the museum and a restaurant you will also find a wine cellar there.
Surrounded with forests and hills, Bled offers a lot of opportunities for recreation. Especially popular are hiking, cycling, rowing, and swimming, although going for a swim anywhere outside the designated area is probably not a good idea. During the winter, the lake usually freezes and becomes a pretty popular ice-skating destination.
Because Bled is such a popular destination, there are plenty of options to find a good sleep. Even though the Bled hotels and pensions dominate the accommodation sector, you can find quite a few nice Bled hostels, especially suitable for backpackers and younger travelers. Two, particularly popular amongst backpackers, are located very close to the castle and just a few minutes' walk from the lake, while the others are a bit further away. Nevertheless, Bled is a small town and getting to any of these on foot shouldn't be a problem at all.
Written by local expertz for Bled
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