Slovenia: The best things to do on a Lake Bled day trip
Nestled in the heart of the Julian Alps, Lake Bled is a picture-perfect destination.
Just a short distance from the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana, a Lake Bled day trip is a must. The alpine lake has emerald-green waters, an island in the middle with a church peeking out, and a medieval castle perched on top of a cliff overlooking the water.
It’s one of the most popular places to visit in Slovenia. So much so that over 440,000 tourists arrived in the town in 2023. If you also decide to visit, you won’t be disappointed.
I’ve been twice and loved it both times. I combined my visit with a trip to Ljubljana, so can vouch for how easy it is to get between the two places.
Here are the most popular things to do on a Lake Bled day trip. You won’t be able to do everything I’ve included, but I’d suggest you experience the first few on the list and then choose some of the others, depending on the time you have available.
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Where is Lake Bled?
Lake Bled is in the north of Slovenia, in the small town of Bled. It is a lake in the Julian Alps near the Triglav National Park.
Bled is around 55 kilometres from Slovenia’s capital city, Ljubljana.
How to get to Lake Bled
Lake Bled is easy to get to from both Ljubljana and Ljubljana airport.
From Ljubljana airport to Lake Bled
Ljubljana airport is around 35 kilometres from Lake Bled. To get there, you can drive or catch a bus. The bus leaves once an hour, on the hour, and takes around 31 minutes. It drops off at the bus station in Bled. You can get more information on buses from Ljubljana airport to Lake Bled here.
You can also pre-book a shuttle bus if you prefer.
From Ljubljana to Lake Bled
Ljubljana itself is a little further away (around 55 kilometres). You can catch a direct bus between the two destinations, a journey time of an hour to an hour and 20 minutes, depending on which bus you catch. Buses are more frequent than from the airport.
You can also travel by train if you prefer. This takes from 40 minutes to over an hour, depending on whether you go to Lesce-Bled or Bled Jezero station. However, note that if you want to do this, the train station is a few kilometres outside Bled town.
It’s also possible to book organised tours to Bled. These have the advantage of taking you between the sights, often in the company of a tour guide who can give you more information.
You can explore tours from Ljubljana to Lake Bled here.
Others combine a visit to Lake Bled with other beautiful places nearby such as Lake Bohinj and the Postojna Cave.
Lake Bled day trips from other countries
It’s also possible to day trip to Bled from cities in other nearby countries.
This tour goes from Zagreb, Croatia’s capital, to both Ljubljana and Lake Bled. And this tour goes from Porec on Croatia’s coastline.
You can also visit from Trieste in Italy.
Top things to do on a Lake Bled day trip
Read on to discover the best things to do on a Lake Bled day trip.
Head down to the lake and get a first glimpse of your surroundings
This might seem an obvious thing to do on your Lake Bled day trip, but I’ve included it to emphasise that you shouldn’t delay going down to the lake. There is a small town in Bled you might want to explore briefly, but to be honest, there’s not much there so I would go straight to the lake, especially if your time is limited.
When you approach the lake and walk down the pathways and past the neat green lawns surrounding it, I guarantee you’ll be stunned by the sight before you.
With view of the lake’s island in front of you and Bled Castle perched high on a craggy rock to the side, you will be pleased you made the effort to visit.
The island is the famous one that appears in the iconic images of Lake Bled that you will have no doubt seen. It is the only Slovenian island.
Sail on a pletna boat to the tiny island in the middle of the lake
Probably the top thing to do on a Lake Bled day trip is jump on a pletna boat and go over to the island.
Pletnas are traditional flat-bottomed wooden boats that are steered by a rower, known as a ‘pletnar’, who stands at the back. They are moored at a jetty along the central part of the lake and set sail when they are full (if you prefer, there is also an electric boat that goes over to the island).
The journey across takes 20 to 25 minutes. It’s a relaxing and tranquil experience as you sit back under the brightly coloured awning, and it is an ideal way to see the lake and its surroundings.
You can look back at the lakeshore by the town, gaze up at the castle, and then get ever closer glimpses of the island as you near it.
Wander around the island in Lake Bled
Once the pletna boat has reached the island, you can disembark and explore. The island is only small but is worth strolling around.
