The Culinary Sparks of Bled

Bled Castle, Matevž Lenarčič, slovenia.info
Bled Castle, Matevž Lenarčič, slovenia.info

Alpine Slovenia is a colourful microcosm of natural beauties, steep mountains, green valleys, fresh waters and crystal lakes guarded by the mythical Goldhorn. Beyond scenic sights, this is also a place of sparkly locations where warm meetings take place in the company of great cuisine.

Castle, casual or festive style? Always heartfelt!

Bled is one of Slovenia’s most famous tourist gems and a great point for MICE activities. It’s a treasure of natural wonders, known worldwide for its beautiful lake and island. The Bled Island, an icon of Slovenian geography, is celebrated throughout the nation’s history, having been praised already by its greatest poet France Prešeren.

Here is an island circled round by waves,

In our days it’s a pilgrim shrine to Mary;

Against the background stand the snowcapped giants

And fields that spread before them; Castle Bled 

Reveals still greater beauties to the left. 

The hillocks on the right conceal each other.

Carniola does not have a prettier scene

Than this one: it is truly heaven’ s twin.

Baptism, France Prešeren

There, on a mighty rock rising 130 meters above the glacial lake reigns the Bled Castle. The staple image of Slovenia and symbol of Bled offers stunning views over the lake and island, across Lesce and Radol’ca, to the peaks of the Karavankas and the Julian Alps.

The Bled Castle reveals a curious mix of historical cultural setting and lively contemporary Slovenia, at the crossroads of nations and religions. Always fascinating, cultural heritage offers splendid insight into the human experience: its artistic creativity, architecture and lifestyles across the ages.

The castle houses a museum, wine cellar, beehive, forge and even printing press, all rounded out by premium cuisine. The castle restaurant serves modern interpretations of traditional dishes, increasingly becoming one of Slovenia’s must-see culinary stops and a prime location to organize meetings. In the warmer months, the courtyard’s Castle Cafe will delight you with a choice of delicious coffee or craft beer. Naturally, no stay in Bled is complete without a bite of the famous Bled cream cake. The castle’s flawless hospitality is maintained by the company Jezeršek, helping create great experiences based on local surroundings and providers, catering to protocol guests, groups and individuals alike. The restaurant admits up to 96 guests, the castle summer garden offers 100 seats, whereas the Knights Hall can accommodate meetings of up to 70 persons.

The land of bees and honey

Apiculture is deeply rooted in Slovenian history. Slovenia is a cradle of beekeeping and the home of the indigenous Carniolan honey bee, the world’s most peaceful bee species nicknamed the “lady bee”. Across Gorenjska, the beekeeping tradition is especially cherished. This time around, focus isn’t on raw honey but on honey dough with its unique place in the folklore of the land. Dražgoše honey breads are handcrafted, heart-shaped pastries that used to be a holiday exclusive, while Gorenjska is also the land of lectarstvo, a traditional craft producing artful honeybread (lect). In the Biedermeier period, coloured honeybreads were first introduced, embellished with little mirrors, verses and various images. The historical lect, a delight of lovers, is still being made in Radovljica, where guests can try their hand at baking their own. Bled Island also takes pride in its Potica Cake Shop, inviting to the tasting of this traditional Slovenian cake of many interpretations.

Fantastic cuisine plays a central role in Slovenia’s MICE industry. The flavours of Slovenia are characteristically local, featuring seasonal ingredients from all parts of the country. Slovenia is a diverse territory with as many as 24 gastronomic regions, influenced also by the four nations it shares its borders with – from the Mediterranean to the Karst, from the Pannonian Basin to Vienna. It all comes together to form the great variety of Slovenian cuisine, where you’ll find rustic, plain, fine, fusion and all other manner of dishes. Slovenian food thus shows a surprising mix of flavours from various parts of the continent. If you haven’t tried Carniolan sausage, traditional alpine cheeses, festive Potica cake, the organic honey of the local bees, the Bled cream cake or the Soča trout, Alpine Slovenia has many treasures to show you. Welcome to hearty cuisine and sparkly locations!

Sounds curious? Follow “Star Locations” at the website www.slovenia-convention.com.

Welcome, and let us impress you!

Author: Jasna Jašič, Marketing & Communications Manager, Slovenian Convention Bureau