Arriving at Lake Bled feels like you’ve stepped into the pages of a fairytale, but this magical lakeside town has so much to offer active and adventure travellers. This picture-postcard town is full of traditional Slovenian-style buildings set around a glacier-fed lake, set against a backdrop of the Julian Alps. Lake Bled may have just become one of my favourite new places in Europe for the combination of hiking and activities for adrenaline-seekers. Combined with incredible natural beauty, a slower pace of life, amazing food and wine – it’s ticking all of my boxes.

Spending just a few days there after road tripping from Trieste, Italy, it has truly whet my appetite to explore more of Slovenia and the incredible hiking destinations nearby. Despite the short visit, one thing I loved was that it was possible to cram so much into our days around Lake Bled, making it a great destination to explore for a short break away in the Slovenian countryside.

This blog post covers the following:

  1. Everything You Need To Know Before Visiting Lake Bled
  2. Travelling to Lake Bled from the UK
  3. The Best Hotels & Hostels in Lake Bled
  4. The Best Places to Eat in Lake Bled
  5. A 3 Day Active and Adventure Itinerary for Lake Bled

 

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Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting Lake Bled

Lake Bled is a popular destination for tourists each year, but what is it about this enchanting and magical destination that captures the imagination of travellers? Honestly? It’s one of the most pristine and protected nature spots I have visited in Europe. While it does get busy in summer, it is also very possible to escape the crowds by visiting in the shoulder season or simply exploring more than just the lake area.

Did you know that Lake Bled was actually formed from the Bohinj glacier melting into the valley? The lake is now home to an abundance of wildlife, fish and diverse plant life which contribute to he unique ecosystem. The lake has also formed a series of thermal pools on on the East side of the lake, where the water doesn’t drop below 20ºC and this feeds into some of the nearby hotels.

How much time do you need in Lake Bled?

There is so much to do in Lake Bled and the surrounding area – but everything is quite close so you can easily fit a lot into just 2-3 days. Ideally, if you’re planning to hike and explore a lot of Triglav National Park, I’d recommend 3-4 days to allow time for longer hikes but you can hit the hotspots in less.

Is there much to do at Lake Bled?

There is so much to do at Lake Bled and no matter how much time you have there, you’ll likely leave already planning your next visit. It’s a good idea to do your research before you travel so you can make the most of your time there and choose whether you want to focus on an active or adventure break, a foodie trip or perhaps a more cultural visit. If you’re into hiking and getting outdoors, this 3-day itinerary will give you a jam-packed schedule of adventures for your visit.

What is the romantic thing to do in Lake Bled?

If you’re visiting Lake Bled with your love, the most romantic activity has to be getting a rowing boat and paddling across the lake like a scene from The Notebook. The scenery is beautiful, and you can stop at the enchanting Bled Island to visit the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary where if you ring the church bell, you can make a wish!

Can you travel solo to Lake Bled?

Lake Bled is a great place to solo travel because there are lots of budget-friendly accommodations and hostels that cater for solo travellers. There is so much to see and do in the area, but these types of accommodations are great for meeting other travellers so if you prefer to do activities with others, you will be in luck! It’s also super safe and the local people are very friendly, warm and welcoming – they would be eager to help you if you needed it. 

Travelling to Lake Bled from the UK

There are lots of options for travelling to Lake Bled from the UK, or perhaps you might be visiting after another destination in Europe. I’ve rounded up the overall costings for my three favourite options for travelling to Slovenia from the UK, but please do your own research and check booking platforms for up-to-date pricing.

1. Flying from the UK to Slovenia

This option is perfect for a long weekend or short break. Flights from the UK to Slovenia star from £47 to reach the capital, Ljubljana. The cheapest month to travel is in November, and the flight takes 2 hours and 14 minutes. British Airways and Easyjet are the airlines offering direct flights and there are around 12 flights a week.

2. Flying from the UK to Trieste, Italy

This is my favourite option for those wanting to take a longer trip. We found cheap flights to Trieste which were far better travel times for us so we decided to book these and enjoy a few days in Trieste and hire a car to road trip over to Slovenia. We were in Italy and Slovenia for 5/6 days. It was super easy to drive over there and the scenery was beautiful – highly recommend! Flights from the UK to Trieste, Italy, start from £36 and the cheapest month to travel is September. Ryanair and TUI offer direct flights and the flight takes two hours.