You can stay as long as you like, but probably don’t need a vast amount of time (the journey over and the views of the island are, in my opinion, as good as the experience on the island). The boats return frequently, so if you’ve seen everything quite quickly you can make your way back to the town again.
The main attraction on the island is the Gothic Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary with its freestanding bell tower.
There’s a wishing bell here: anyone who rings this supposedly gets a wish. This is the legacy of a church bell sent by the Pope after a tragic event that once occurred (involving a widow who sent a bell out to the chapel which sank to the lake’s bottom during a storm). You can read about this story – labelled ‘Bled’s Love Story’ – from one of the boards alongside the pletna jetty in Bled.
Another memorable image of the island is the staircase with 99 steps that lead up to the church. Apparently, if you want to get married here, the groom has to carry his bride up all 99 steps!
There is also a small café and shop on the island where you can spend some time.
Go up to Bled Castle
Another must on a Lake Bled day trip is to visit Bled Castle. This sits on a cliff 130 metres high overlooking the lake. It’s Slovenia’s oldest castle and dates to the early 11th century.
As castles go, it’s quite a small one, but the views over the lake from this vantage point are spectacular. It’s worth the visit for these, if nothing else.
Having said that, there is a small castle museum, a shop selling souvenirs, and a restaurant with stunning views. There’s also a 16th-century Baroque chapel. The small exhibition dedicated to the physician Arnold Rikli is also interesting: it displays information about how he helped transform the town into a spa/wellbeing destination in the 19th century.
You can also look out over local villages from the castle wall.
If you’re feeling energetic, there’s a pathway that winds up the hill to the castle. You can also catch a bus there, book a taxi to take you the short distance, or visit via an organised tour.
Try the famous Bled cream cake
You’ll see the famous Bled cream cake (Kremsnita) on lots of café and restaurant menus. This is the square yellow and white striped cream cake you’ll see many people tucking into.
The cake consists of a thick layer of custard underneath a thick layer of cream, topped and tailed with puff pastry. Apparently, it must be precisely 7x 7x 7 cm in size.
Invented by one of the Hotel Park’s pastry chefs in the 1950s, it’s become the cake to have when you’re in Bled. You can pop into the cafe by the hotel to sample it there (it’s very central) or buy a slice elsewhere.
We shared a slice (it’s quite large!) overlooking the lake from the terrace of a café. Fortunately, we had a walk back to town after this to burn off the calories!
You really should try Bled cake on your day out. When in Rome and all that…
Have lunch overlooking the lake
Bled town is only small. But there are a few good places to eat out in, and some that have a position either by the lake or overlooking it.
The Park Hotel restaurant has a great view out over the lake, as does the Bled Castle restaurant.
There’s also Vila Preseren. This restaurant is a few minutes’ walk around the lake, away from the main town. It’s in a perfect spot. We ate here, sitting on the outdoor terrace by the side of the water, listening to music played by two classical musicians.
Or if time or budget is a bit tight, you could grab a snack and sit out on one of the benches dotted around the shore of the lake.
Snap yourself with the Bled love heart
For something a bit different, take a snap of yourself with the Lake Bled love heart! This is at the end of a small wooden platform that juts out over the shoreline.
The background is beautiful, so you can get some great photos here. And if you’re happy to wait your turn (it gets busy) you can get a picture of yourself with the heart and communicate just how much you love Lake Bled!
Other things to do on a Lake Bled day trip
The above items are the things that I’d prioritise if you only have one day in Lake Bled. However, there are plenty of other attractions if you have more time or want to substitute any of the above.
Walk or cycle around the lake
The lake’s perimeter measures 6 kilometres. A pleasant activity – especially if the weather is fine – is to walk or cycle around it. You’ll get to see areas away from Bled town and can admire the lake from different vantage points.
It’s also an ideal way to get some easy exercise. The pathway is flat and wide in most places (although there is one area where you walk along the side of a busy road), and if you have time, you can stroll at a leisurely pace.
Be warned though – make sure you have enough battery to take copious photos as you go around. It’s easy to think your current view is as stunning as it gets and start snapping, only to find yet more fantastic views just a few minutes away!
If you choose to cycle around the lake, you can hire bikes here.
