Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps “In Your Pocket: A cheeky, well- BLED written series of guidebooks.” The New York Times Winter 2009 - Spring 2010 Including BOHINJ & BOVEC Ski & Spa A comprehensive guide to Slovenia’s best resorts Winter Masters Games Bled hosts one of the world’s largest Enjoy your multi-sport recreational events COMPLIMENTARY COPY of Ljubljana In Your Pocket Shopping in Ljubljana A rundown of what the nearby capital N°2 - € 2.90 N°5 - 6Lt www.inyourpocket.com has to offer www.inyourpocket.com oglas_Bled.pdf 1 3.12.2009 10:42:27 CONTENTS ESSENT IA L CI TY GUID ES Contents Arriving 5 Basics 6 History 8 Language 9 Culture & Events 10 Sport 12 C Where to stay 14 M Restaurants 18 Y Nightlife 23 Even St Nicholas is impressed by Bled Castle CM What to see 25 MY Bohinj 27 CY Shopping 26 Where to stay 31 CMY Where to eat 34 K Nightlife 35 What to see 36 Bovec 37 Where to stay 37 Where to eat 40 Nightlife 40 Sports 41 Ski & Spa 42 Ljubljana Shopping 45 Maps & Index Street Register 47 Bled map 48 Bohinj map 49 Bohinska Bistrica map 49 Country map 50 Index 51 Who needs GPS? Tanja Sodja bled.inyourpocket.com Winter 2009 - Spring 2010 FOREWORD ARRIVING As a permanent fixture on pretty much every Top As little as an hour away from the capital tucked up close Ten list that has anything to do with lakes, churches, Europe In Your Pocket to the Austrian border, getting to Bled by train, bus or car Word from the Mayor castles or mountain villages, it’s no surprise that is a relatively painless experience. Bled is Slovenia’s most popular tourist attraction Dear old and new friends of Bled, for locals as well as foreign visitors. While the Arriving by Plane So many of you, whose island-bound church and cliff-top castle (p 25) are Jože Pučnik Airport is located approximately half way hearts have already undoubtedly the two biggest contributors to the between Ljubljana and Bled, and you can expect to pay been won, return to town’s fame, they are far from all that it has to around €45 for a taxi into town. Buses are considerably Bled again and again offer. With some 1,000 years of history under its cheaper (€5.40, up to 19 connections on weekdays, but - and for that we belt (p 8), Bled is a bustling alpine town with a wide virtually none on weekends) although you have to transfer can never thank you selection of hotels (p 14), restaurants (p 18), enough in Kranj. There are also up to six direct shuttles per day enough. For those of nightlife to keep you occupied (p 23) and even one (€13). You can see the full schedules on the airport’s you, coming to Bled website. for the first time, I of Europe’s most prestigious business schools sincerely hope that (p 26). Situated at the edge of Slovenia’s famed you too will be forever Triglav National Park, Bled also makes a great base Arriving by bus charmed by our roman- for trips to nearby ski resorts during the winter (p Buses leave every hour on the hour from the main bus tic lake with the island 42) and hiking, horseback-riding and various water station in Ljubljana and take about 80 minutes to make chapel of St Mary’s sports (p 12) during the warmer months of the year. the journey. Close to the town centre at the northeastern and medieval castle In this issue we’ve also included Bled’s pristine tip of the lake, Bled’s dinky little bus station (avtobusno atop a 130 metre high rock, both so magi- big sister Bohinj (p 27), which is home to an even postajališče) doesn’t offer much in the way of excitement beyond a kiosk outside selling chocolate, soft drinks and cally reflected in the more stunning (albeit island-less) lake and one of cigarettes. Inside there’s a ticket office and free toilets. To emerald water. While Slovenia’s most undeservedly overlooked places, get the city centre, walk south along Svobode until you hit these main sights, as and Bovec (p 37), a centre for year-round outdoor the water. stunning they are, help make Bled the most recognized sports located further to the west. image of Slovenia, they are only a small part of what we have to offer. So please allow me to recommend you Bled Arriving by train In Your Pocket to help make your stay here even more It has been another great year for In Your Pocket. Bled has two train stations, but unfortunately neither is interesting and enjoyable. Cover story located in the centre of town. Over 20 