Lake Bled is, hands down, one of the most beautiful destinations I've been to in Central Europe. Located among the Julian Alps, Lake Bled is one of the many lakes in this region that offer a ton of things to do, both outdoors and indoors, from hiking and swimming to visiting historic sites and indulging in the local cuisine.
Within this guide, you will find a complete list of the best things to do in Lake Bled and all the information you need to have a great time in this wonderful place. Without further ado, here are the 10 best things to do in Lake Bled for solo travelers:
- Lake Bled Itinerary Map
- Where to Stay in Lake Bled?
- Quick Summary: Things to do in Lake Bled
-
10 Best Things to Do in Lake Bled
- Explore Bled Castle
- Hike Up to Mala Osojnica Viewpoint
- Sit at the Love Bench at Ojstrica Viewpoint
- Walk Around the Entire Lake
- Kayak or Swim in the Lake
- Visit Assumption of Maria Church By Boat
- Explore Vintgar Gorge
- Visit Lake Bohinj as a Day Trip
- Try the Delicious Bled Cream Cake
- Try Local Cuisine at Central Bled Restaurant
- More Lake Bled Activities
- Further Reading for Central Europe
Lake Bled Itinerary Map
| ❤️ Must Visit: | Mala Osojnica Viewpoint |
| 🥘 Place to Eat: | Central Bled Restaurant |
| ☀️ Great Day Trip: | Lake Bohinj |
Quick Summary: Things to do in Lake Bled
- Hostel Smolej (Budget)
- Pr Klaudiji Guest House Bled (Mid-Range)
- Grand Hotel Toplice - Small Luxury Hotels of the World (High-End)
- Lake Bled and Bohinj with Vintgar Gorge included (9.5 hours)
- Slovenia in One Day: Small-Group Day Trip to Lake Bled, Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle from Ljubljana (10 hours)
- Lake Bled - An Alpine pearl from Ljubljana (6 hours)
10 Best Things to Do in Lake Bled
1. Explore Bled Castle
One of the first things you will see when you arrive in Bled is Bled Castle, an 11th-century medieval fortress built on a clifftop overlooking the town and the lake. It is one of the most popular landmarks here and one that you should definitely not miss.
Due to its impressive location, Bled Castle offers an unobstructed view of the lake and its surroundings, as well as a museum that displays the castle's history and artifacts.
It isn't very big inside the castle, with a few museums, cafes, and restaurants scattered around the castle courtyard. What will blow your mind is the 180° panoramic view you can see up there. The entirety of Lake Bled, as well as all the lakeside towns and the surrounding landscape, can all be seen from here.
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There are several ways to get up to Bled Castle. The best way is to hike from the town, passing through St. Martina Parish Church and zig-zagging your way up the dirt trail before you arrive at the parking lot of the castle. It should take you about 10 minutes, and you will mostly be under shade most of the time.
You can also drive all the way up to Bled Castle and park your car at the castle's designated parking lot. There are a ton of parking spaces here, so you should have no trouble driving up here.
Unfortunately, if you want to get the best view of Lake Bled from Bled Castle, you are going to have to pay the entrance fee. The entrance fee to the castle should be around 13 EUR per person, and the castle is open from 8 AM to 8 PM every day. The sunset up here can be pretty magical too, so make sure you plan your visit accordingly.
Where to Stay in Lake Bled?
2. Hike Up to Mala Osojnica Viewpoint
One of the highlights of activities you can do in Lake Bled is hiking, and one of the best hiking trails with an incredible view over the lake is Mala Osojnica. It is a hiking trail that will take you high up in the mountains, allowing you to see the lake in its entirety from above, without flying a drone.
Hiking Mala Osojnica was definitely the highlight of my trip to Lake Bled. The hike starts from the Mala Osojnica trailhead and you can reach there easily by walking along the lakeside walking path from Bled. It should take about 30 minutes of leisurely walk before you arrive at the trailhead.
From the trailhead, it is a straight, steep climb all the way to Mala Osojnica Viewpoint, which should take about 30 minutes maximum. The trail is mostly on a dirt track with a few steep roped sections and wooden stairs before you arrive at the viewpoint.
Mala Osojnica is the highest viewpoint of all three viewpoints you can hike on this mountain, and it gives you the best view over Lake Bled out of all the viewpoints here.
It is also one of the best places to watch the sunrise over Lake Bled, and I highly recommend that you do it if you have the time. Just make sure to calculate your walk carefully, as it would take about 1 hour to hike all the way from Bled Town to the viewpoint.
From Mala Osojnica, you can also hike to the other two viewpoints (Ojstrica and Velika Osojnica) as well, since they are all connected via dirt trails and narrow roads.
Personally, I think Mala Osojnica and Ojstrica (which we will discuss next) offer the best views over Lake Bled. Mala Osojnica gives you an expansive view of the lake, whereas Ojstrica gives you a closer look at the lake and the church in the middle. Definitely one of the best things to do at Lake Bled.
3. Sit at the Love Bench at Ojstrica Viewpoint
As mentioned earlier, Ojstrica Viewpoint is another great viewpoint you should hike to for a closer look at Lake Bled and the church in the middle of the lake.