Visit the Vintgar Gorge
A walk around the Vintgar Gorge on the edge of the Triglav National Park is recommended if you have enough time (you’ll probably need to devote at least half a day for this: the website recommends at least 3 hours). I did this on my last trip and thoroughly enjoyed it.
It’s another way to see some of the beautiful landscape that Slovenia is famed for: it’s apparently the country’s biggest “natural monument”.
The gorge is 4 kilometres from Lake Bled and just a short drive away.
Once you’ve purchased your ticket, you follow a one-way 1,600 metre-long trail along the side of the gorge and over small bridges. This is an enjoyable way of seeing the gorge and the river flowing through it while getting some fresh air.
At the end of the main trail, you’ll come to a small café where you can grab a drink and a snack. Then, pop down to see the Sum waterfall crashing over the rocks. You can then return via one of two routes.
Between Spring and Autumn, a shuttle bus runs to and from the gorge from the bus station in Bled town. However, transportation may not be so easy at other times. This may be because the season is winding down, and the gorge is shut in the winter.
I’d therefore recommend you either book a tour during these times or pre-book taxis.
Experience Lake Bohinj and ride the Vogel cable car
Lake Bohinj is not far from Lake Bled. It’s around a 40 to 45-minute bus ride away, depending on your arrival point.
You can also book tours that will take you to both Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj. These are a perfect way to squeeze both in and compare and contrast the two.
Lake Bohinj is bigger than Lake Bled and is the country’s “largest natural permanent lake”. A large part of it is in the Triglav Natural Park. It tends to attract fewer visitors than Bled and is more geared towards outdoor activities. You can swim in the water, go on a boat, kayak or canoe, and even snorkel!
There are also a few places around the lake that you must see when you visit. There’s the pretty little church of St. John the Baptist and the nearby stone bridge, the Mostnica Gorge, and the Savica Waterfall.
You can also ride the Vogel cable car up to the Vogel ski resort and take in the panoramic views from 1000 metres up over Lake Bohinj and the surrounding area.
Swim in the lake
If you visit Bled in the heat of summer, you’re probably going to want to find a way to cool down. If so, you’ll be pleased to know that you can swim in the lake.
There are designated spots for this in the town and around the lake. One of these is the Castle Bathing Area, just underneath the castle. It has everything you’d need: four outdoor pools, waterslides, beach umbrellas, changing rooms and lockers, and toilets and showers.
There are also plenty of things to keep children occupied.
You can find out more about the bathing area in Bled here.
Ride a toboggan
Another thing to do if you visit Bled during the summer is to go tobogganing! You can do this if you head to the Straza ski slope. Here you can ride a toboggan down the chair lift track, which runs for over 500 metres down the hill.
Not only will you have some fun, you’ll also get some incredible views over the lake.
Walk the trail up to the Ojstrica viewpoint
If you feel the need to see Lake Bled from another vantage spot, head to the Ojstrica viewpoint. The walk along the trail only takes about 20 minutes, but bear in mind that it is steep.
Once there though, you’re rewarded with wonderful views over the lake. There’s a bench at the top, so maybe pack a picnic and spend time up here appreciating your surroundings.
How long do you need at Lake Bled?
You can easily do a Lake Bled day trip and see the main sights. It’s possible to get across the lake to the island, go up to the castle, wander around at least some of the lake, and go for a late lunch finished off with a slice of Bled cream cake. Bled town itself isn’t big, so you’ll easily be able to tick all these off the list.
However, if you are lucky enough to spend more time here, there’s lots to occupy you. To some extent, what you do will depend on the time of year you visit (if you come off season, some attractions might be closed), but there’s plenty of other things to do in Lake Bled.
You can spend days exploring: you could cycle around the entire lake, spend several hours in the Vintnar Gorge, or go out to Lake Bohinj for the day. If you’re staying in Lake Bled only, I’d also recommend a day out in the capital, Ljubljana.
A Lake Bled day trip
If you do decide to take a Lake Bled day trip, I hope you have a great time and enjoy it as much as I did.
I have also published a post on the top things to do in Ljubljana, another place I’d recommend if you’re in Slovenia. For posts on other short breaks and day trips in Europe, see my website.
