With its scenic clifftop medieval castle, shimmering blue-emerald waters and picturesque church sitting on a tiny tear-shaped island, it’s hard to find a place that embodies the definition of a fairytale destination more than Lake Bled. Sandwiched between the Julian Alps and the Karawanks in northwestern Slovenia, Lake Bled is equally enjoyed by sightseers and outdoor enthusiasts alike, with many activities and attractions to keep you busy for days. To help you plan your visit to this beautiful destination, we put together this guide on the Best Things to See and Do in Lake Bled.
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You might also be interested in these pages (coming soon):
Best Things to See and Do in Bled (Slovenia)
Best Day Trips from Bled (Slovenia)
5-Day Slovenia Road Trip Itinerary
Best Hiking and Walking Trails Near Bled (Slovenia)
Lake Bled Location & Map
Lake Bled is located in northwestern Slovenia, immediately west of the town of Bled and near the edge of Triglav National Park. The closest large city is Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana.
How to get to Lake Bled
By Car: Bled (and Lake Bled) is particularly easy to get to from Ljubljana (45-50 minutes). It is also within driving distance of Zagreb (2 hours), Salzburg (3 hours), Venice (3 hours), Munich (4 hours), Vienna (4 hours) and Milan (5 hours).
If you need to book a rental vehicle for your travels, we highly recommend using Discover Cars to get the best rates on your rental in Slovenia.
We also highly recommend Airalo (eSIM card) for your connectivity needs when travelling abroad. Airalo is the world’s first and largest eSIM store with eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions worldwide.
Important: All Slovenian freeways and expressways are subject to tolls. All cars, motorbikes, and camper vans must have purchased a digital vignette online when they plan to drive onto a motorway or expressway. Digital Vignettes with periods of validity of 7 days, 1 month, 6 months or 12 months are available and can be purchased from the Slowenien Vignette website. They are not prohibitively expensive — for instance, the 7-day vignette for cars costs €13.90 (2024).
Arrival by Car & Parking: If you are visiting Bled as part of a day trip, you will probably need to use one of the public car parks (if you are staying overnight, your accommodation will likely provide parking for you). One of the better large car parks is referred to as “Lake Bled Parking” next to the Bled arena – the car park is open 24 hours a day, parking duration is unlimited and costs 2.5€ / hour (2024). For more options, consult Bled’s parking website.
By Bus: You can take a bus from Ljubljana central bus station to Bled central bus station, which takes about 1h-1h15.
The operator FlixBus provides long-distance bus services to Bled from several of Europe’s major cities, including Salzburg, Munich, Budapest, Prague, Milan, and Zagreb. Schedules and fares can be found on the FlixBus website.
By Train: There are two stations at Bled — Lesce-Bled (4 km from the city center) and Bled Jezero (1.5km from the city center, near the western edge of the lake). Despite being farther from the center, arriving at Lesce-Bled is generally easier as it lies along the Oste railway line, which connects cities between Munich, Salzburg, Villach, Ljubljana and Belgrade, and eventually Athens (in contrast, arriving at Bled Jezero would require an additional train transfer). From Lesce-Bled, you can take the bus (the bus stop is on the other side of the road from the train station) to the Bled central bus station, which is located in the town center).
If you want to save transit time, we don’t recommend taking the train from Ljubljana as the journey takes nearly twice as long as the bus. However, the journey is more scenic from the train.
By Group Tour (from Ljubljana or Zagreb): This can be a great option if you don’t want to deal with the transit logistics while benefiting from a time-efficient direct route. The following tours are particularly popular and well-rated:
From the Airport: The nearest airport is Ljubljana Jože Pucnik Airport (LJU), about 35 km from Lake Bled, and has direct flights from several major European cities, including including Paris, Munich, Frankfurt, Zürich, Warsaw, Brussels and Istanbul. There are several ways to complete the journey between the two:
–Taxi – 25 minutes (about €60-70)
–Bus – 30 minutes (about €4) – The bus runs about once per hour, you can find more information and the timetable here.
–Private Transfer – 25 minutes – We have often had great experiences throughout Europe with Welcome Pickups for airport pickups. Similar prices to taxis but without the wait or hassle.