From Mala Osojnica, it should take about 20 minutes to reach the Ojstrica Viewpoint, or you can hike all the way from Velika Zaka, a town on the western end of Lake Bled, in about the same duration.
At Ojstrica, you will see the lake a little closer and without a metallic fence blocking your view, making it a way better place to take photos of you and the lake than from Mala Osojnica.
There is also a nice wooden bench at Ojstrica where you can sit down, relax, and enjoy the incredible view of the lake. I was there for about 30 minutes without a single person showing up. It was awesome.
Once you are done, you can continue hiking to Velika Osojnica next or you can make your way down to Velika Zaka, which is a quieter and less crowded place to relax and swim for a few hours before heading back to Bled.
Tours & Tickets You Might Like
Looking to save some costs on your travel? Why not join a shared group tour from Lake Bled? Here are some activities in which you might be interested:
4. Walk Around the Entire Lake
If you are not so keen on hiking but still want to do something active, you can also opt for a nice leisurely walk around the lake from Bled to Velika Zaka and back.
The walk is incredibly picturesque, especially in the early morning when there aren't many people out and the geese and birds are out in full force. It was so quiet and peaceful, it is hard to imagine anything better to do than to stroll around the lake in the morning.
The entire length of the walking path around the lake is about 5.6 km (approximately 3.5 miles), and it should take you between 1-2 hours to complete. There are several sections of the walking path that will take you over the lake on wooden planks, away from the traffic road, which is awesome.
There are countless things to see and do along the way. You will pass through the beautiful town of Jezero, have a chance to hike Mala Osojnica, or go for a nice swim or kayak in Velika Zaka or anywhere along the lake.
The path is incredibly well constructed, and you will see almost everything Lake Bled has to offer all in one go. If you have a few hours to spare and the weather is great outside, you are going to love it.
5. Kayak or Swim in the Lake
Another great way to spend time in Lake Bled is to rent a kayak or go for a swim in the lake. Unfortunately, you can't just swim wherever you want as you are only allowed to do so in the designated swimming area located mostly near towns and tourist attractions.
For the very best swimming spot, after spending a few days exploring the lake, I found that if you walk all the way to the other side of the lake at Velika Zaka, you will find a much quieter and more peaceful swimming spot than on the eastern side of the lake.
There are fewer people on this side of the lake, especially in the morning, and you will definitely enjoy yourself more. I found the eastern side of Lake Bled too crowded for my liking.
You can also rent a canoe or a kayak and explore the lake as you see fit. There are several spots where you can rent one along the lake, with a going rate of around 20 EUR for an hour and 10 EUR for an extra hour. If you want to stay away from the tourist crowds and spend your day on the lake, this is the way to go.
6. Visit Assumption of Maria Church By Boat
One of the most recognized landmarks in Lake Bled is the church on an island in the middle of the lake. That is the Assumption of Maria Church, and you can visit the church by renting a canoe, or you can take the Pletna boat to take you there and back.
Renting a canoe will cost you about 20 EUR per hour, plus 10 EUR per extra hour. The canoe mooring holes are on the northern tip of the island.
You can also get the Pletna boat from the Pletna boat pier for about 15 EUR round trip, and you have around 40 minutes on the island.
The island and the church aren't very big, and you should be able to see everything in about 40 minutes. You will also have to pay an entrance fee of about 12 EUR per person, which includes everything from the church to the tower. The Pletna boat operates from 9 AM to 4 PM every day.
7. Explore Vintgar Gorge
Vintgar Gorge is another great highlight of visiting Lake Bled. The gorge is a 1.6-kilometer long gorge, carved amidst the glorious vertical walls of Hom and Boršt hills by the mighty Radovna River.
Along the gorge, you will find tons of beautiful cliffs, lush waterfalls, and a beautiful walking trail that runs through the entire gorge on wooden bridges. These bridges will take you all the way to the 13-meter-high Šum River waterfall.
A hike around Vintgar Gorge is one of the highlights of visiting Lake Bled, and you can easily spend around 2-3 hours hiking the entire length of the gorge and spending some time relaxing at the waterfall.
The gorge is approximately 4 km away from Bled, and to reach there, you will need to take a shuttle transfer from Bled. There is a shuttle service operated by Mamut Slovenia which you can find at this link. It runs from Bled Bus Station to Vintgar Gorge and back every hour, and the cost is around 10 EUR per person.
With the shuttle transfer, you will have approximately 2 hours to walk the gorge, and the shuttle will pick you up at the end of the trail in about 2.5 hours after departure.
It is the easiest and most direct way to visit the gorge, and I highly recommend that you go for it. Make sure to book a time slot from their website beforehand. The slots get booked out fast, especially in the summer. Definitely one of the best things to do at Lake Bled.
8. Visit Lake Bohinj as a Day Trip
Lake Bohinj is another incredible sight to see near Lake Bled. It is located about 24 km away from Bled and can easily be reached by the hourly bus that connects the two places together.
