Don't Miss These 5 Fantastic Things in Lake Bled, Slovenia

Last updated on November 22nd, 2022 at 01:50 pm

Located in Slovenia’s Julian Alps, Lake Bled it is a remarkable sight to behold. When I was first researching activities for us in Slovenia, I was immediately drawn to this small village. With the church serenely perched on the island in the middle of a lake hugged by mountains, I knew it would be worth a visit. And, at the end of the day, I am gald that I was right. There are so many unique and wonderful things to experience in Lake Bled. I can’t believe I had never heard about it before!

Not only is it beautiful to look at, but the area also has a rich history that you can explore at the castle. I’ve also included two legends of Lake Bled at the bottom of this post for your reading enjoyment. 😉

***Disclaimer: be sure to check all entry requirements and regulations for Slovenia and/or any activities before booking anything.

How to get to Lake Bled

Only about 54 KM and just a 40 minute drive or a 1.5 hr public transit away from the capital of Ljubljana, Bled should absolutely be on everyone’s Slovenia travel list. There are multiple options for visiting from renting a car, taking public transit, or day trips arranged by private companies.

Things to Do While Visiting Lake Bled

5. Walk around the lake

For me, there is nothing like the simple pleasure of taking a stroll around a lake. And, the walking experience around Lake Bled does not disappoint. You will need about one hour to make your way around the lake at a reasonably slow speed (while also stopping to take pictures). And, believe me, you will want to take LOTS of pictures because the scenery is breathtaking!

Things to Note:

The path around the lake is pretty much limited to pedestrians, bikers, and rollerbladers and well maintained.

Along the path, you will have many fantastic opportunities to take photos of the castle and the Church of the Assumption of Maria, scout out places to join a boat ride on a Pletna, rent row boats or SUP boards, and familiarize yourself with the different beach/swimming options.

The best free swimming options such as the more popular Velika Zaka and also Mala Zaka as well as a paid area called Grajsko kopališče (the Castle Bathing area).

There is parking within reasonable walking distance to each of these locations: Velika Zaka, Mala Zaka, and Castle Bathing area. For more information about parking options around the Bled Lake, please go here.

4. Eat All the Slovenian Food

Experience Lake Bled Cream Cake

Blejska kremšnita is a delicious vanilla cream cake that was invented in Bled by Ištvan Lukačevič. (He was a former manager at the Park Hotel patisserie). You can see a photo of it above on the left hand side. You have two options to enjoy this tasty treat: eat it at the restaurant or take your cake to go. We decided to get our two slices to go to enjoy later in the evening. For more information on this tasty treat, please click here.

Enjoy Savoury Slovenian Sausages

From what we found during our time in Slovenia, the local cuisine is absolutely delicious. Everything we ate was abounding in rich, delicious flavor. Above you can also see some photos of local sausages that we got to try. I’m not going to lie, we’ve been living in Germany for over 3 years and these sausages out-did every sausage we’ve ever had in Germany. We ate these sausages at the Restavracija Central Bled specifically. (Just in case you want to go there also!). The photo in the middle is the Carnolian sausage with potato salad and mustard sauce. And, to the right is the Cevapcici sausage with fries, spicy paprika sauce, kaymak and onions. We were thoroughly impressed with both. 😀

Save the Best for Last

While the sausages were amazing, our absolute favorite Slovenian meal was at the Old Cellar Bled. I cannot recommend this restaurant enough. Not only do they source as much of their product as possible straight from Slovenia, they can also tell you all about the regions where the foods and the different local wines they offer come from. I personally had the 3 Course wine and meal dinner and my husband had a roasted lamb dish. Everything was cooked to perfection and presented beautifully. While this restaurant is certainly on the pricier side, it was worth every penny.

Insider Tip: my favorite of the three wines I got to taste was the Refoskov liker. It is like a German Glühwein, but sooooo much tastier. We both loved it so much, we bought a bottle bring home with us!

***Please note that if you want to eat at Old Cellar Bled, it is very important to make a reservation. It is a very popular restaurant and it is near to impossible to get in without one.

3. Ride to the Monastery in a Pletna

In my opinion, riding a Pletna, a row boat, or SUP to the island in the middle of the lake is an absolute must. Plus there are lots of rental options that I have linked above in the section about walking around the lake. The water is a beautiful color, calm, cool, and refreshing on a warm summer day. If you are visiting Lake Bled, you will not want to miss out on the opportunity to experience it.

What is a Pletna?

The boat that you see in the picture above is a traditional boat, called a Pletna. This is a traditional, special flat-bottomed boat made locally and manually rowed by an oarsman.

To ride in a Pletna, all you have to do is stand in line at one of the many locations where the boats depart from around the lake. If there is no line, and an oarsman is waiting nearby, you can climb right in. Once the boat is full, the boat will set sail for the island. Then, you will have 40-45 minutes to explore. While that might not seem like much, we did not feel rushed at all.

The cost to ride in one is currently 12 euros per person and is paid on the way back. It is important that you ride back in the same boat you rode in on!

