Visit Lake Bled in Slovenia: What to do in lake Bled? Where is lake bled?

Lake Bled is one of the most popular tourist sites in Slovenia: it’s a majestic lake surrounded by mountains, with a small island in the middle where there is a white church, overhung by a castle in the distance. Incidentally, it’s a place that is often found in pictures on Instagram. It’s very touristy in summer, but more beautiful to see in real life than in pictures, I must admit.

Anyway, it’s really worth it if you travel to Slovenia.

How much does it cost?

Good news, it’s free! However, the visit of the castle costs 9€ and to visit the church on the lake in the middle of the lake you will have to pay 12€ for the return trip by boat (unless you swim there – feasible). I didn’t visit them because I didn’t have time and I read on this blog that it wasn’t worth going to the island…

How to get to Lake Bled?

The lake is located 50km northwest of the capital (about 45 minutes by car).

You can take the bus from Ljubljana to lake Bled: Buses leave from Ljubljana station (around €6-7). Then it’s a 1h15 drive. Some buses have WIFI.

To buy your ticket, go to the kiosk located to the left of the station where it says “BUS STATION”.

Alternatively, you can take a direct bus ticket to Lake Bohinj (around €10 per person) and then return by bus to Lake Bled and Ljubljana.

Where to stay in lake Bled?

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Lake Bohinj or lake Bled? Which one is better?

I visited both lakes and the Vingtar Gorge in one day, without hurrying too much. That said, I would have preferred to spend a little more time at Lake Bohinj to do some activities (hiking, kayaking and paragliding).

The ideal thing would be to spend a night in Bohinj and then a night in Bled. In any case, it’s easy to travel between the two places by bus. Of course, it’s best to have your own vehicle.

The main differences are as follows: at Lake Bled, the water is less clear but warmer than at Bohinj. There are fewer people at Lake Bohinj, it’s quieter and there is also less traffic.

However, there are more things to do in the evening in Bled. There is a cycle path around Lake Bled, but Lake Bohinj is a little more “natural”.

A few tips to visit lake Bled

• You can walk around the lake in a little over an hour but it is better to rent a bike, it will allow you to go to the Vingtar gorges.
• Take a bathing suit and buy enough to have a picnic in Ljubljana.
• If you have time, climb up to the castle to enjoy the view.
• To take beautiful pictures of the island with the church and castle in the background, the best spot is to the south of the lake.
• Remember to download an offline map of Bled before you leave: the maps.me application is very useful.
• You will find a map of Lake Bled to download in PDF at this address.
• Hiking #6 (Ojstrica) indicated on the maps leads to a beautiful viewpoint. Plan 20 min. of walking. (read on Tripadvisor).
• For other points of view, follow the signs to Mala Osojnica (easy) or Velika Osojnica (more difficult).
• Spend a night in Bled, it will allow you to take beautiful pictures in the morning and really enjoy the place.
• If you have a small budget, avoid the excursions at more than 40€ that hotels offer from Ljubljana… a round trip by bus costs about 13€ from the station, so save a little money.
• For those who are interested, there is a place of the same “style” and vibe in Hallstatt, Austria.

Where is lake Bled located?

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VERDICT

WHAT’S GOOD

✅ Very pretty place
✅ Easily accessible from Ljubljana
✅ Free!

WHAT’S BAD

❌ The water is not as clear as at Lake Bohinj
❌ Not much to do except swim and go around the lake

 RATING: ♥♥♥♥♥

_A very photogenic place, free and easily accessible from Ljubljana… what more could you ask for? Just remember: you can visit Lake Bled, Bohinj and Vingtar in one day, but it’s better spending one or two nights there.

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