Lake Bled is Slovenia’s natural treasure. Here you will find a picturesque lake of a deep blue color with an island plopped right in the middle of it… it looks like something right out of a postcard! It’s easy to make a day trip here from nearby capital Ljubljana – here’s how to do it, why it’s totally worth the visit, where to find the best views of the lake!
How to get there:
From Ljubljana’s central bus station (Avtobusna Postaja Ljubljana) there are hourly buses leaving for Lake Bled. The ticket cost is €7 for a one way ticket, but there are discounts available for students. The bus takes just under an hour and a half and drops you off in Lake Bled’s bus station, where you can easily walk 5 minutes downwards to reach the lake! Make sure you take an early bus from Ljubljana to beat the crowds and to see Lake Bled in the best light.
Getting around:
The walking trails along the lake practically beg you to take a leisurely stroll. The lake is pretty large, though, and takes well over an hour to walk the perimeter of the entire thing, returning to your starting point at the town. There are bike rentals available to bike ride around the lake, and also little boat rides that can either whisk you across, or take you to the island in the middle of the lake. Kayaking is also available for exploring the lake as well!
What to do:
The best thing to do at Lake Bled is to simply revel in the atmosphere and spend all your time outdoors. Take a walk around the lake, a bike ride, bring your bathing suit and go swimming, rent kayaks.. any way you choose to enjoy the nature around you will be time well spent! A popular tourist attraction is swimming or kayaking to the island in the middle of the lake and discovering the Gothic Church (the most isolated Gothic Church in the world? Haha not sure…) that lies there. There is also the Bled Castle, which according to legend, is the oldest castle in the country. After a €9 entrance fee, you can enjoy amazing views of the lake from above.
But the VERY BEST views of Lake Bled can be found after a hike up a mountain. There is a hill on the west side of the lake called Ojstrica, and on the top of it are those classic Lake Bled views that you see plastered all over post cards and guide books. Since I was sort of lost the whole time finding the hike and didn’t take careful note of how I got to the top, I found this link here where you can read exactly how to reach the trail head and how to find the viewpoint! Once you reach the top after a muddy, uphill hike, you’ll have an aerial view of the lake, the island in the middle, and the surrounding mountains beyond. Simply spectacular!
Whenever you feel like you’ve spent enough time appreciating the beauty of Lake Bled, walk back to the bus station and wait for the next bus back to Ljubljana! Taking a day trip here was easy as pie, and probably my favorite memory from visiting Slovenia!
