The Fairytale Lake: 10 things to do when visiting Lake Bled

I visited Lake Bled back in June 2018 with a friend from university. We booked the trip a couple of months beforehand as something to look forward to and get us through the torture that was writing our dissertations (something I definitely don’t miss now). It also gave us the chance to celebrate finishing our degrees and leaving uni!

I thought it might be useful to anyone visiting Lake Bled to draw up a list of things to do in the area, whether it be places to visit, things to do or places to eat and stay.

One: the walk around the lake.

Walking its circumference takes 1-2 hours but can take up as much of the day as you like depending on how often you want to stop to take in the scenery and get that perfect photography shot. From every part of the trail you can find picturesque views across the lake and its surrounding beauty. The path mostly follows the edge of the lake, and so the majority of the walk is on level ground, making the walk suitable for almost any ability.

Two: visit Bled castle – “Blejski Grad”, said to be the oldest castle in Slovenia.

Entry to the castle was only 7 Euros as students, but even an adult ticket is 11 euros, which I think is a great price. The steep cliff the Castle sits on means the view gained from the top is incredible. The Castle can be seen from most aspects around the lake. There is also a museum within the castle which highlights the history of Bled. The highlight of the visit is definitely the views. There aren’t many places I’ve visited which have views like these. I was proud to get a photo that looks like it came straight from google images (if I do say so myself)!

Three: hire a rowing boat on the lake

… plus the added bonus of the laughter that occurs when attempting to steer the boat in the right direction and trying not to fall into the lake. This is made way more amusing when your friend is terrified of any rocking motion the boat makes (sorry A you know I love you really and I’m sorry I scared you by rocking the boat 80% of the time).

Four: jump on a ferry across the lake

There are two options; an electric boat or the traditional style. We chose the traditional boat. Although it was slightly more expensive, we felt it was worth the experience on a traditional style trip to the island, and as it was busy and heading towards peak season we didn’t have to wait very long for the ferry to fill up!

which leads us to number five.

Five: visit the small island in the middle of Lake Bled.

On this island is The Church of Mary the Queen. As previously mentioned, it can only be accessed by rowing to the island or catching the ferry. The island itself catches your eye from every bank of the Lake and is in all of the iconic Lake Bled photographs. Visiting the island is something to do even if you’re only in Bled for a few days, as the trip to explore the island only takes half a day maximum!

Six: walk up to a viewpoint.

As with most walks to reach viewpoints, it’s a steep incline. However, once you’re at the top you’re met with exceptional views and stunning scenery. There are many paths up from the edge of the Lake to different viewpoints. It is definitely worth detouring from the lakeside path and making the trek up to the top!

Completing the walk up to a viewpoint gets you these kind of views:

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Seven: play mini golf!

There is a mini golf course only a 5 minute walk away from the lakeside and the hotel we stayed in. This gave us the perfect chance to unwind and chill before our trip back to the airport to fly home.

Eight: eat pizza at “Pizzeria Gallus”

Pizza – need I say more?!

Nine: try a delicacy of Lake Bled at “The Park Café” – The Home of the Original Bled Cream Cake

Sort of like a cream slice that we get back in the UK, this cake was amazing. If you like cream and you like pastry, this is definitely a dessert for you to try!

Ten: Stay in the Sava Hotel Group

We stayed at the Hotel Savica Garni, which allowed us free access to the Wellness hotel pool complex, which consisted of pools with stunning views over Lake Bled and the landscape beyond. This provided the perfect opportunity for us to relax even more! The hotel itself was a 3 star when we booked, but had been upgraded to 4 star when we visited! The hotel was lovely, with very helpful staff and great rooms. Our room also had a sheltered balcony, which provided us with the perfect spot to sit and play card games in an evening or gave us moments to escape the weather – whether it be to find some shade and escape the heat or take cover from the rain! The hotel is also in such peaceful surroundings, making it even more relaxing!

So there we have it – 10 things you can do in Lake Bled! Have any of you reading this been to Lake Bled before and perhaps done any of the things listed? Tell me about your experiences by leaving a comment! Think there are things that should be added to this list? Let me know down below!