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The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Lake Bled

Lake Bled is one of Slovenia’s most popular tourist destinations. Located in the Julien Alps, Lake Bled is as serene as it looks in photos and a visit to this romantic lake is as surreal as you would be led to believe. Below is the ultimate guide to visiting Lake Bled which will help you plan your stay.

Introduction to Lake Bled

This Lake Bled travel blog will give you all the information you need to plan your visit to Lake Bled. Whether you are visiting for just a day visit or are planning a week or more of adventures in summer, this guide will tell you everything you need to know to visit Lake Bled.

How to get from Ljubljana to Lake Bled

The best things to do in lake bled, the best time of year to visit lake bled, recommended hotels, restaurants and tours in lake bled, things to do near lake bled.

Lake Bled is a popular day trip from Ljubljana. There are a few ways to arrive in Lake Bled including public transport and self-drive from Ljubljana to Lake Bled. Depending on your travel plans for Slovenia, these are your options:

Ljubljana to Lake Bled by Bus

It will take you 1 hour and 20 minutes to travel from Ljubljana to Lake Bled by bus. This is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to arrive in Lake Bled, costing just 7 euros. This is the best option if you are visiting Lake Bled as a day trip from Ljubljana.

Ljubljana to Lake Bled by Train

There are two train stations in Lake Bled: Lesce train station and Jezero Bled train station. Neither of them are extremely central but if you don’t mind a bit of swapping transport, the system works easily enough.

If you arrive to Lesce train station you will need to switch to a bus for the further 4.5 kilometres to reach Lake Bled.

If you arrive at Lesce train station you will be around 3 kilometres from the town of Bled, on the Western side of the lake.

Ljubljana to Lake Bled by Car

Driving from Ljubljana to Lake Bled is very easy and well sign posted. The journey will take approximately 45 minutes without traffic. Kranj and Skofja Loka are beautiful towns to stop in if you’d like to see more of Slovenia and are both located on the way to Lake Bled.

The activities on offer in Lake Bled are plentiful, however the timing of your visit will play a large role in determining what you can do while in Lake Bled.

The best way to start your time in Lake Bled is of course to walk around the lake . To walk the entire lake in a circuit will take between 1-2 hours. You may need extra time to stop and take photos because believe me, this is one photogenic location!

If you would like to get a view of the lake from above, the best viewpoint is from Mala Osojnica . The hike will take around 1 hour to complete, allowing for some time at the top to enjoy the view.

Another great way to experience the lake is to be on it by boat, pletna, paddle board or kayak. In the summer months there is no end to the amount of activities on offer!

Swimming in the lake almost feels like an essential in the warmer months. It was an impressive 30 degrees celsius during my time in Lake Bled and I’m happy to report the lake is beautifully warm!

I first visited Lake Bled back in 2015 during autumn when the weather was much, much colder. This year I returned in the summer time and it is safe to say it was a very different experience. The lake is beautiful to visit any time of year, however if you have your heart set on a certain way of experiencing it, there are better times to visit than others.

Summer (June, July, August) in Bled is hot, sunny and beautiful. This is the best time of year to experience all the lake has to offer as everything will be open during this time and for longer hours. This is the best time to swim in the lake as it is beautiful and warm.

Spring (March, April, May) is arguably the next best time to visit. Some people prefer to visit in this season as there are fewer crowds, however it is still popular during this time.

Winter and Fall (September-February) are much colder but it is still a beautiful time of year to see the lake. Fall is beautiful as the leaves change colour and winter can sometimes mean a light layer of snow and skiing nearby. It is important to note, however, that a great number of restaurants, cafes and activities are closed over the colder months.

There are so hotels, restaurants and tours to choose from in Lake Bled that it can often be a little overwhelming. As someone who has visited in both the off season and busy season, these are my top recommendations for Lake Bled:

Vila Bled is the best located hotel on the lake. It overlooks Bled Island and has direct access to the lake from the stairway at the front of the villa. It is however one of the more expensive options in Lake Bled at around 250 euros per night.

Cafe Belvedere is the cafe that overlooks Bled Island with an incredible (in my opinion the best) view of the lake. You absolutely must try the Bled Cream cake here! It is to die for.

Bled Castle Restaurant is actually a really great option in Bled and has a magnificent view over the lake. Surprisingly, the menu is reasonably priced and offers a great introduction to Slovenian cuisine.

Public & Vegan Kitchen Bled is the best place for vegetarian and vegan food in Bled. It came as a surprise to me to find such great vegan food here in Lake Bled! The vegan burgers are huge and really tasty.

