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Located in the alpine resort of Bled in Western Slovenia, the lake can be reached easily from a number of European cities. Those include Slovenia’s capital of Ljubljana, Venice (Italy), Zagreb (Croatia), Vienna (Austria) and Budapest (Hungary).
Lake Bled lies on the edge of the Triglav National Park and is surrounded by two mountain ranges, the Karawanks and the Julian Alps.
Now that you have a clearer picture of the lake’s location, let me share with you some practical information that will help you with creating your perfect travel plan. 😉
In this article you will find:
1. When to visit
Since Lake Bled is situated in a Central European country, it experiences four distinct seasons. So the best time to visit the area really depends on what you want to do during your trip. Even though Lake Bled is truly enjoyable during any season of the year, each of them brings its own beauty.
USEFUL TIP: Because most of the activities you will probably partake in at Lake Bled will be happening outside, it is important to plan your trip around the weather.
In spring (March to May) when nature awakes from winter sleep the temperatures are enjoyable again, attracting more visitors to Lake Bled. However, the weather at that time could still be unpredictable and one could be met with rain or even snowfall! A number of facilities (camping site, adventure park, Vintgar Gorge, some hotels) reopen, indicating the start of the tourist season.
Summer (June to August) brings warm (even hot) weather with occasional afternoon storms, longer days and starry nights. During the summer you can take a dip in the lake besides other outdoor activities and attend open-air concerts (Okarina music festival) and other open-air events (traditional Bled Days).
It is also peak season for tourism which means that it is very lively (usually even crowded) by Lake Bled in summer, as well as at other tourist attractions (Bled Island, Bled Castle, Vintgar Gorge).
During autumn (September through November) when the temperature begins to drop you can take the most beautiful photos of Lake Bled. When the trees are painted in red and golden hues the tourist season slowly comes to an end. It also becomes more peaceful during autumn at the lake.
Winter (December to February) in the area of the Julian Alps where Lake Bled is situated could be quite chilly (especially in January). It brings freezing mornings and usually snow. It is a perfect time for introverts to visit the area as it means low season, as well as lower accommodation costs – except around New Year’s Eve.
At the end of December, there are various events taking place by the lake (Christmas stalls) that you can visit to catch some festive spirit!
As you can see, there is always something to do at Lake Bled, however, the weather might affect your plans for outdoor activities. You may walk by the lake, visit Bled Island or Bled Castle, taste local cuisine, enjoy a spa treatment or take stunning landscape photos year-round.
2. Getting to Lake Bled
When you are already in Slovenia, you can reach Lake Bled by train, bus, shuttle, taxi or (rent a) car.
From Ljubljana Airport
The easiest way to get from/to the main and the closest airport is by car, shuttle or taxi (30-minute drive). There are a few shuttle options while the taxis wait outside the terminal building. There you will also find various rental car companies.
As for public transportation: during high season (June-August/September), there are direct buses running from the airport to Bled. If there will be no such option, you will first need to get on the bus heading to Kranj or Ljubljana and from there take another bus heading towards Bled.
🔗 You can get more information and timetables at arriva.si/en.
From other Slovene tows or villages
There are usually two options when it comes to public transport: bus or train. For instance, if you are in Ljubljana, you can take a bus to Bled or get on a train.
BUS: The best thing about it is that there is a direct connection, however the journey from Ljubljana to Bled usually takes one hour and a half.
🔗 Check the timetables here: arriva.si/en.
Bled has two bus stops (Bled Union, Bled Mlino) while the main bus station is located across Hotel Astoria, just a few steps from the lake. Here is a link to the exact location: Bled Bus Station.
USEFUL TIP: All the buses running from Ljubljana, Kranj, Jesenice, Radovljica or Lesce stop at the Bled Union bus stop and the main bus station. The buses heading towards Bohinj Lake (Bohinjska Bistrica) stop at the Bled Mlino bus stop.
TRAIN: If you do not want to take the bus, you can opt to get on the train. If you will be travelling to Bled from Ljubljana (one-hour ride), you will need to get off the train in a small town close to Bled called Lesce (train stop is named Lesce-Bled).
🔗 Chech the train connections at potniski.sz.si/en/.
Across the train station in Lesce, you will see a bus stop from where you will take the bus heading to Bled (10-minute ride). Taxis often wait outside the train station in Lesce too.
