Visit Bled Castle in Slovenia: A Place With An Amazing Viewpoint

Overlooking Lake Bled in Slovenia is Bled Castle, an interesting place to visit with fantastic views of the lake below. Bled Castle is a popular sightseeing spot and can get busy, especially the viewpoints. The castle’s museum mainly covers the history and geology of the lake.

This is the oldest Slovenian castle and is currently one of the most visited castles in Slovenia.

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Bled Castle History

The castle was first mentioned on 22 May 1011 in relation to Emperor Henry II. Later in its history, it was owned by the Habsburgs from the year 1278. The oldest part of Bled Castle is the Romanesque tower.

Subsequently, in the Middle Ages, more towers were built, and the fortifications were enhanced. Other buildings in the complex were constructed in the Renaissance style.

Getting To Bled Castle

To reach the castle, it is a lovely walk from the town centre or lakeside. The walk is steep in places, especially on the route from below the cliffs. At the top, the entrance is clearly signposted, and you cross a drawbridge to enter the main part of the castle.

Tickets For Entry

On my visit, I purchased a ticket at the entrance using a payment card. The cost for 1 adult was 15 euros; other prices and seasonal opening hours can be found on their website. To skip the queue, you can also purchase online.

If you are visiting Bled for a day trip from Ljubljana, there are a variety of packages on GetYourGuide, which include castle entry.

Is It Dog Friendly?

Bled Castle is somewhat dog-friendly, meaning pets can visit the castle; however, not inside closed spaces. Basically, that rules out the museums. Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times during your visit.

What To See at Bled Castle

The castle’s buildings are arranged around two courtyards, which are connected by a staircase.

They have various maps around the site so you can find all the special parts.

See The Views of Lake Bled Below

One highlight of my visit to Bled Castle was enjoying the views from its various viewpoints. The castle is on a cliff above the lake, offering a fantastic viewpoint.

Many other visitors gravitate to the best viewpoints to take a photo or a selfie. It was nice to engage with other visitors and help take their photos.

Chapel

There is also a small chapel in the upper courtyard, which they built in the 16th century and renovated around 1700, when they painted it with illusionist frescoes. There were many decorative features in the little chapel, including an alcove and the ceiling.

Peruse The Castle’s Museum

The museum is one of the more educational parts of the castle. They house it in the former residential rooms of the Bled Castle. The museum shows how people in this area of Slovenia used the local environment. There are lots of artefacts from over the centuries, as well as models of former inhabitants of the local area.

There are also models of Bled Castle and of the local landscape. You can learn how the glaciers shaped the landscape, how the castle was constructed, and, more recently, how the railway was built to bring visitors. Tourists can also learn about the area’s tourism history, including the initial appeal of spa tourism. There was much more to see and learn about in the museum, and I found it all fascinating.

Lower Courtyard

The first courtyard is the first part of the castle you will see inside. You can see the tower, fortifications and the walkways from here. It’s also where you can enter the tower gallery, print works or visit the coffee shop for a drink. When you leave the castle, you also pass through the first courtyard.

Middle Courtyard

The middle courtyard is halfway up the steps between the upper and lower courtyards. It’s a great vantage point to see Lake Bled below or to see the main tower in all its glory. I found it a great place to take a few photographs of part of the castle.

Upper Courtyard

The upper courtyard of Bled Castle is where the main viewpoint is, offering fantastic views of the lake and island. You can also enter the chapel and museum from the upper courtyard. The outdoor restaurant of the castle is here, so you can enjoy lunch with a view.

See The Child of the Vine From Maribor

A memory-triggering aspect of my visit was seeing the grapevine, which is a cutting from the oldest noble grapevine in the world that we saw in Maribor. The vine looked good and had signs about the history of the parent vine.

Wine Cellar

On the site is also a wine cellar where you can go for a drink or buy a bottle or more. They have over 20 types of Vina Dornberg for you to try in their medieval-looking cellar. They also organise wine-tasting events for groups.

Castle Walls

The castle walls were built as a defensive wall to repel attacks from above. Visiting the defensive wall involved climbing wooden stairs to the top. From there, a wooden walkway leads to the conical tower.

Looking to the outside, you get some very special views of the Slovenian countryside and the mountains in the distance.

Exhibits in the Conical Tower

There are two exhibits to see once you cross the defensive walls walkway to the Renaissance tower of the castle. These are Arnold Rikli’s room and the Museum of the Gorenjska Region of Slovenia. These were both learning experiences and opportunities to see inside the Renaissance tower.

Arnold Rikli’s Room tells the story of one pioneer of wellness. The Swiss-born doctor started natural treatments at the lake. As a result, this attracted many rich people from across Europe to visit the Bled area. The Museum of the Gorenjska Region of Slovenia is dedicated to the region’s history.

Refreshments

There are options for refreshments at the castle, where you can pop to a cafe and enjoy a drink or book a table at the restaurant and enjoy a meal with a view of the lake.

Review

Bled Castle is a fantastic place to visit if in the area; it’s a short walk from the lake. The views from the castle walls are spectacular to see and take photos of if the light is good. It was a splendid chance to learn some history of Slovenia and the lake. Out of all the Slovenian castles I’ve visited so far, this was my joint favourite with Celje Castle.