Bled is a picture perfect town nestled at the entrance to the Julian Alps and Slovenia’s magnificent Triglav park. The Fairytale lake with its tiny island and church perched in the middle, the castle which sits high above the town and mountains that surround it from all angles makes Bled one of those places you really have to see to believe! It might be quite a small place but there is wealth of different things to see and do here and when in Slovenia it is just one of those places you cannot miss!
Bled Castle Sitting proudly above the city on
Chapters
Bled Castle
Sitting proudly above the city on a rocky outcrop at an elevation of 599m this medieval castle, the oldest in Slovenia, is straight out of a fairytale! You can just imagine a beautiful princess and her handsome Prince living here above the lake and surrounded by snow-capped mountains.
Not only does the castle make the area around the lake even more stunning but the views from the top cannot be missed. If you are on the lookout for the perfect shot of the famous island in the middle of the lake then this is the place to come, it’s one of the best viewpoints on Lake Bled and one of the easiest to access too.
Bled Island
One of the most striking features of Bled Lake is the tiny island that sits in the middle and the church which almost impossibly sits in the middle. The only way to get out here is on a boat, you can either take one of the tourist ferries or rent out your own rowing boat to the centre of the lake! Either way, walking the steps of the 17th-century church of the Assumption of Mary and a beautiful experience!
Cycle or walk around the lake
The route around the lake is around 3 miles of easy-going and picturesque walking or cycling which is an absolute must-do. To see the lake from so many angles is to truly take in the sheer beauty of the place! From the far end of the lake, the island and castle look even more majestic than you could ever have imagined.
Around here the crowds disperse and you have many of the little hidden corners of the lake to yourself, well, unless that is you don’t mind sharing it with the local wildlife and listening to a chorus of birdsong! See more here: Cycling around Lake Bled
Vingar Gorge
Just 4km from Bled is probably one of the most beautiful and jaw-dropping places we have ever had the privilege of visiting, Vintgar gorge is a deep canyon carved by the most impossibly turquoise river you will ever set your eyes upon!
The clarity and colour of the water are a testament to the stunning nature on offer in Slovenia. The entrance price is also ridiculously cheap for such a wonderful place to visit, if you do one thing in Bled then make sure you make your way over to Vintgar Gorge! See more here: Mindblowing Vintgar Gorge
Adventure Activities
Being set in the mountains then it will come as no surprise that Bled has an almost endless supply of adventure activities to try out! it might just be Slovenia’s answer to Interlaken! From skydiving to Paragliding, canyoning to rafting you can get your kicks here on the rocks, in the water or even in the sky!
We were unfortunately cursed with some awful weather whilst in Bled which put the brakes on many of the adventures we had planned, but we took the opportunity when the weather broke to go canyoning in a stunning gorge in Triglav national park for an unforgettable adventure before the snow came!! See more here: Canyoning in the Julian Alps
Sort Your Tours & Tickets Out
Best Place to Organise Your Tour & Much More
A great site to check out if you’re looking to book tickets or organise a tour is Viator
Viator often offers different tours to other companies, ones that aren’t otherwise available or have tickets still on sale when they have sold out. It’s the company we trust the most when it comes to booking top quality, unique and exciting tours when travelling.
Churches, historic buildings and other things to see
If adventure isn’t really your thing then never fear, Bled is also a very historic town with plenty of amazing churches and other notable buildings to visit too. The main church of St. Martin that sits just below the castle just adds to the fairytale appearance of Bled with its green spire rising into the air from a thickly wooded area. There are also several Lidos that surround the lake for a refreshing dip in the summer months!
SafetyWing Travel Insurance
SafetyWing
Travel insurance is one of those annoying things that no one likes to think about, let alone pay for, when you’re planning your next trip. It can also be bloody annoying as a backpacker/long-term traveller to find affordable coverage that meets the itinerary-less lifestyle (*cough* World Nomads *cough*).
So instead of getting subpar travel insurance, now we just always go with SafetyWing. It takes like 5-10 minutes to purchase your policy and essentially functions as a monthly subscription plan with near-global coverage!
Eat a Bled cream cake!
One other thing you must do whilst in Bled is to eat one of the famous Bled cream cakes, there are only 2 places in the town to get an authentic slice from but the most memorable has to be the cafe in the castle. Enjoy this filling and tasty treat with a view you will never forget!
Have you been to Bled, what was your favourite thing to do?
Book Your Accommodation
Booking.com
Over the course of the last 10+ years of travelling, we’ve used Booking.com to book probably around 90% of our accommodation. These days you can book anything from a luxury resort to budget hotels and even hostels and rentals similar to Airbnb.
Plus, if you make an account, you get access to their ‘Genius’ loyalty program… and DISCOUNTS. Everything is laid out super easy so you know what you’re getting, and honestly, I’m just a really big fan of the platform over other major providers.
Organise Your Trip Here
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Yo, I’m Nic (they/them), one-half of The Roaming Renegades.
I’m an adventure (and halloumi) obsessed traveller with a passion for hiking mountains, exploring cities, watching Arsenal win, moshing out to Rammstein in random European fields and getting hopelessly lost on a motorbike somewhere in Asia! I am also a proud member of the LGBT+ community.
I’ve explored 80 countries, lived in Australia and New Zealand, and spent months wandering Southeast Asia, South America and Eastern Europe, all while trying to avoid growing up!
Did it work? I dunno, but my back hurts, and I still collect Pokémon cards! Who wants in?!
These photos are beautiful! Wow, if Slovenia wasn’t on my radar, it sure is now. Love your travel style too, it matches mine perfectly!
I think it is slowly starting to gain some recognition!! Thank you very much!
Wow, right out of a storybook! Beautiful photos, thanks for sharing. Happy travels 🙂
Thank you very much, yes it is quite unbelievable!
Gosh, that lake looks amazing. I think I could spend a long time. It looks like a relaxing little town to explore
They are both so stunning and also good to both relax or have some adventures!