As the pictures here will attest, Lake Bled is one of the most stunningly beautiful places on earth. This small town built around this gorgeous lake is the perfect place to spend anywhere from 2-4 days. Plan on taking a relaxing walk or bike ride around the lake, check out the castle on the hill and the church on the island in the middle of the lake, take a row boat ride and eat good food and drink good wine while taking in the out of this world scenery. If you want to pair this decidedly relaxing spot with some outdoor activities check out our recommendations under “Day Trips from Lake Bled.”
Where to Stay in Lake Bled
When picking a place to stay in Lake Bled you should be aware of the following things:
1) You want to stay at a place that is right there on the lake. It doesn’t matter where on the lake. Everything is within walking distance and you’ll circle the lake during your trip no matter where you stay. Don’t worry too much about location as long as you are on the Lake.
2) Don’t worry about being near the town. The town is small, you can easily walk there from pretty much anywhere you stay, and there’s not a ton that you’ll want to do there.
3) This is a relaxing outdoors vacation. You’ll spend time walking around the lake, hiking up to the castle, taking a row boat out on the lake, biking, and just relaxing and taking in the beauty of the lake. Pick a spot that give you access to the lake…that’s the star of the show.
Things to Do in Lake Bled
2) Take a rowboat to the island church at the center of Lake Bled. There are a couple of rowboat rental stands around the lake where you can rent a rowboat for about 20EUR. You usually can walk right up and grab a rowboat or your hotel can set up your rental for you. If you don’t feel like rowing yourself there are group boats where they will row you and a handful of other people out to the island.
3) Check out Bled Castle. High up on the hill situated right up against Lake Bled is a fantastic medieval castle. Within the castle complex is a medieval wine cellar where you can taste wine with an old monk that overseas the entire operation. There is also an apiary, specializing in honey products, a medieval printing press, a medieval blacksmith, a museum, a cafe and a fantastic restaurant. With your entrance you will get a ticket that can be used for one free wine tasting, one free bookmark at the printing press, a coin from the blacksmith or a sample of the apiaries honey. You can hike up to the mountain in what is a steep, but rather simple and easy walk on a well defined path. If you’d prefer to skip the hiking there is a train tram car that shuttles people from the base to the castle entrance. You can also drive and park in the castles parking lot.
4) Have dinner at Bled Castle Restaurant. Sitting atop Lake Bled, with the best view around, is a fantastic restaurant situated right in the center of Bled Castle. The food is wonderful and the tasting menu is very reasonably priced.
5) Have a wine tasting in a 150 year old wine cellar with Wine Tasting Bled. Boris is the most fun sommelier you’ll ever do a tasting with. He’s a loud, friendly, passionate wine expert with a heavy slavic accent who will make you fall in love with his incredible Slovenian orange wines almost as much as you fall in love with him. His wines are second to none. His orange wines (which you can read more about HERE in our section on Slovenian wines) are some of the most unique and delicious wines you’ll ever drink. They will literally change your idea of what a wine can be and how damn good a glass of wine can really be. He also has some great white wines and a couple heavy reds, particularly a red aged 5 years in French oak, that are simply out of this world. The red that was aged for 5 years in French oak is the type of wine that you’d pay $350 a bottle for in France. Boris sells this bottle for 20EUR. If you book this wine tasting, over the course of a couple hours in the evening you will try 7 different wines along with cheese and charcuterie as well as a couple special chocolate pairings all for about 45EUR. It’s the best deal in Europe. If you can’t make it to the evening tasting, Boris will create a personal tasting for you if you contact him in advance and he’s available that day.
6) Try a slice of Bled Cream Cake. Lake Bled in Slovenia makes hands down the best cream cake in the world. The original Bled Cream Cake was invented in 1953 by Ištvan Lukačevič, the former manager of Park Hotel Patisserie. To this day the classic, original recipe, Bled Cream Cake is made daily at Kavarna Park, opposite the Park Hotel.
7) Hike to Mala Osojnica. For the best view of Lake Bled take a hike to Mala Osojnica. Click HERE for more information on the hike.
8) Ride Toboggan at Straza Bled. From Spring to Autumn you can ride down the mountains in a monorail toboggan in one of the most fun Alpine activities you can do anywhere on Earth.
9) Take a food tour of classic Slovenian cuisine. Click HERE to check out Food Tour Bled.
10) Church of the Assumption of Maria. When you take the row boat out to the island at the center of Lake Bled the main attraction on the island is a church named the Church of the Assumption of Maria. Here you can climb an ancient clock tower that still functions, visit the tiny church and ring its wishing bell, and, finally, you can grab a drink or ice cream at the small cafe. The entire trip, including the boat ride out there takes about an hour.
Day Trips from Lake Bled
Triglav National Park
A mountain paradise along the Julian Alps where you can engage in dozens of physical activities like hiking, kayaking, biking, swimming, etc. Click HERE for more information.
Vintgar Gorge
Located just 4km Northwest of Bled is one of Slovenia’s most gorgeous (pun intended) natural wonders, Vintgar Gorge. Cutting through the bedrock the Radovna River creates stunning gorges, waterfalls, pools and rapids. The gorge does not take long to experience as it’s only 1.6km long. Just make sure they are open as poor weather conditions close the gorge to the public. The gorge is otherwise open from Spring to Autumn to the general public.
Lake Bohinj
Not as famous as its sister, Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj has some of the clearest waters in the world. If you have some extra time, make sure to take a trip out to visit this gorgeous lake. Located within Triglav National Park this is a must stop if you decide to explore Triglav. If you have to pick between Bled or Bohinj, though, the choice is pretty obvious…go to Lake Bled. Click HERE for more information on Lake Bohinj. There are a ton of activities from horseback riding, hiking, biking, mountain climbing, fly fishing, and many others that you can check out. There’s even the Bohinj Cheese Trail where you can sample the characteristic Bohinj cheese, Mohant, and learn about how it’s made.
The greatest restaurant of all time – Gostišče Grič
Please click on the photo above to visit our entire post dedicated to this gem of a restaurant that is an hours drive outside of Lake Bled, but worth every second of that drive for the once in a lifetime meal you’ll experience.
Oh and if you’re into straight up nightmare fuel…don’t miss out on the wax sculptures of ancient Slavic people exhibit at Bled Castle. Your dreams will be forever haunted:
why?