 

3. Catching the train from the UK to Slovenia

Planning on inter-railing or taking a multi-destination trip? Lake Bled is easy to incorporate into your trip and I definitely recommend stopping for a few days. You could travel by train from the UK, which takes around 20-21 hours (obviously you can break up the journey) or you could fly to another destination in Europe and then catch the train there.

The Best Hotels & Hostels in Lake Bled

There are so many amazing places to stay in Lake Bled for all budgets and all either with views across Lake Bled, or just a short walk away. If you are hiring a car, a lot of accommodations will also have parking either onsite or nearby – but always check beforehand to ensure you have a safe place to leave your vehicle overnight.

 

> READ: The 6 Best Backpacker Hostels in Lake Bled

> READ: The 10 Best Budget & Luxury Hotels in Lake Bled

 

The Best Places to Eat in Lake Bled

There are so many amazing restaurants in Lake Bled, and if you’re a bit of a foodie you’ll be very impressed with the variety of Slovenian food. I really recommend checking out:

  • Old Cellar Bled –  a 500 year old wine cellar with the best wine selection and high-quality, unique dishes
  • Garden Restaurant – home-grown ingredients, authentic and creative Slovenian dishes (veggie/vegan options)
  • Art Cafe Bled – lake views and delicious, fresh “kitchen art” to dine on all day long (veggie/vegan options)
  • Tale of Us – delicious fresh dishes with the wow factor – try the octopus with truffle!
  • Bled Castle Restaurant – eat the traditional Bled cake with a view of Bled Island and Lake Bled

A 3 Day Active & Adventure Itinerary for Lake Bled

If you’re like me and love getting active and seeking adventures on trips, this is the Lake Bled itinerary for you. When a place is this beautiful, trust me you won’t want to sit still. This is the exact itinerary I followed on my trip to Lake Bled and I had an amazing time. I was actually there for four days, but I know many people will visit over a weekend so I wanted to make the itinerary fit. I have provided an alternative itinerary for one of the days – so if you are there for longer, you could do both options on different days.

>> READ: 13 Best Lake Bled Activities for Adventure Travellers

1. Day 1 – A day exploring Lake Bled

  • Start the morning by picking up delicious pastries from Pekarna Planika
  • Then take a stroll around Lake Bled (6km walk)
  • Stop to hire a rowing boat (from Rent a Sup/boat Vila Bled €10 cheaper than others!)
  • Row around the lake and to Bled Island
  • Explore Bled Island & visit Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary where you can ring the bell to make your wish come true!
  • Continue your walk around the lake & head up to Bled Castle
  • Enjoy a traditional Bled cake at Bled Castle Restaurant with a view of Bled Island
  • You can also enjoy a wine tasting at Bled Castle – just look for the wine cellar (it’s cheap & no booking required!)
  • Finish the day with dinner at Old Cellar Bled before drinks at Devil’s Bar Bled

2. Day 2 – Explore Triglav National Park

You will need a hire car to access Triglav National Park independently and particularly some of these spots which are quite a drive from Lake Bled. Or another option is to book a full day tour such as Triglav National Park Treasures Tour.

Option 1:

  • Hire a car in Ljubljana
  • Pick up picnic supplies at the supermarket, pack water and sunscreen
  • Head to Vintgar Gorge early to miss the crowds – 5.5km hike easy
  • Drive to Savica Waterfall – 1.8km hike moderate
  • Stop at Vogar Viewpoint for a view of Lake Bohinj
  • Finish the day at Waterfall Kozjak – 3.5km hike easy
  • Dine out at Garden Restaurant or Art Cafe Bled – but be sure to book ahead as they can get busy!

Option 2:

If you fancy more of a challenge, or have an extra day to explore Triglav National Park, I really recommend the full day hike that we did while visiting. The Seven Lakes Valley Day Hike is around 20km and passes several beautiful alpine lakes and huts. The scenery is incredible and the hike is very challenging. It’s not for the faint-hearted but oh so worth it for those who go for it. We only saw 5 people the entire day!

3. Day 3 – Lake Bled’s viewpoints & adventures

  • Pick up a coffee and a pastry for the walk
  • Make sure to wear good trainers or walking shoes that can get dirty!
  • Hike up to one of the main Lake Bled viewpoints – I recommend Ojstrica
  • Get adventurous on Europe’s longest zipline or go tobogganing
  • Take a wild swim in Lake Bled
  • Visit the Postojna Cave park and nature reserve
  • Finish the day with a clear kayak tour of Lake Bled at sunset
  • Dinner at Tales of Us – try the truffle octopus!

Check out these awesome activities: