theworldbyemstagramLake Bled was my main reason for going to Slovenia. Found in the Julian Alps in the northwestern area of the country, Lake Bled is located at 55km from the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana, it an excellent day trip. This unmissable spot needs to be enjoyed to the full, so here’s my Lake Bled Travel Guide to ensure you get the most out of your time here!
LAKE BLED TRAVEL GUIDE
How to get to Lake Bled Slovenia
It is popular to make a Lake Bled day trip from Ljubljana, the Slovenia capital. The distance from Ljubljana to Lake Bled is just 54.5km, so it can easily be reached by either train or bus. The closest train station to Lake Bled is Bled Jezero, whilst the slighter larger station Lesce-Bled is 4.2km from the lake. I visited Lake Bled during my interrailing trip in Summer 2018. Trains were included in the price of my Interrail pass. I got a train from Ljubljana to Jezenice, and then caught a connecting train from Jezenice to Bled Jezero. There is also a bus station in Lake Bled town, located at Cesta Svobode 4. The Ljubljana-Bled bus takes around 1 hour 20 minutes.
Food and Drink at Lake Bled Slovenia
Caffe Peglez’n
Enjoy a coffee overlooking the lake! You can sit outside on their decking if it’s a nice day. Make sure you order a slice of Bled Cream Cake – you won’t regret it! The surrounding area of the lake, mountains and trees make this the idyllic coffee spot.
A bit about Bled Cream Cake…
This cake originates from the Lake Bled Park Hotel, where the recipe was devised by Istvan Lakacevic in 1953. The cake consists of puff pastry made with butter, filled with whipped cream and custard and topped with icing sugar. Is your mouth watering yet?
Lake Bled Activities
Straza Toboggan
This hill is used as a ski slope for winter sports throughout the Lake Bled winter, but in the summer it’s home to a fabulous toboggan run! You can get to the top by either walking up or taking the cable car. The combined price for the toboggan and the chair lift is 9€. The views get more and more stunning the higher you get. There’s the ideal photo opportunity at the top at what is considered to be one of the most beautiful viewpoints in the area.
The toboggan run back down to the bottom is very fast and very steep, but lovable all the same. I 100% recommend doing this if you’re here in the summer. You get your photo taken half way down the run, which you can buy for around 4€. The toboggan doesn’t operate in rain, snow or temperatures below 10C. The chairlift and toboggan are open from 10-8.
Hike up Ojstrica
No Lake Bled Travel Guide would be complete without this viewpoint, which gives an amazing panoramic view over the lake and across the surrounding mountains. The climb up here really isn’t too difficult – I would say around a easy-moderate ability. To get to the trail walk in the direction of ‘Camping Bled’. Just before / after Camping Bled, you will find a wooden sign saying “Ojdstrica” and “Osojnica”. This is where the trail begins!
The climb will take around 20-40 minutes. Part way up you will come across a sign which partitions the trail into “Ojstrica” and “Mala Osojinca”. Keep on the path for Ojstrica – you aren’t far away now! If you are up for more of a challenge, take the further 30 minute hike up to the upper Mala Osojinca!
Lake Bled Swimming
You can’t swim in all of the lake but there are sections where swimming is permitted. On a hot summers day it’s the perfect place to have a cool dip, and then sunbathe on the bank at the side!
Lake Bled Castle
Lake Bled Castle is the oldest castle in Slovenia, dating back to as early as 1011. It can be found 130m above the lake. The walk up the castle takes about 20 minutes.
Visit Vintgar Gorge
‘Soteska Vintgar’ is a 1.6km gorge through the Hom and Borst Hills, located around 4km north of Bled. I got here by taking the train from Bled Jezero to Podhom, and then walked around 20 minutes to the Gorge. I really enjoyed making this short walk as it was through a beautiful, remote village. There’s a 5€ entry fee to Vintgar Gorge which entitles you to the 90 minute walk through the park, ending at a bridge overlooking the 13m high Sum waterfall. I couldn’t recommend visiting Vintgar Gorge enough and taking the time away from Lake Bled to do so!
For more information on visiting Vintgar Gorge, check out Earth Trekker’s Ultimate Guide!
Take a trip from Lake Bled to Lake Bohinj
The less touristy Lake Bohinj is the largest permanent lake in Slovenia. It’s found in the Bohinj Valley of the Julian Alps and is part of Triglav National Park.
Lake Bled Accommodation
Whilst I only made a day trip here, Lake Bled is definitely a place that would be amazing to stay in! There are a variety of backpacker friendly Lake Bled hostels available or you might want to try Lake Bled camping at a nearby campsite.
Don’t forget to find out more about what you can do in Slovenia in my Ljubljana Travel Guide! And if this post hasn’t convinced you enough that Lake Bled is a must visit, here are 7 of the best things to at Lake Bled Slovenia.
Just beautiful. Lovely colours. Seems an amazing place 👌
[…] Before visiting Bled for the first time? Check out this travel guide so you know what to do there – read mine here! […]