–Shared Transfer – 25-40 minutes – To reduce the cost of planned transfers, GoOpti offers excellent shared transfers throughout Northern Italy, Slovenia, Croatia and eastern Austria.
About Lake Bled
Lake Bled is a lake of mixed glacial and tectonic origin in the Julian Alps of northwestern Slovenia, where it adjoins the town of Bled. The lake, which is 2,120 m (6,960 ft) long and 1,380 m (4,530 ft) wide, with a maximum depth of 29.5 m (97 ft), is located in a stunning environment, surrounded by mountains and forests. The lake color will dazzle you, particularly as it changes during the day based on the angle at which the sunlight reflects on the surface, ranging from a deep blue-green to a clear sapphire blue.
The Medieval Bled Castle is built on a precipice overlooking Lake Bled and is currently one of the most visited tourist attractions in Slovenia. The lake itself surrounds Bled Island, where you will find the pilgrimage church (and its 50m high tower) dedicated to the Assumption of Mary, built in its current form near the end of the 17th century.
As you can see, there are many things to see and do around Lake Bled, so we’ve dedicated several travel guides to the area. In addition to this Best Things to See and Do in Lake Bled guide, we have also put together the following guides:
–Best Hikes and Walks around Lake Bled, where we will highlight some of our favourite walking and hiking trails in the area.
–Best Photo Spots and Viewpoints Around Lake Bled, where we present all the best spots to get the best pictures of the Lake, the Castle, and more!
–Best Day Trips from Lake Bled (coming soon), a guide that can be useful if you are planning to stay a few days in Bled and would like to explore what else the region has to offer.
Best Things to See and Do in Lake Bled
1) Loop Around the Lake
We have been to Lake Bled many times, and this is always the first thing we do in town. You can either loop around the lake on foot or by bicycle, but we prefer to do it on foot since it’s only a 6 km walk (about 1h30 at a leisurely pace), which allows you to soak in the scenery and stop for pictures easily.
The lake trail is easy to reach from Bled, as there are multiple access points. Simply walk towards the lake and you are bound to find a path that leads to the lake trail.
If you don’t want to walk the entire loop, then we recommend walking following a clockwise direction from the town of Bled (along the southern lake shore), as this is the most scenic side of the lake, from which you will get the best views of the Castle and Bled Island.
Several parks and green spaces populate the eastern end of the lake (between the lake and the town) with several sculptures, gazebos and fountains. The lake’s largest beach and best hiking trail are located on the western end of the lake (more details on the beach and the hiking trails are provided further below).
2) Visit Bled Island
It’s hard to disagree with how photogenic Bled Island is, with the small church sitting above a long stone staircase.
The island isn’t very large, but we’d argue it’s still definitely worth a visit. The main attraction is the 17th-century Baroque Church of the Mother of God on the Lake (also often referred to as the Church of the Assumption). To reach the church you’ll have the climb the 99-step staircase, which was built in 1655. Many weddings take place here, and the Slovenian tradition is that the groom has to carry the bride up all 99 steps.
The island is free to visit, but there is a small entrance fee (€6 in 2024) to enter the church. The entrance fee includes access to the bell tower and the museum exhibition in the Provost’s House. One fun thing to do when visiting the church is to ring the church bell (free of charge if you already paid the church entrance fee), which is said to bring good luck to all those who do.
There’s also a small café on the island, Poticnica, where you can sample Slovenia’s famous Bled cream cake (Blejska kremšnita). Although popular throughout the country, the pastry was originally developed by the former manager of Bled’s Park Hotel Patisserie in 1953.
Bled Island and Church History
– Before there ever was a church, there was a pagan temple on Bled Island, dedicated to the Slavic goddess of life and fertility.
– The first brick-built church on the island was consecrated in 1142, then rebuilt in Gothic style in the 15th century.
– The current shape of the church has been preserved since the 17th century when it was restored in the Baroque style after a second earthquake.
-The bell tower was built in the 15th century but has since been renovated several times following heavy damage resulting from two earthquakes and a lightning strike in 1688.
