Perched on a cliff, Bled Castle (Blejski Grad) overlooks the picturesque Lake Bled.

Bled Castle

Top choice in Lake Bled


Perched atop a steep cliff more than 100m above the lake, Bled Castle is how most people imagine a medieval fortress to be, with towers, ramparts, moats and a terrace offering magnificent views. The castle houses a museum collection that traces the lake’s history from earliest times to the development of Bled as a resort in the 19th century.

The castle, built on two levels, dates back to the early 11th century, although most of what stands here now is from the 16th century. For 800 years it was the seat of the Bishops of Brixen. Among the museum holdings, there's a large collection of armour and weapons, and jewellery found at the early Slav burial pits at Pristava. The smallish 16th-century Gothic chapel contains paintings of castle donor Henry II and his wife Kunigunda on either side of the main altar.

You can reach the castle on foot via one of three trails signposted 'Grad'. The first trail starts from the car park behind the Bledec Hostel; the second is a tortuous path up from the Castle Lido swimming area; and the third starts just north of the Parish Church of St Martin.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Lake Bled attractions

1. Parish Church of St Martin

0.19 MILES

This pretty neo-Gothic church was designed by Friedrich von Schmidt in 1905, who also did the city hall and Votive Church in Vienna. Outside there's a…

2. Lake Bled

0.32 MILES

Bled’s greatest attraction is its exquisite blue-green lake, measuring just 2km by 1.4km. The lake is lovely to behold from almost any vantage point, and…

3. Festival Hall

0.34 MILES

Surrounded by park at the lake's eastern edge, the hall hosts events, exhibitions and concerts.

4. Church of the Assumption

0.7 MILES

The baroque Church of the Assumption dates from the 17th century, though there’s been a church here since the 9th century. Go inside to see some fresco…

5. Bled Island

0.72 MILES

Tiny, tear-shaped Bled Island beckons from the shore. There’s the Church of the Assumption and a small museum, the Provost's House, but the real thrill is…

6. Provost’s House

0.73 MILES

On Bled Island, this building is home to a gallery and an excellent souvenir shop; on the 1st floor is an exhibition space (with changing exhibitions).

7. Vintgar Gorge

2.13 MILES

One of the easiest and most satisfying half-day trips from Bled is to Vintgar Gorge, some 4km to the northwest of Bled village. The highlight is a 1600m…

8. Pokljuka Plateau

3.04 MILES

Close to Bled, the forests and meadows of the Pokljuka Plateau offer plenty of walking trails and winter-sports facilities. While Vintgar Gorge gets all…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "slovenia/julian-alps/bled/attractions/bled-castle/a/poi-sig/490150/360712",
      "destination": "Lake-Bled",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "Slovenia",
      "region": "Lake-Bled",
      "position": "superzone"
    }