trains a day from Representing the people of Bled, I am very happy to be We now publish a record 57 guides and mini-guides able to appear in this excellent little guide, to wish you all, Like a natural beauty who across 22 European countries. We print more than Ljubljana call at Lesce-Bled station which is on the main line but is several kilometres away, meaning you will our old and new friends, a most warm welcome! can roll out of bed in the four million In Your Pockets annually. This year we either have a lengthy hike or short bus ride into town. The morning and look stun- launched new guides in Maribor, Bled, Portoroz, other station is Bled-Jezero a couple kilometres to the Janez Fajfar ning without any makeup, Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Brasov, Lviv and Odesa. east, which sees up to five trains a day from the capital, Mayor of Bled Bled is one of the more Next year you can expect to see Venice, Vienna and however you have to transfer at Jesenice which can lead to photogenic places in the Glasgow - amongst others - Pocketed. a total journey time of almost 3 hours. Check out Slovenia world regardless of the We welcome enquiries from anyone who would Railways’ incredibly user-friendly website for a complete season, weather or time like to take part in our Pocket Revolution, starting schedule and prices. Bus schedule of day. However, for our up an IYP. Send us an email to publisher@inyour- money it’s hard to beat pocket.com. We also want to find out how we can Arriving by car From Bled to Ljubljana the image of Slovenia’s make our guides better, so please take five minutes Take the A2 highway northwest out of the city and follow 05:00, 05:45, 06:25, 07:30, 08:30, 09:30, 10:30, fairy tale island church to complete our online survey at inyourpocket. the signs for Kranj. Bled is well signposted once you’re out 11:30, 12:30, 13:30, 14:05, 14:30, 15:30, 16:30, covered in a fresh blanket of snow. com/survey. in the countryside. Journey time is around 40 minuntes 17:30, 19:30, 20:30 and it may get very crowded on Sundays in season at the From Ljubljana to Bled end of highway. 06:00, 07:00, 08:00, 08:30, 09:00, 09:30, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 16:30, Editorial Copyright notice 17:00, 18:00, 19:00, 20:00, 21:00, 21:30 Editor Yuri Barron Text and photos copyright IQBATOR d.o.o. Train schedule From Bled to Bohinjska Bistrica Maps copyright cartographer. All rights 05:29, 07:20, 08:20, 09:20, 10:20, 11:20, 12:20, ESSENT IA L CI TY GUID ES Writers Will Dunn, Yuri Barron, From Lesce-Bled To Lesce-Bled Francisco Alvarez, Craig Turp reserved. No part of this publication 13:20, 14:20, 14:41, 15:15, 15:20, 16:20, 17:20, may be reproduced in any form, except Bled In Your Pocket Research Irena Jamnikar First Last City First Last * 18:20, 19:20, 20:20, 22:20 Drenikova 33, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia brief extracts for the purpose of review, Layout & Design Vaida Gudynaitė without written permission from the 00:33 21:37 JESENICE 04:40 20:20 13-21 From Bohinjska Bistrica to Bled Tel. +386 30 316 602 Consulting Craig Turp publisher and copyright owner. The 04:48 23:50 LJUBLJANA 04:55 20:35 12-21 05:12, 05:18, 05:42, 05:52, 06:40, 06:56, 07:56, [email protected] Photos TIC Bled, TIC Bohinj, TIC Bovec, brand name In Your Pocket is used under 05:21 20:35 MARIBOR 04:40 21:00 4-12 08:56, 09:56, 10:56, 11:56, 12:56, 13:56, 14:56, 15:56, www.inyourpocket.com iStock, Bas Lammers, Mitja Sodja, license from UAB In Your Pocket (Vokiečių 16:56, 18:56, 19:56 05:48 21:37 NOVA GORICA 03:17 15:24 4-7 Simon Plestnejak, Yuri Barron 10-15, Vilnius, Lithuania tel. (+370) 5 From Bled-Lesce to Kranjska Gora ISSN 1855-6132 Cover photo iStock.com/MistikaS 212 29 76). * number of departures per day 06:36, 07:21, 07:38, 08:08, 08:36, 09:38, 10:38, ©IQBATOR d.o.o. Editor’s note All trains to Nova Gorica change at Jesenice 11:36, 12:36, 13:38, 14:38, 14:53, 15:38, 16:36, Trains to Maribor change at Ljubljana or Zidani Most 17:36, 18:38, 20:38 Printed by Mond Grafika d.o.o., Sales & Circulation The editorial content of In Your Pocket Schedule valid until 11 December 2010 From Kranjska Gora to Bled-Lesce Brezovica pri Ljubljani Barbara Žlender +386 30 316 601 guides is independent from paid-for 06:20, 06:40, 07:20, 08:20, 09:20, 10:20, 11:20, Director Karmen Hribar +386 31 203 560 advertising.