On the island, there is a small cafe where you can get a snack, and of course, don’t forget to peak in the Church of the Assumption of Maria (see photos above). The church is a beautiful building that has undergone much change during its lifetime. It was damaged in two separate earthquakes and repaired as well as undergone multiple renovations. If you are strong enough to climb the 99 stairs, you can have an opportunity to ring the wishing bell (see the legend about the wishing bell at the bottom of the post). They say that if you ring the bell 3 times, your wish will come true! 😉

2. Tour the Historical Bled Castle

There is so much to experience at the Lake Bled Castle! We found it to be quite a fun and interactive visit. Here, you will discover a working model printing press where you can print a souvenir to take home, a wine cellar stocked with local wines for purchase, and a forge where you can mint your very own souvenir coin. There’s also a restaurant and a coffeeshop where you can sit and enjoy a snack or lunch.

A free audio guide that is available on the Bled Castle Website, all you have to do is follow the “bird of paradise” signs throughout the castle area and play the corresponding number to hear the audio.

Don’t Miss Out on the Opportunity to Speak with the Workers!

One thing that I particularly enjoyed about this visit was talking to the guy who was working the replica Gutenberg wooden printing press. Until our visit, I had no idea how instrumental the printing press was in saving the Slovenian language.

For a long time, the Slovene language was strictly a verbal language, spoken mostly by peasants. When the area was governed by the Habsburg Empire, there was a lot of pressure to “Germanize the culture”. But, with the advent of the printing press came the first two books written in Slovenian printed by Primož Trubar, who was a member of the Slovenian Protestant movement: Katekizem and Catechismus.

Parking

For the closest parking to Bled Castle, click here.

1. Visit Vintgar Gorge

Vintgar Gorge is absolutely, 100% Gorge-ous. (Pun absolutely, 100% intended. LOL! :D) And, it is an experience you will not want to miss during your stay in Lake Bled!

Vintgar Gorge is 1600 meters long and up to 250 meters deep. During our visit, the first thing that struck me was that I have never seen such perfectly ice-blue water in my entire life. Of course, it is an attribute of the mineral content of the water, but I still found it absolutely mesmerizing.

Please note that your ticket is a one way ticket through the gorge. When you come out on the other side there is an option to walk a little ways and then take a shuttle bus back or continue all the way on foot. Two well marked trails lead you right back to your starting point. We personally walked the shorter of the two hikes and it was very pleasant. Overall, it took us about two hours to do the whole round trip.

Parking Information:

Vintgar Gorge is located just a quick 10-15 minute drive away from the town of Bled and there are a couple of parking options. We personally parked in P2 which is a gravel parking lot that costs 5 euros to park in. From there, it was about a 5 minute walk to the entrance. There is also an option to take public transportation, but please note that you will have to walk 2km to get to the entrance. Here is a map which shows nearby public transit stops and more parking options.

For more useful information for planning your trip, including prices and opening hours during the various seasons, please visit the Vintgar Gorge official website.

Legends of Lake Bled

One thing that really adds to the magical experience of a visit to Lake Bled is the number of legends surrounding the area. Here are a few that I find particularly fun and fascinating. I have taken both of these directly from the Lake Bled Official Website where you can go to read more about the area, its history, and its legends.

Legend of the Shepherds and the Fairies

“In the past, there was not water at the location of Lake Bled, but a meadow valley with a small hill and a rock, where mountain fairies danced at night. Shepherds grazed their sheep in the valley, which ate grass around the fairy rock. The fairies asked the shepherds to put a fence around their dance area, so that the grass would remain soft.

The shepherds did not consider their request and one day, the youngest and most beautiful fairy broke her leg while dancing. The angry fairies called upon the springs and brooks to storm into the valley and fill it with water. Only the hill with the rock remained as an island in the middle of the lake, where fairies could dance in light starry nights. Although fairies left these places a long time ago, a beautiful fairy lake and an island below the mountains were left behind. This is Lake Bled.”

Legend of the Wishing Bell

“The so-called “wishing bell” was made by Franziskus Patavinus in the Italian Padova in 1534. The legend says that a young inconsolable widow lived in Bled Castle at that time. Her husband was killed by robbers and his body was dumped in the lake, so she collected all her silver and gold and paid for the bell that would be put in the chapel on the island.

But the bell never arrived there, since a heavy storm sunk it with the boat and boatmen. Some say that the bell can still be heard in clear nights. After the accident, the desperate widow sold all her belongings and went to live in a monastery in Rome. After her death, the Pope dedicated a new bell and sent it to Bled Island. Whoever rings the bell and sends a wish to the merciful “lady from the lake”, she fulfills their wish.”

In Conclusion

I hope that this post has inspired you to consider Lake Bled for your next European adventure! I’d love to hear what you think in the comments!

And, if you’re looking for more things to do in Slovenia, you should check out my post: Top Five Amazing Places to Visit on Your Vacation in Slovenia