Bled, Slovenia is one of the best and easiest day trips to take from the capital city of Ljubljana. Once in town, you can walk around the gorgeous lake, take a boat to Slovenia’s only island, eat delicious cake, and enjoy the views of the surrounding area. In my opinion, a visit to Ljubljana wouldn’t be complete without a day trip to Bled. So, in this post, I’ll cover everything you need to know about your day trip, including the best things to do in Bled, Slovenia.
Best Things to Do in Bled, Slovenia
As always, there are more things to do in Bled than what is on this list. However, for most visitors to Bled, especially first time visitors, this is where I recommend focusing your time.
Circle Lake Bled
Lake Bled, and the scenery around it, is what draws people to this area. The views are stunning and the lake is small enough that you can walk the entire path that surrounds it in just three and a half miles. Or, if you don’t feel up to a full walk, just walk part way and turn around.
For those wanting to walk the entire path, set aside a minimum of one hour, though I think it’s better to give yourself two hours since you’ll almost certainly want to stop at various points along the way for photos. It seems that one view is always better than the next and it didn’t matter how many pictures I took, I kept finding myself stopping for more.
The path itself is mostly flat with plenty of benches and places to stop along the way. In my opinion, even if you have a short visit to Bled, prioritize views along the lake. Walking the path around Lake Bled was my favorite thing to do in Bled.
Hike to Ojstrica
The views along Lake Bled are ever changing and it’s easy to stick to the surface, but for those who are up for a little adventure, you can climb up to a fantastic view that overlooks the lake. Look for Ojstrica on Google Maps.
To reach this viewpoint, you’ll want to head southwest, hiking clockwise around Lake Bled. Keep an eye out on your left for a path that will take you up to the viewpoint. The first part of the path isn’t bad. It’s gravel and while it can feel steep, it’s really not that bad. However, you’ll eventually need to turn right and take a very steep path up to the top.
There are warning signs here that state that you should only do this hike if you have appropriate shoes. I did the hike in a pair of Converse, but I don’t recommend it. The trail is slippery and you’ll want shoes with a decent tread to give yourself security, especially if the ground is wet. For context, on the final switchback, there was a chain drilled into the side of the mountain so you had something to hold onto. It’s steep and uneven terrain and not much fun, but the view overlooking Lake Bled, including its island, is absolutely incredible and one of my favorite views from the area.
This trail is about one mile round trip. You’ll gain about 300 feet in elevation as you make your way to the viewpoint. As mentioned, the first part of the trail is pretty easy. It’s once you turn to the right and follow the trail up the switchbacks that it gets challenging.
Again, if you’re up for an adventure (and you have decent shoes), I highly recommend visiting the Ojstrica viewpoint.
Visit the Island
Slovenia only has one island in its entire country and that island is here, in the middle of Lake Bled. On the island, you’ll find a church with 99 steps leading from the boat dock to the Church of the Ascension at the top.
It’s free to visit the island, but you’ll pay an entrance fee to go into the church. On top of that, you’ll need to get to the island. Tour boats run frequently and connect visitors to Bled to the island for a fee of about 20 euros per person. If you have a large group, this can be steep. Instead, it may be more cost effective to look into a boat rental where you can row yourself to the island. While it’s more effort, it can be more cost effective for a group.
I’ll fully admit that I didn’t visit the island when I stopped in Bled. My time was limited because I was on a larger guided tour and I decided to prioritize my time on land (and I have no regrets about that). One woman on my tour did head out to the island and enjoyed her time, so I think it comes down to how much time do you have and what do you want to prioritize during your visit.
Eat Some Cake
I’m not usually one to include food on my list of things to do in a particular city (although I have made some exceptions, especially for several cities in Belgium when you have to eat chocolate). That said, I’m making an exception and if you’re visiting Bled, Slovenia, I recommend enjoying a piece of cream cake.
This cake is layers of cream and sponge and it is delicious. I wasn’t aware of this before visiting but one of the people on my tour stated she had read about this cake and made it her mission to eat a slice. At the recommendation of our tour guide, we got cake at Restaurant Čarman, which was delicious. There are places to sit and eat at the restaurant, but since I had limited time, I got my cake to go.
