One Day in Lake Bled, Slovenia
A serenely beautiful town in northern Slovenia, Lake Bled is often the driving factor for many visitors to come to the country in the first place – and for good reason! Lake Bled feels like walking into a picturesque landscape straight out of a fairytale. With crystal blue water, deep green pine trees, snow-capped mountains, and a castle overlooking the town – Lake Bled should be at the top of everyone’s list.
Continue reading for our recommendations on how to spend your first day in Lake Bled, Slovenia!
1. Ride the Pletna Boats to Bled Island
Top of our list of things to do in Lake Bled, is catch a gondola ride to Bled Island in the middle of the lake!
This traditional style of travel boat are called Pletna boats, and they were definitely one of the highlights of our visit.
This scenic excursion fits about 20 people per boat, with a gondolier at the rear who will paddle you the distance to the island. A one way ride takes about 15 minutes in one direction, so you will have plenty of time to take in the vibrant, clear water along the way.
From there you will have an hour or so to explore the small island. Bled Island has a small church with a bell tower to climb, a gift shop, ice cream parlor, and dock to swim from.
After an hour, you’ll hop on your boat and be rowed back to the town’s dock. NOTE: the gondolier must be paid in cash, so be sure to take some out before getting onto the gondola!
2. Take a Walk Around the Lake
As all sides of the lake have their own vantage points of the scenery, it is worth throwing on some walking-shoes and taking a stroll around the lake’s perimeter. The walking path is fully maintained and stretches for about six kilometers, taking just under a couple of hours to complete with relative ease.
The perimeter trail is free to use and is accessible right from the town of Lake Bled.
3. Lunch at Spica
The food in Lake Bled was all so good that I have to shoutout the restaurants we enjoyed in this itinerary. For lunch, we recommend stopping at Špica for some pizza to tide you over for the rest of the afternoon. This pizza was so incredibly made, and so fresh, that they don’t even pre-cut the slices for you. I kid you not, they hand you a pair of children’s scissors to cut through the pizza pie yourself at the table!
Will I ever have pizza this good again? I guess only if I return to Špica. 🙂
4. Visit Bled Castle
For another view of the lake and surrounding landscapes, check out Bled Castle next! This castle that overlooks the town of Bled is one of the oldest castles in Slovenia, filled with historic collections, courtyards with a view, a restaurant to grab a bite in, and more!
While there is a ticketed entrance fee to enter the castle, you can always head up there just to take a look out from outside of it as well.
5. Take a Dip in Lake Bled
If you’re visiting during the warmer months of June through September, make sure not to miss the opportunity to take a swim in this beautiful (albeit chilly) water! Lake Bled sections off several swimming areas around its perimeter, both paid and unpaid, that visitors can enjoy. If it’s too chilly for you to go all the way in, you can also enjoy a trip out on a paddle board!
6. Shop Locally at the Pop Up Market
While there are small shops open in the town year round, the summer months often boast pop up vendor stands along the lake’s promenade! Make sure to block out time to peruse the artisan crafts and talk to the local vendors – it’s a great place to purchase some souvenirs as well!
7. Dinner at the Park Cafe
To finish out the day, we recommend stopping for dinner (and dessert) at the Park Cafe by Sava. While called a cafe, this bakery doubles as a wonderful restaurant with substantial portion sizes and a variety of options on the menu. The food is actually so good here that it is making me sad I’m not currently there. Park Cafe also offers outdoor seating so you can enjoy the sunset during your meal!
Lake Bled is honestly one of the most beautiful, serene places I have ever visited. Please let us know what your favorite thing to do in Bled was in the comments! We hope you have a great trip!
Where To Stay Based on Your Travel Style
- Hostel: Hostel Lukna
- Hotel: Hotel Starkl
- Luxury: Adora Hotel
More Like This
1. Things To Do Near Bled, Slovenia
While I think you could spend all day lakeside with a book, if you want to keep yourself busy with other things to do in Lake Bled, check out …
2. The Best Things To Do in Soča Valley
Though just a small mountain region, Soča Valley is one of the most popular destinations in Slovenia for outdoor and adventure lovers alike …
3. How To Spend One Day in Vienna, Austria
Vienna is one of the largest international hubs in Europe, known for its history, food, culture, and not to mention for being the namesake of a Billy Joel classic….
4. 10 Day Itinerary: Vienna, Slovenia, Croatia
The primary focus of the trip is to explore Slovenia in full, with bonus stops in Vienna and a couple northern destinations in Croatia before …
Liked this post? Save it for later!
About the Author: Hi, I’m Jill! I am a biomedical & mechanical engineer who loves traveling during my free time. My hope is to help make it easier for others to plan their dream trips by providing firsthand experience from the places I’ve been! Read More.
The food alone is worth a flight over! Amazing pictures!
Tell me about it! What I would give for another plate full right now 😋
Thanks for this post. It looks absolutely magical – and that pizza! Yum!