How to Get to Bled Island
There are mainly two ways to reach the island, by renting a rowboat (more on rowboat rentals below) or hitching a ride on a traditional pletna boat. Pletna boats have been the traditional means to reach the island since the 16th century — they are handmade flat-bottom wooden boats, partially designed on the Venetian Gondola, but with unique features such as a pointed bow, a widened stern and a step to enable passengers to enter. Pletna boats can typically carry 18 passengers at a time and are propelled with a special rowing technique where the oarsman is standing and rowing with two oars.
You can find pletna boats docked at several locations around Lake Bled, including this spot near Hotel Park and the most popular spot in Port Mlino. The going rate for a ride is €18 in 2024 (€10 for children). Pletna boats are usually in service year-round except if the lake freezes or in the event of very strong winds, and typically dock at the bottom of the 99-step staircase. Pletna oarsmen usually wait until the boat reaches full capacity before departing for the island. Once you’ve docked at the island, you will have about 45 minutes to explore the island and the church before having to return on the same pletna boat you arrived in.
3) Visit Bled Castle
Perched atop a steep precipice overlooking Lake Bled, the majestic Bled Castle is believed to be the oldest castle in Slovenia and recently celebrated its one-thousandth anniversary in 2011. Though the castle’s medieval foundations date from the early 11th century, most of what you see today dates from the 16th century.
Tickets to Bled Castle include entry into the lower, middle and upper courtyards, castle printing works, the castle museum, the tower gallery, the gothic chapel, and the Bled Castle Restaurant (though meals come at an additional cost). The castle also regularly hosts wine tastings in the castle cellar.
As scenic as Bled Castle is, you don’t need a lot of time to visit – you can easily see all the courtyards and exhibits in about 30 to 60 minutes. That being said, you might want to linger around longer to admire the stunning views from the Castle terrasse. There’s also an outdoor Coffeeshop on the terrasse (open May – November) serving all sorts of beverages and snacks (which are admittedly somewhat overpriced) to keep you replenished while you admire the Lake Bled scenery from above.
How to Reach Bled Castle
The simplest way to reach Bled Castle is to walk there from town. It’s a 15-to-30-minute walk depending on your starting point in Bled, though the final portion of the walk is along a steep hill to reach the castle gate. From the lakeside park in front of the town or the lakeside promenade, there are several paths that lead up to the castle through a scenic forest.
If you prefer to come by car or are visiting from out of town, the castle has two parking areas. Parking area 1 charges €3/hour whereas parking area 2 charges €1.5/hour (2024) – however parking area 2 requires you to walk uphill for about 10 minutes.
Bled Castle Entrance Fee and Operating Hours
Bled Castle is open year-round, including all public holidays.
April to October: 8 am – 8 pm
November to March: 8 am – 6 pm.
The adult entrance fee is €18 (reduced fees for children. Consult the official castle website for up-to-date schedules and fees. Though not required, you can purchase tickets online ahead of time and the tickets are valid for one year after the date of purchase.
4) Hike the Hills Around Lake Bled
There are several easy-to-moderate hikes around Lake Bled (more difficult challenging hikes are found in the nearby Triglav National Park). For the most part, the trails are fairly short while also being quite steep. Our favorite and also probably the area’s most popular hike is the Mala Osojnica trail, which is the perfect example of a short (2 km, including return) but steep trail (nearly 200 m elevation gain). Your effort is rewarded with a post-card-perfect view of Lake Bled and its beautiful surroundings.
The trail also has several variants and potential add-ons that add both distance and additional viewpoints, which we present along with other Bled trails in our guide on the Best Hikes and Walks around Lake Bled.
6) Visit Vintgar Gorge
Though not technically in Bled, the Vintgar Gorge is close to the town (within walking distance) we preferred to include it here. Because of its proximity to Lake Bled, it’s occasionally called “Bled Gorge.”
Located in Triglav National Park, Vintgar Gorge is a must-visit in our opinion for anyone who is spending more than a day in Lake Bled. The gorge itself is stunning and wooden boardwalks follow the gorge’s walls and run for approximately 1.6 km.
The boardwalks also cross the river on several occasions giving you spectacular vantage points to capture some of the river’s various features, including small pools, falls, and rapids.