Visit Bled’s Castle
Is it a list of things to do in a city in Europe if it doesn’t include a castle? Bled, like so many other European cities, has a castle perched high on a mountain overlooking the town and Lake Bled.
Admittedly, I didn’t make it to the castle on my visit, but those wanting history (and great views of the town and Lake Bled), should make the trek to the top. If you don’t want to hike one of the steep trails, there’s a paid shuttle bus that will make the journey between the castle and the town.
Beyond Bled
Bled is beautiful and you could spend a day just in the town itself, but for those who want to travel a little bit beyond Bled, here’s a few ideas.
Vitnar Gorge
Originally, when I planned to visit Bled, I planned to visit it on my own. With my visit to Bled, I planned to include a visit to Vitnar Gorge which sits just outside of Bled. Either rent a bike, take the paid shuttle, or walk for about an hour (one way) to reach this gorgeous area. This natural gorge has walking paths and offers fantastic views.
Visits are limited to control crowding so you’ll want to pick up your entrance ticket in advance so you can get the time slot you want.
Bohinj
If you take a bus from Ljubljana, it’s likely going to Bohinj and just stops in Bled first. I visited both Bohinj and Bled on my day trip and Bohinj felt just as beautiful. Plus, it had fewer crowds. That said, Lake Bohinj is larger so you won’t be able to circle the entire lake like you can in Bled, but I’d argue that the mountain views in Bohinj are even better than in Bled (though Bled has the advantage of its picturesque island).
How Long Do You Need in Bled
It depends. In general I recommend giving yourself one day in Bled. At an absolute minimum you’ll want about two to three hours. That gives you enough time to walk around the lake and pick up some cake to go. Since I visited Bled on a day trip from Ljubljana that included stops at Triglav National Park and Bohinj, I ended up with only about three hours. I loved my time in Bled and the rest of the stops on our day trip, but I do wish I would have had more time in Bled.
So really, at minimum, I would recommend giving yourself a half day in Bled, but I think a full day would allow you to feel less rushed, particularly if you want to walk the full path around Lake Bled. If you want to add in a stop at Vitnar Gorge (or even Bohinj), you’ll want a full day.
How to Get Around Bled
Bled itself is walkable and once you arrive, it’s very easy to explore on foot. Now, if you want to visit Vitnar Gorge, you have the option to rent a bike or pay a fee for a shuttle, though if you’re up for a long walk, you could take an hour to walk each way. If you want to visit Bohinj as well, you’ll need to catch a bus as it’s too far to walk.
How to Get to Bled
For those without a car, you’ll want to look into the Arriva buses which connect Ljubljana with many destinations throughout Slovenia, including Bled and Bohinj. Buses leave frequently and take about an hour or so to connect Ljubljana and Bled. This was my initial plan for my Bled day trip, but in the end, I booked a tour that included stops at Triglav National Park and Bohinj. The benefit was I didn’t have to worry about transportation. The downside is that I don’t have any direct experience for this post.
When to Visit Slovenia
Summer is high season. Expect high temperatures and the most crowds. While Slovenia isn’t as busy as some of its European neighbors, it can still get busy. Bled especially can feel very busy during peak tourist season. The good news is that shuttles and buses should be running and will hopefully allow you to do this entire itinerary independently (if that’s your preference).
Winter is low season with the lowest prices, coldest temperatures, and fewest visitors. You can absolutely still visit Ljubljana during the winter months but it wouldn’t be my first choice.
Spring and fall are shoulder season which offer a balance between price, weather, and tourist crowds.
I visited in the second week of October and had a fantastic time. There were plenty of other travelers but it never felt overwhelming. Mornings were cool and often had a layer of fog that cleared up as the morning wore on. In addition, leaves were changing making some of the drives outside the city (particularly near Triglav National Park and Bled) extra beautiful.
Final Thoughts
Bled is beautiful and it’s one of the reasons I fell in love with Slovenia. The country is beautiful and this area is no exception. So whether you plan to spend the night or if you just visit Bled on a day trip from Ljubljana, don’t skip Bled when planning out your Slovenia itinerary.
Continue Your Adventure
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