Pr1mo Tours is the best tour company for outdoors adventure sports. They rent out mountain bikes, e-bikes and organise activities like kayaking in the black hole or joining a tour to Triglav national park. If you have your own car I would recommend taking yourself to locations in Triglav, however if you are relying on public transport or travelling solo, joining a tour for the day is always a fun idea.

If you are staying in Lake Bled for more than two days you will eventually tire of lake activities and be looking to venture elsewhere (and even if you don’t, you should!) There is so much to see in the area beyond Lake Bled, a few are the top highlights:

Vintgar Gorge can be reached in just 10 minutes by car. The gorge is a 1.6 kilometre stretch of water and boardwalks that criss cross their way through the gorge. It is a beautiful place to visit and costs 10 euros.

Triglav National Park is full of great day hikes if you’re feeling up for something a little more adventurous. You can self-drive and take your own hike or join a tour like those offered by pr1mo tours (above).

Lake Bohinj is a great alternative to Lake Bled and a much quieter experience. Here you can enjoy al the same lake activities a little further off the beaten path.

Enjoy your visit to Lake Bled!

Brooke Saward founded World of Wanderlust as a place to share inspiration from her travels and to inspire others to see our world. She now divides her time between adventures abroad and adventures in the kitchen, with a particular weakness for French pastries.

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Yes, it's every bit as lovely in real life. With its bluish-green lake, picture-postcard church on an islet, a medieval castle clinging to a rocky cliff and some of the highest peaks of the Julian Alps and the Karavanke as backdrops, Bled is Slovenia's most popular resort, drawing everyone from honeymooners lured by the over-the-top romantic setting to backpackers, who come for the hiking, biking, water-sports and canyoning possibilities.

Leave the planning to a local expert

Experience the real Lake Bled. Let a local expert handle the planning for you.

Attractions

Must-see attractions.

Vintgar Gorge

One of the easiest and most satisfying half-day trips from Bled is to Vintgar Gorge, some 4km to the northwest of Bled village. The highlight is a 1600m…

Bled Castle

Perched atop a steep cliff more than 100m above the lake, Bled Castle is how most people imagine a medieval fortress to be, with towers, ramparts, moats…

Bled Island

Tiny, tear-shaped Bled Island beckons from the shore. There’s the Church of the Assumption and a small museum, the Provost's House, but the real thrill is…

Bled’s greatest attraction is its exquisite blue-green lake, measuring just 2km by 1.4km. The lake is lovely to behold from almost any vantage point, and…

Church of the Assumption

The baroque Church of the Assumption dates from the 17th century, though there’s been a church here since the 9th century. Go inside to see some fresco…

Parish Church of St Martin

This pretty neo-Gothic church was designed by Friedrich von Schmidt in 1905, who also did the city hall and Votive Church in Vienna. Outside there's a…

Provost’s House

On Bled Island, this building is home to a gallery and an excellent souvenir shop; on the 1st floor is an exhibition space (with changing exhibitions).

Festival Hall

Surrounded by park at the lake's eastern edge, the hall hosts events, exhibitions and concerts.

Plan with a local

Experience the real Slovenia

Let a local expert craft your dream trip.

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TRAVELSLOVENIA.ORG – All You Need To Know To Visit Slovenia

All you need to know to visit bled island in slovenia, introducing bled island.

Bled Island is a tiny tear-shaped isle in the middle of Lake Bled in the northwestern corner of Slovenia. It is the only naturally-occurring island in Slovenia. It has several buildings. Most famous one is the Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary, a Baroque church containing fresco fragments from the 15th century.

Bled Island Review

When people say that a place is like something from a fairy tale, often they are exaggerating, but that is not the case with this charming little tear-shaped island which is in the middle of Lake Bled. The island has such an extraordinary beautiful setting that photographs of it are regularly found in travel magazines and it’s without a doubt the most recognizable place in Slovenia.

The usual way to reach the island is by taking a trip on the Pletna boat, which is a large gondola-like row boat with a canopy that takes visitors from the shores of Lake Bled to Bled Island. There are regular departures throughout the day and it takes about 20 minutes each way. It costs €12 for a roundtrip to Bled Island and this includes waiting time of 30 minutes so you can explore the island and the church. Another option is to rent a rowboat. It’s a little cheaper and you get the pleasure of meandering back and forth through the lake. You can rent a boat at the Castle boathouse, at Grand hotel Toplice or at the Pension Pletna. A boat for 3 persons costs around €15 per hour, a boat for 5 persons costs around €20 per hour. If you are a good swimmer, you can also swim to the island. But be aware – if you swim to the island, you won’t be able to explore the church unless you ask someone to bring you clothes by boat.