USEFUL TIP: Bled has a train station that serves a few trains running from Nova Gorica or Bohinj via Bled to Jesenice (and backwards). It is located above the lake, approximately 40 minutes on foot from the main bus station in Bled. In summer, you can take a shuttle bus (blue line) to get from the train station to the centre of Bled. Otherwise you can get a taxi.
CARPOOL: Feel like meeting locals while commuting to somewhere? Sharing a ride with someone heading in the same direction as you might be a good idea.
🔗 Look for carpool ride in the area of Slovenia at prevoz.org (in Slovene).
HITCHHIKING: This means of transportation is not forbitten in Slovenia, however, it is not that common as it used to be. That is probably due to more affortable transportation options. The best spots to hitchhike are bus stops and gas stations. In any case, be sure to always choose a spot where a car can safely pull off the road.
3. Getting around
On foot
Bled, an alpine town where you will find Lake Bled, is relatively small. That means that the lake, Bled Castle, supermarkets, banks, post office, many hotels and vacation rentals, restaurants and cafés are located within a walking distance.
You may also walk around the entire Lake Bled. It takes approximately one hour and 15 minutes.
Apart from walking, there are also other options:
Bicycle
You may rent a bike at one of many agencies or tourist points in Bled or use Bled Green Ways which is a public bike system.
SAFETY TIP: There are not many bike lanes in Bled meaning you will need to ride a bike on the road that could be busy with traffic or on side roads or macadam paths. Please be careful and also mind the pedestrians.
⋆ There is also a possibility to rent an electric scooter.
Bled Green Ways (except winter months)
Bled Green Ways bikes (city, mountain or electric bikes) are available at two locations in Bled (at Information Centre Triglavska Roža and at Camping Bled near the lake), and at two other locations in the villages near Bled, Zasip (Vintgar Gorge) and Ribno.
Before using Bled Green Ways bikes you will have to register at the Information Centre Triglavska Roža (Ljubljanska cesta 27). Julian Alps Card holders may be eligible for a discount.
Bus
Buses run from or via Bled to nearby villages, such as Ribno, Spodnje Gorje (Vintgar Gorge) and Zgornje Gorje. Check the bus timetable here.
Horse carriage – fijakarji
Horse-drawn carriages, so called fijakarji, have been around since the 19th century. Fijakarji wait for passengers at the parking area next to Bled Festival Hall (Festivalna dvorana Bled). Here is a link to the exact location.
Fijakerji do not operate if it is too cold or too hot outside.
4. Getting to Bled Island
Bled Island lies on the western side of Lake Bled and to reach it you have three main options: traditional pletna boat, hydrobus or rent a boat.
Pletna boat
Boats with colourful roofs that you will see on the lake are called pletna boats and are rowed by pletnars (local men who are the owners). You may hop on a pletna boat at various locations at Lake Bled, including Bled Mlino, the dock below Villa Bled or the dock behind Casino Bled (Kazina).
Return ticket that you shall purchase directly from a pletnar costs around 14 EUR (Julian Alps Card holders may be eligible for a discount).
Hydrobus (electric boat)
Hydrobus named Črtomir goes to Bled Island at fixed hours and it leaves from the dock behind Casino Bled. A return ticket costs 12 EUR (Julian Alps Card holders pay less).
You will find the timetable on the green information boards that are placed at different spots around the lake.
Rent a boat
You may row to Bled Island by yourself, renting a wooden boat for one hour or more. It is possible to rent a smaller boat or a bigger one, depending on how many people you are.
The rates of agencies/hotels renting boats are similar.
5. General information about (Lake) Bled
Language
In Slovenia, the official language is Slovene (or Slovenian). It is spoken by 2.3 million people while different regions have their own dialects. There are more than 30 different dialects! Learn more about Slovene in this article.
As for foreign languages, many can speak English, especially younger generations, as well as German and Italian which are often second foreign languages.
Food
One of the famous local foods to try is Bled cream cake. This pastry is sweet and fluffy and you can find it on every corner. However, Park Café by the lake offers Bled cream cake that is prepared according to the traditional recipe.
The restaurants in Bled offer different kinds of food: local cuisine, fish, pizza, pasta, wild game dishes, vegetarian and vegan food, Balkan, Mediterranean, fast food… It is common that a menu includes a list of different allergens that are present in the food a restaurant serves.
Bread, pastry and some fast food can also be bought at the bakeries and Petrol gas station.
You will probably be surprised by the fact that you may also buy some snacks and drinks at the post office.
If you look for local produce, you can find some at Bled outdoor market that takes place every Saturday and Sunday. There you will find seasonal vegetables and fruits, honey, bread, cheese an other milk products, jams, pastry… The outdoor market is located at a site that used to be a gas station (address: Ljubljanska cesta 15a).
Drinking water
In Bled, as well as in other places in Alpine Slovenia, it is safe to drink tap water. You will see several drinking fountains placed around Lake Bled where you can refresh yourself free of charge!
Accommodation
As for accommodation options, you can stay either at luxury, botique or mid-range hotels, Airbnbs (short-term rental of apartments in private houses is very common), chalets, hostels, tourist farms, camping and glamping sites or even in tree houses or hayracks.
Health
Above the lake (near Astoria Hotel and the main bus station) you will find a pharmacy and a community health centre in the same building (the exact location).
Phone number: (+386) 45 75 40 00
If an emergency occurs, call 112.
Insects
During warm weather months (spring, summer, beginning of autumn), mosquitoes are the most active bugs in the area. If you plan to go hiking or will walk in the forest, then there is a bigger chance of getting bitten by a thick (which you should try to avoid at any cost).
Look for insect repellents in the pharmacy, supermarkets or grocery stores.
Money
Slovenia’s currency is Euro. If you want to exchange currency, you can do that at the bank (for example, Gorenjska banka at the Mercator supermarket and SKB banka at the shopping centre Bled above the lake).
There are a number of ATM’s in the town, including at the Mercator supermarket (next to the main entrance), in the SKB bank, in front of Casino Bled and near Park Hotel.
Safety
Lake Bled is among the safest destinations in Europe and is thus also ideal for solo female travellers. However, do make sure to practice common sense (for example, if you travel alone, do not leave valuables lying on the beach while swimming in the lake).
I would also discourage you to walk alone in the dark around the lake as some areas are not well lit.
When cycling, mind the traffic and pedestrians, as there are not many separate bike lanes. If you are walking or riding a bike at night, please make yourself visible to drivers.
If you decide to go hiking, wear appropriate shoes (with good grip) and clothes. Please have in mind that some hiking trails could be slippery (especially after the rain). If there is an emergency, call 112.
Tourist information centres
Bled Tourist Information Centre is located near the lake (in the same building as Café Park and Casino Bled).
Address: Cesta svobode 10
Phone: +386 45 74 11 22
e-mail: info@td-bled
Infocentre Triglavska Roža offers information regarding visiting Triglav National Park.
Address: Ljubljanska cesta 27
Phone: +386 45 78 02 05
e-mail: info.trb@tnp.gov.si
Bus & train stations
Bled main bus station is located close to Lake Bled (between Bled Rose Hotel and Astoria Hotel). Here is the exact location.
Phone number: +386 45 74 11 14
Train station (called Bled-Jezero) is located approximately 4 km (2,8 mi) from the centre of Bled. Check out the exact location here.
Phone number: +386 42 94 23 63
Driving
In Slovenia, we drive on the right side of the road.
As for the driving culture, it could happen that you come across a nervous or an aggressive driver (especially during summer months when the traffic is busy and traffic jams are highly possible).
Parking
If you come to Bled by car, you can leave it at one of the parking areas. Each parking area has a ticket machine (prices vary).
Some parkings spaces allow for electric charging (for example, parking facing Festival Hall Bled, parking next to Infocentre Triglavska Roža).
6. Useful websites
Below you will find a list of websites that you might find useful while planning your trip or when you are already in Slovenia.
🔗 Weather forecast and current weather in Slovenia: www.meteo.si/met/en
🔗 Webcam over Lake Bled: www.whatsupcams
🔗 Bus timetables (bus company that operates in the region where Lake Bled is located): arriva.si/en/
🔗 Train timetables (Slovenian Railways): potniski.sz.si/en
🔗 Ljubljana Airport: www.fraport-slovenija.si/en/Main
🔗 Traffic conditions, border crossing: www.promet.si/en
🔗 Roadside assistance: www.amzs.si/en
Are you travelling to Lake Bled soon and want more information? Let me know in the comments below!