Very specific advice for a great day out at Lake Bled
Lake Bled is one of Slovenia’s picture postcard landscapes. I love returning again and again to this little Alpine paradise! From the summit of Mala Osojnica, the totally unobstructed view of the lake enthralls all travellers.
Once there, it’s impossible not to be captivated by the beauty of the place.
Once at the summit of Mala Osojnica, your gaze will take in the shores of Lake Bled and its clear waters. In the distance, you can admire the beautiful alpine mountains, their bare peaks standing out against the blue sky. On your left, you will also see the old castle balanced on the cliff and the famous little island with its church.
It’s a beautiful lake and a great place to visit.
Reading these 5 mistakes will ensure that you have a wonderful day’s holiday, without any minor hiccups. Here you can benefit from all the experience I’ve gained over the years, as well as precise feedback from previous readers of the blog. These tips will save you time when you’re there, and will help you avoid the little embarrassments that can arise on a first visit to the lake.
This article will also help you avoid
- paying too much for parking
- finding yourself seated in the wrong restaurant on the lake
- missing out on three beautiful secret spots
- paying for a swim
- visiting the wrong places around the lake
In short, here you’ll find everything you need to spend some sweet, sweet time on the shores of Slovenia’s most emblematic lake.
Study the car park map before you arrive
During the high season, if you haven’t looked for a good plan for parking, you’ll waste time when you arrive, as there are few parking spaces on the banks of the lake (and that’s much better for the view and for preserving the natural beauty of the site). You also run the risk of paying too much for your parking because you didn’t know that there were other, cheaper car parks nearby.
So, before driving to the lake, make sure you study this map I’ve found, which lists the car parks in Bled.
If you arrive after 11am in summer or on a sunny weekend, the nearest car parks are likely to be full. Remember, you’ll save time and money by not opting for the expensive car parks on the banks of the lake.
Tip : Zoom in on the map of Bled and choose your car park before you arrive. Choose those in the eastern zone.
Tip: In summer, I advise you to use your GPS to find a car park a little further away. They’re cheaper and you can walk to the lake quickly.
Don’t go up to Bled Castle
This is probably my most important piece of advice. It will save you 1h30 and also money. Once you’re by the lake, you’re naturally drawn to the castle and tempted to climb up. My advice: Don’t go up there.
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Don’t climb it! Not only is admission to the château overpriced at €17, but you won’t have a clear view of the lake without it!
Tickets: €17 adults – €7 children – €14 seniors – €11 students – Too expensive!
To remember: There are more beautiful and clearer free views than the one from Bled Castle. If you don’t climb up to the castle on foot, you’ll save yourself a good sweat for very little and you’ll save time.
For a great view of the lake, go up instead:
- To Straza, for example, with its secret viewpoints. Walk all the way around the summit to find them.
- Go to Osojnica, the favourite viewpoint of photographers and, for some years now, Instagrammers.
- The Belvedere café below is also an excellent vantage point, although it remains a secret for the time being.
You can also discover the secret spots of Lake Bled.
Don’t take the train to Bled unless..
Lake Bled can be reached by train or bus from Ljubljana. Hop on a bus that leaves regularly from Ljubljana station and will take you to the foot of the lake in an hour. The train does not arrive directly on the shores of Lake Bled, but at the small station of Lesce-Bled. This is 5 kilometres from the lake. So you’ll have to hop on a bus to take you to the lakeside. So you might as well take a bus straight to Ljubljana!
Tip: You can take another train that follows a different route. It will take you to another station on Lake Bled. It’s called Bled-Jezero. This stop is directly on the shores of Lake Bled, but your journey will be a good 30 minutes longer. But that’s not a bad choice.
It will take you 1:30 hours from Ljubljana because of the changeover in Jesenice, an industrial town north of Lake Bled.
Even if the journey takes longer, getting to Bled Jerezo station is a good option, as the train first passes through the Vintgar Gorge before stopping on the most unspoilt side of Lake Bled.
This is a very clever programme during the summer period and one that no tourist knows about:
You can visit Lake Bled and the Vintgar Gorge.
- Take the train to the industrial town of Jesenice.
- Change to Bled-Jezero station (not Bled Lesce).
- On the way, make a long stop at the Vintgar station to reach the Vintgar Gorge in 20 minutes on foot, then get back on the train to take you to the Bled Jezero (Bled lake) station.
- This Bled-Jezero station is on the lake side where you can easily go for a swim, reach the best viewpoint on the lake (Mala Osojnica) and have a coffee in my favourite lakeside establishment, Tito’s ceremonial villa.
Tip from the Slovenian hen: You can find train timetables on the official Slovenian railways website potniski.sz.si/ The stations to look for are Vintgar (the magnificent turquoise gorges) and Bled-Jezero (meaning Bled lake).
Don’t swim at Bled’s paying beach
If you’re travelling by car or bus, the part of the lake you’ll see first is off-limits to swimming. From this bank, you’ll see on your right a paying beach with deckchairs, cabins and pontoons. There’s no need to pay €10 for entry and a deckchair to swim and relax by the lake, as there’s a lovely free swimming area at the other end of the lake. Join the rowing club and swim there.
Good plan for children: On the other hand, if you have a small child, you’ll appreciate the shade, the small pools with little depth, the changing tables and the practical facilities at this paid beach (Read Yerifritos ‘ comment at the bottom of this article)
Another interesting swimming spot is the village of Mlino, with its clear water and lawns. Here.
As a general rule, avoid the small tourist areas in Bled like the plague and head for the wild, secret areas. Don’t window-shop, and don’t dawdle in the tourist shops for even a few minutes, as there are far better things to do and experiences to keep you busy for three days in a row.
Don’t take the pletna to the central island
It’s too expensive! The island in the centre of the lake is magnificent but there’s no point in going there by Pletna (Bled’s traditional little boat). The journey costs €15 and there’s nothing special to do on the island. After climbing 99 steps, you’ll find a thousand-year-old church renovated in Baroque style at the end of the 17th century, but you have to pay to get in! (€12 a ticket, even though its interior is not more beautiful than dozens of other free churches in Slovenia – it’s its position on the island that makes it unique and magnificent). I advise you to save your money for other activities around the lake.
The little bar: You’ll also find a very pleasant terrace on the island when it’s not very busy. The bar serves coffees, ice creams and beers without doubling the usual prices.
Tip : If you’re a good swimmer, swim to the island as I often do.
Tip: Hire your own boat and cruise the lake wherever you like.
Things to remember for your visit to Bled
- Climb Stol if you like real hiking.
- Don’t climb Bled Castle.
- Have a coffee at Belvedere (great view) – If closed, go to Vila Bled next door but also check if it’s open. Both places are expensive but very good.
- Go for a swim at the rowing club
- Hire a rowing boat with your partner (great)
- Stay away from the most touristy area of hotels and shops
- Climb Osrtrijca or Mala Osojnica (do either of these two viewpoints but don’t do both as the view is very similar)
Two visits you should always combine: Bled Vintgar