The island is quite small, so we would suggest going early in the day when there aren’t too many tourists crowding the place. The views from the island are beautiful and very relaxing and also the photo opportunities are great. There are quite a few buildings on the island, the most important is the Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary, which is a lovely, well maintained church that is definitely worth a look. There’s a small fee (€6 for adults, €1 for children) to get in to see the clock tower. The main attraction is a wishing bell from the 16th century that you can ring from inside the church. There is also a nice café on the island where you can get a snack, coffee or drinks and a souvenir shop and gallery.

Bled Island Pictures

Bled Island location on the map

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7 thoughts on “all you need to know to visit bled island in slovenia”.

Who lives there on Lake Bled? It looks like it’s only big enough for a few houses and a church too. Very small, but very BEAUTIFUL too!!!

My favourite place in the world. I love you, Slovenia ♥️

A very beautiful place indeed!! If couples/lovers get married on this little Island in the beautiful Church, the tradition is, that the groom, has to carry his beautiful bride all the way up those many stairs and walk together in to the Church …💕⛪️💖💓

Beautiful 🙂 Had the pleasure of crossing to the island with my wife on our wedding anniversary a few years ago, she got to ring the church bell 🙂

I also recommend renting a romantic boat and rowing to the island, a great experience and exercise.

A WOW ! Moment when you see it for the fist time !

The lovely café, the gift shop and gorgeous church on the island makes whole trip worthwhile. Absolutely stunning place to visit.

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Ljubljana to Lake Bled - Ljubljana Forum

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Ljubljana to Lake Bled

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Planning a day trip to lake bled and wondered which mode of transport is best to use, bus or train.

Any help appreciated.

10 replies to this topic

I haven’t been yet but I’m booked for September and doing a little research myself 😊

Found this useful blog! I hope it helps:

https://wander-lush.org/ljubljana-to-lake-bled/

and Bled Jezero train station is located outside Bled town north of the lake near the shore.

Bus will take you a few minutes walk to the lakeside if you get off at the bus terminal (not "Bled Union").

Some of the information about the bus travel in that blog is outdated.

The website to check for departures and buy the tickets online is https://www.ap-ljubljana.si/en/timetable?departure=10783&destination=8869

If you click on "Details" next to each departure you can see where the bus stop is located.

The ticket cost is 2.00€ on weekends and public holidays and 5.70€ on other days.

The departure platform is not always 7, check what your ticket says - it may be 5 - 8 or 28.

The price to store a piece of luggage is now 5.90€ for each piece for each day. Hope this helps avoid some confusion.

Thank you for all the helpful responses.

We visited yesterday taking the train there and returning on the bus.

I recommend a bus or train because you will be more rested, see more and be stress free. The problem in Bled is full parking lots and high parking prices. It is BETTER to rent a bike and ride around the beauties of Bled.

For more practical information, visit our website: https://www.visit-slovenia.eu/

Depends on when exactly would you like to go.

Bikes are accessable for rent at the bus station also, so everything is there.

In off season taking a car is going to give you flexibility and you will be able to go around the area also. half an hour drive away is Bohinj Lake, you can also stop at Radovljica or Kranj on the way...

So it basically depends on what kind of a day you would like and what part of the season you are going.

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stay in Ljubljana or Lake Bled?

We will be ending our Best of Eastern Europe trip in Lake Bled on a Tuesday morning in September and will fly out early the next morning from Ljubljana. Should we stay in Lake Bled or Ljubljana? Hotel suggestions or travel suggestions?

Janet.. I would stay in Ljubljana..but I'm biased...love that city! I would take the bus from Bled, bus stop is easy to get to, buses leave every hour from 0500 to 2000 and take 1hr. 18 min. you can check schedual at www.ap-ljubljana.si/eng/ we have taken the bus from Ljubljana to the airport but find we prefer to have hotel arrange transport especially if an early flight.The Hotel Emonec is basic and clean...and in a great location by Presernov Trg

I would definitely take the bus to Ljubljana, 1hour 15 min. It is a lovely city. There are many beauiful buildings-Art Nouveau, Secessionist, & Art Deco. Many were designed by the same architect, Plecnik, who whose work one sees in Prague. I had a super meal at Zlata Ribca restaurant. I stayed at the Stari Tisler, 36 euros--the weekend rate. I suspect that it is a older hotel that has been restored. Everything in the room was new including the TV. However, the toliet and bathroom was down the hall. I think I was the only one on that floor. Downstairs is a good cafe.

The airport is between Ljubljana and Lake Bled, so either would work logistically. I'd suggest going to Ljubljana for you last night though, as you only get a short stop there on the tour and it's well worth another day. Public bus works fine from Lake Bled to Ljubljana. If you have an early flight, best to arrange transport to the airport through your hotel the day before.

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