Lake Bled is probably one of the most beautiful and also most popular tourist destinations in Slovenia. Bled is located at the glacial lake, Lake Bled. This area is a perfect place for a weekend trip, but for a longer period as well. Especially, if you like hiking and nature as it is in the foothills of the Julian Alps.
You can drive there, it is about 4-5 hours drive both from Budapest and from Vienna.
Visiting Bled is a great decision at any time of the year, it is charming in all of the seasons.
We were there in February. We were lucky with the weather because we had a beautiful sunny weekend and at the same time, on the small hill, overlooking the lake, people were skiing. :)
What you shouldn’t miss when visiting Lake Bled:
Visiting Bled Castle
Renting a boat and paddling to the tiny little island in the middle of the lake
Walking around Lake Bled
Hiking to Mala Osojnica to the panoramic view
Visiting and walking around Lake Bohinj
Hiking at Mostnica Gorge, and finding the Elephant Rock
Visiting Bled Castle
The Bled Castle is built on a cliff above town Bled, overlooking the stunningly beautiful town Bled, Lake Bled, and the hills around.
Inside the c,astle you can get to know the history of Lake Bled in the Historical Museum. If you are a fan of wines, then I recommend you to visit the castle’s wine cellar, where there is a demonstration of wine-bottling from oak barrels and visitors have the possibility to fill a bottle as a souvenir, cork it and wax it, and they even get a bottling certificate at the end.
Renting a boat and paddling to the tiny little island in the middle of the lake
Most of the photos that you can see of Lake Bled are showing the lake with the tiny island in the middle with its gorgeous bell tower.
There is only one way to visit the small island, namely paddling over with a small rental boat.
I would recommend you to not miss this amazing experience. There are a couple of boat rentals at the south shore of the lake. And you can rent boats already from 10-20 EUR/hour, depending on the type of the boat.
Paddle a bit around the lake, and make sure to also visit the small island and the Bell Tower in the middle. If the tiny port for the boats is full, then parking at the island can be challenging and funny, but don’t give up, it is a great experience.
Walking around Lake Bled
Take a walk around the lake, to admire the castle, the little island and the mountains from different views. And to take a rest stop by at one of the lake-side cafés under the castle and try out the famous Slovenian Lake Bled Cream Cake.
Hiking to Mala Osojnica viewpoint
This is the place where you can see the iconic panoramas of Lake Bled. It is a short but quite steep hike, and it's definitely worth the effort. The view from the top is amazing. Make sure to go there before sunset, until the hill’s shadow doesn’t cover the lake.
Visiting and walking around Lake Bohinj
Lake Bohinj is a nearby lake, just 27 km away from Lake Bled. It is less popular therefore way less crowded. But it has a lot of beautiful hikes and viewpoints around. If you just choose one hike in the surroundings, then go for the hike at Mostnica Gorge.
It is a wooded valley with riverside hiking trails passing waterfalls, pools and mountain-backed meadows. Follow the Gorge and you will be able to walk quite close to the water. Make sure to look for the Elephant Rock on your way! :)
I hope my short post will help you to find the best spots during your visit to the area of Lake Bled.
And for a longer stay in Slovenia, there are many other great program options: longer hikes, rafting, canyoning for adventure-lovers, and even little seaside beaches.
Have a nice day,
Berni
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