We have typically walked to Vintgar Gorge, but another fun way to get there is via a self-guided e-bike tour:
For more information on visiting the gorge, including opening hours and access fees, check out our Vintgar Gorge Hiking and Visiting Guide.
6) Go Wine Tasting
Although Slovenia isn’t necessarily the first name that comes to mind when thinking about wine countries, it is nonetheless home to nine distinct wine-making regions that are increasingly gaining international recognition with each passing year.
Wine-making in Slovenia existed long before the Romans introduced winemaking to France, Germany and Spain, and today Slovenia has over 28,000 wineries, producing upward of 80 million litres of wine annually (75% of which is white wine). For an authentic experience when visiting, choose from various native Slovenian grape varieties like Zelen, Rebula, and Pinela.
Fun fact: The oldest grapevine in the world is the Žametovka vine, also known as the Old Vine or Modra Kavcina, and is located in Maribor, Slovenia. The vine is over 400 years old and has been producing wine grapes since the 17th century. Today it only produces on average 100 lbs of grapes, which are fermented and put into about 100 miniature bottles.
During our multiple visits to Bled, one of our favorite activities to do in town was a fantastic Bled Wine Tasting Experience that takes place in a 100-year-old cellar in the center of Bled. It’s a great opportunity to try some of the best Slovenian wines, learn about the country’s culture and geography, and get introduced to Slovenia’s winemaking tradition while enjoying the atmosphere of an old wine cellar and snacking on delicious appetizers:
7) Spend Some Time on the Lake
The calm waters of Lake Bled are a great place to spend some relaxing moments while enjoying the enchanting scenery of its surroundings. The two best ways to enjoy your time on your lake are to rent either a rowboat or a stand-up paddleboard (SUP). There are several spots around the lake from which you can rent equipment, such as this spot just north of the island or this spot just south of it, near where most pletna boats depart.
The current going rate for a rowboat rental is about €25 per hour for a small boat (4 people) and €30 for a larger boat (2024 prices). To hire a SUP, you can expect to pay between €12 and €15 per hour. If you choose to visit Bled Island with a rowboat or SUP, you might need to plan for a 2-hour rental to not rush your time on the island, especially if your departure point is close to the town of Bled on the eastern side of the lake. Once you reach the island, you will typically be instructed to dock your rowboat on the far side of the island (opposite the huge staircase).
8) Spend Some Time at the Beach
There are several designated bathing areas on the lake’s shores, including public beaches and lidos, which were selected to avoid being in the paths of the pletna boats going to and from the island. The water temperature in Lake Bled is usually between 22°C (72°F) and 25°C in the summer.
The main beach area is Velika Zaka (though it is still kind of a small pebble beach), located at the western end of the lake. Another popular swimming spot just north of there is Mala Zaka, which is more park with platforms to jump into the water than a proper beach.
A more fun area to hang out with kids is probably Grajsko Kopališce, a bathing area near the castle (open from June until September). The area has a natural swimming pool with slides, diving areas, water games, and sun loungers with umbrellas. There are also playgrounds, a sandpit and table tennis.
9) Ride the Toboggans down Straza Hill
Another fun thing to do while in town is to slide your way down Straza Hill along a summer toboggan run. Straza can be accessed from several paths with different starting points around the hill, as described in our guide on Bled’s hiking trails here. There is no need to hike up the mountain if you don’t want to, as you can use the chairlift that is located by this car park. Coming back down can be even more fun if you do so via the toboggan slide along the 520-metre-long track down the hill. We did it once and it was a lot of fun!
On top of the fun ride, you’ll get to enjoy great views of Bled Castle. You can check up-to-date chairlift and toboggan ride prices here.
10) Other Bled Activities That Might Interest You
E-Bike Rental to Tour Lake Bled
See-Through Kayak Tour on Lake Bled
A Full Day of Canyonining and Rafting Just Outside of Bled
Where to Eat In Bled
There are several great restaurants in Bled, here are some of our favorites:
– Old Cellar Bled: Easily our favorite meal in Slovenia. Where warm and cozy atmosphere meat high-end cuisine.
– Pizzeria Rustika: The best pizzas in town, with a large outdoor patio in a peaceful area near the castle.
– Restavracija Central Bled: Delicious traditional Slovene food in a cozy and rustic wooden decor.