Lake Bohinj is much closer to the Julian Alps than Lake Bled, and you will definitely feel like you are in an alpine lakeside town here, rather than at Lake Bled. The lake is surrounded by beautiful Alpine mountain peaks that offer a ton of opportunities for hikers and adventurers to explore.
If you think the water at Lake Bled is wonderful, wait until you see just how vivid the colors of the water actually are here. The water is crystal clear and very inviting. You can also rent a kayak or a canoe here, or you can just spend the entire day swimming and sunbathing.
It is also less crowded than Lake Bled and a little smaller and less busy. So, if you are looking for a place to spend a day or two away from Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj is a great alternative.
While there, also be sure to check out Cerkev Sv. Janeza Krstnika church and go up to the bell tower for an incredible view over the lake. From up here, you will see just how expansive the landscape around Lake Bohinj really is.
To get from Bled to Lake Bohinj, you are going to have to catch a bus from Bled Bus Station, which runs every hour from 7:15 AM to 10:20 PM every day. You can see the latest bus schedule and buy the bus ticket right from the bus station in Bled. The bus is operated by Arriva, and it can be quite late at times due to traffic, so do not sweat it when the bus has not arrived on time.
9. Try the Delicious Bled Cream Cake
One of the most delicious local pastries you have to try here is the mouthwatering Bled Cream Cake, which is served at Caffe Peglez'n, among other cafes and restaurants around Lake Bled.
What is so special about Bled Cream Cake is the layers that make up the cake. Starting from the base layer, you will find the delicious golden crispy crust created from butter dough, followed by a big chunk of soft, tasty vanilla cream and whipped cream before finishing it up with another layer of crispy crust and a good dusting of icing sugar.
The combination of these layers creates some of the tastiest cakes you will try all year. Caffe Peglez'n, which is a little cute outdoor cafe near Bled Castle, serves a pretty good Bled Cake as well as delicious coffee and beers. It's a great place to stop by after a long day hiking around Lake Bled.
10. Try Local Cuisine at Central Bled Restaurant
Last but not least, if you are looking for a restaurant to try some local cuisine, I highly recommend you check out Central Bled Restaurant, a popular local restaurant located in the town center, and they serve some delicious dishes using local products such as Cevapcici, steaks, and Slovenian sausages.
The price is a bit expensive, but you know you are getting your money's worth here. The restaurant is open from 12 PM to 10 PM every day. They get extremely crowded during dinner time, so be sure to be there early if you want to secure a table.
That is it for the 10 Amazing Things to Do in Lake Bled for Solo Travelers. Have we missed anything? Have you found the guide useful? Let us know in the comments below!
Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to plan your trip to Lake Bled, Slovenia! Here are some resources to help you get your trip going:
Are you planning to travel to Lake Bled, Slovenia independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.
Further Reading for Central Europe
I hope you found this Slovenia travel guide useful. If you want to read more about Slovenia and Central Europe, here are a selection of articles you might like:
- Bratislava is one of the most off-the-beaten-path capital cities to visit in Europe. It's way less crowded, small, and very charming, yet it has a lot to offer. Here are the 15 best things to do in Bratislava.
- Kosice is the second largest city in Slovakia, and it is probably one of the country's best-kept secrets. The city is much more peaceful and laid-back than the capital. The creative scene is flourishing, and it has a lot to offer for those who are looking to get off the beaten path. Here are our 13 Best Things To Do In Kosice.
- Planning to visit Slovenia soon? Check out: 7-Day Backpacking Slovenia Itinerary.
- Ljubljana is one of the most romantic and charming capital cities in Europe. With its small size, beautiful medieval architecture, and vibrant nightlife, Ljubljana comes highly recommended. If you are wondering what there is to do here, here are the 16 best things to do in Ljubljana.
- Everybody raves about Budapest, and for good reason. The city is vibrant, affordable, and offers a ton of things to do, from its rich history to all the awesome nightlife spots that rival those in Berlin. If you are planning to go there, here is a complete travel guide to backpacking Budapest.
- Poland is also a great country to visit while you are exploring Eastern Europe. If you are heading north, be sure to check out our 2-week backpacking itinerary for Poland.
- Are you traveling to Slovenia as part of a bigger Europe trip? Be sure to check out my 3-month itinerary for Europe from Portugal all the way to Sweden.
- Packing for a trip to visit a region as big as Europe is extremely daunting. Here's a packing guide to help you: What to Pack for Europe - The Essential Packing List.
- Want to visit Europe in winter? Better prepare for the cold. Here's a winter packing guide to help you: What to Pack for Europe in Winter - The Essential Packing List.
- Not convinced by my words? Here are 125 photos that will inspire you to visit Europe.
- To see all the articles about Slovenia, visit the Slovenia Travel Guide page.
- Traveling in Europe can be cheap, really cheap. These are the 12 Cheap European Countries to Visit.
- Looking for more travel guides for Europe? You can find more on my Europe Travel Guide page.
- Or, if you want something more specific to the region, visit our Central Europe Travel Guide, Eastern Europe Travel Guide, or The Balkans Travel Guide pages.
- For more of my travel guides like this, visit my Destinations page.