Lake Bled is situated in the Upper Carniolan region of northwestern Slovenia, surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty. The lake is adjoined to the city of Bled, which dates back to the 11th century and lies at the foot of the Karawanks mountain range near the border of Austria. To the south of Lake Bled are the heavily forested sections of the Jelovica and Pokljuka plateaus, and to the east are the majestic Julian Alps. Lake Bled contains a tiny island (the only island in the entire country) that houses the 16th century Assumption of Mary Church (Our Lady of the Lake), built over an ancient temple. This area of Slovenia has had human settlement since Mesolithic times, and the lake became an important cult center during the Bronze Age. The towns near Lake Bled were founded under the various medieval kingdoms that ruled this portion of Europe. During our visit, we toured the Assumption of Mary Church and the Castle Bled, a medieval cliffside structure that overlooks the lake.