– Gostilna Pri Planincu: More authentic Slovene food, and we loved their alleyway outdoor seating area.
– For a unique dining experience, you might want to consider dining at Bled Castle Restaurant offers outdoor terrace dining with stunning views.
– We touched on Bled’s famous cream cake earlier, but if you want to eat one from the original establishment, head to Kavarna Park Café across from Hotel Park. The cake is primarily made from a delicious vanilla custard, topped with whipped cream and a crispy layer of butter dough.
Where to Stay in Lake Bled
There are multiple accommodations to choose from in Bled if you would like to base yourself here during your time in Slovenia, and we highly recommend that you do. The area around Lake Bled has so much to offer and the town of Bled is centrally located between several great destinations that you can visit on a day trip.
Bled Rose Hotel – A cute little hotel with modern decor tucked in the center of town, near Bled Castle.
Hotel Park – This is Bled’s largest hotel with 218 rooms, and it’s your best bet to get a room with awesome lake views (and Castle views). The hotel also has a large pool and sauna.
Hotel Starkl – this hotel has cute and modern rooms and is located along the southern lakeshore outside of town for a more quiet and remote experience (though the town is still just a 20-minute walk away).
Best Time to Visit Lake Bled
We are fans of visiting during shoulder season, which maximizes your chance of having good weather with fewer crowds. We’ve been to Bled a few times and particularly enjoy visiting in September when the colours are starting to change – and we can imagine the autumn colours really popping in October. Another reason we like September is that the daylight hours are still long enough to plan lots of outdoor time and the light is much softer for photography than when it is higher in the sky during the summer months.
Winter in Lake Bled can be equally beautiful if not magical when there is snow – but it can also be quite dull and dark if there isn’t any significant snow accumulation. Your best chance for snow is probably around the Christmas Holidays and during the month of January.
Best Day Trips From Lake Bled
Although Ljubljana might be more centrally located in the country, Lake Bled’s position also makes it an ideal base from which you can explore several fantastic destinations located within about an hour’s drive. These destinations include impressive scenic alpine plateaus, one of the world’s largest underground canyons, small towns with historic medieval centers, Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana, caves filled with impressive stalagmites and stalactites, medieval castles, vineyards, and another scenic alpine lake even larger than Lake Bled. We describe all these destinations in greater detail in our guide on the Best Days Trips from Lake Bled.
Photography Gear
If you like our photography, you might be interested in some of the gear we use to shoot our travel and hiking destinations.
Camera Body – Nikon Z 6ii Fx-series Mirrorless Body
Main Lens – NIKON 24-120mm F/4G ED VR AF-S
Zoom Lens – Sigma 745-306 150-600mm f/5-6.3
Polarizing filters – Urth Circular Polarizing (CPL)
Camera Tripod – K&F Concept 64-inch Camera Tripod
Mini-tripod – Lammcou Flexible Camera Tripod
Camera/hiking backpack – Vanguard Alta Rise 48 Backpack
Universal Travel Adapter – VYLEE Universal International Power Travel Plug
Other Travel Essentials
Travel Insurance
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e-Sim cards
Airalo is the world’s first and largest eSIM store with eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions worldwide. With Airalo eSIMs, travellers can get connected the moment they land at their destination and avoid nasty data roaming charges
eSIMS are a sustainable alternative to single-use SIM cards – they are 100% digital, require less energy to produce and be re-used rather than disposed of.
Car Rentals
Discover Cars is our go-to website for car rentals. We almost always find our preferred rate there.
Transfer from Airport
Welcome Pickups is our favourite private transfer service, which you can pre-book at a fixed price. Currently available in 220 cities all over the world (mostly in Europe, but with several major cities in Asia, the Middle East and the US).
Kiwitaxi is another private transfer service – we haven’t tried it yet, but it’s currently available in a few more countries (102 as of 2024).
Hotels and Accommodations (coming soon)
Photography Prints
If you found this blog useful, you can help support our blog by purchasing low-cost digital prints. Printed physical prints are also available for purchase.
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Well, that wraps it up! We hope you enjoyed our guide on the Best Things to See and Do in Lake Bled and that it will prove useful for planning your trip.
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