A refreshing and romantic Alpine lake surrounded by untouched nature and glittering mountain peaks – Lake Bled is a true jewel in the north of Slovenia. It was my first time in Slovenia and I couldn’t have asked for a better place to start my European campervan road trip to this pretty little European country. To get an overview of what to do in this picturesque area, I have compiled the 10 best things to do at Lake Bled for you!
Starting with some quick facts about Slovenia, this post reveals detailed information about the 10 best Lake Bled activities, including prices, opening times & more. Whether you are visiting Slovenia for 7 days, for more than a week, or only for a couple of days – make sure to include a stop at this fascinating lake!
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Quick Facts about Slovenia
| Capital | Ljubljana |
| Population | 2 million |
| Language | Slovene |
| Currency | Euro (1€ = 1,18 USD) |
| Best time to visit | June – September |
10 Best Things to Do at Lake Bled
1. Hike up to Ojstrica Viewpoint
The best way to see Lake Bled, one of the most beautiful places in Slovenia, is to climb up to one of the viewpoints. The Ojstrica Viewpoint is the most popular, offering a spectacular view of the lake. It is located on the Western – and most beautiful – side of the lake. The path leading to the viewpoint is marked with a sign and can be found close to the camping site Camping Bled.
In comparison to other viewpoints, the way up to Ojstrica can easily be accomplished by non-professional hikers. However, be aware that the ground can be very slippery and muddy if it has rained before. So, make sure to bring comfortable walking shoes with you! Once you have reached the top, which takes about 20 minutes, you will be rewarded not only with a picturesque view but also with a nice bench to take a well-earned break after the tour.
Insider Info: The name “Ojstrica” can be translated to “sharp” in English, explaining the pyramid-shaped form of the mountain where the viewpoint is located.
| Opening Time | 24/7 |
| Duration | ca. 20 min. up, 15 min. down |
| Price | priceless! |
2. Rent a Rowboat
Rowing on Lake Bled in a typical wooden boat is definitely one of the must-do Lake Bled activities! Taking the lake’s calm water and the prohibition of motorboats into account, rowing on Lake Bled is perfect for beginners as well! Around the lake, there are several boat rental stations. I can totally recommend the station “Rent a boat” on the Western side of the lake (near the camping site). The rental fee is 10€ for 30 minutes. If you plan to make a short stop at the little island, Blejski Otok, I suggest renting the rowboat for one hour. Depending on your rowing skills (😊), it will take you about 15 minutes to reach the island, so you will still have plenty of time to explore it.
In case you don’t want to row or the weather is too bad, there are boats (so-called Pletna boats) available, which will take you to the island safe and sound.
| Opening Time | 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. |
| Duration | as long as you want, but I’d recommend 1 hour |
| Price | 10€/ 30 min. |
3. Ring Bells at the Church of the Assumption
Once you’ve set foot on the island, which is, by the way, the only island in Slovenia, your choice of things to do is quite limited. Besides walking around the island or drinking coffee in Café Potičnica, the church is the main reason for most people’s visit to the island. The entrance fee is relatively high (6€ for adults), however, it is a special location for a church. According to an old Slovenian legend, ringing the bells in the middle of the church will fulfill your biggest wish. So, feel free to make some noise! 😊
| Opening Time | Apr & Oct: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. May – Sept: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Nov – Mar: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. |
| Duration | 10 – 20 min. |
| Price | 6€ (adults) |
4. Stroll around the lake
The best way to get a proper view of the lake from every possible angle is to walk around it. Therefore, you can walk along the nice promenade, which goes all around the lake and is about 6 km long. At some parts of the way, a wooden pier is provided, which allows you to directly walk alongside the water and take some beautiful photos. Despite the stunning views of the little island, each side of the lake has attractive spots. Here’s a list of the things you can see on each side of the lake:
- North: Bled Castle, Castle Bathing Area, Villa Goldenhorn
- East: Park, Tourist Information & main hotel zone, city hall, town center
- South: summer toboggan run, climbing park, Pletna Boat stations
- West: Viewpoints Ojstrica & Mala Osojnica, Bathing area, camping site
| Opening Time | 24/7 |
| Duration | ca. 2 hours |
| Price | priceless! |
5. Rent a Bike
Renting a bike is another great way to see different perspectives of the lake, breathe some fresh air, and explore the area. Again, there are several options to get your bike. Since we stayed at the Camping site, we rented our bikes from there. However, in the town center, the most popular station is Polka Dot Cycling Rental & Tours, where you can rent bikes starting from 12€/ day (depending on the type of bike). The route around the lake offers great views all the time and is the perfect way to enjoy nature.
| Opening Time | 9 a.m. – noon & 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. |
| Duration | ca. 1 hour (to orbit the lake) |
| Price | from 12€/ day |
6. Eat a typical Slovene Cream Cake
You definitely cannot leave Slovenia without trying the country’s typical cream cake. The Slovene dessert is made of a crispy butter dough crust, vanilla cream, whipped cream, and icing sugar. Around Lake Bled, several cafés and restaurants offer this national dessert. I can recommend Kavarna Park, a lovely café on the East side of the lake. Besides a yummy cream cake, you can also enjoy the beautiful view of the Blejski Otok island and Bled Castle.
Fun Fact: Until October 2019, around 15 million original cream cakes were made in Bled, adding up to a distance of over 1000 km if put together in one line. I’d love to see this! 🙂
| Opening Time (Kavarna Park) | 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. |
| Duration | depends on you 🙂 |
| Price (Kavarna Park) | 4,70€ for one cream cake |
7. Explore Bled’s Town Center
In Bled’s town center, you will find several cute shops and restaurants. So, if you’re looking for a nice souvenir or a place to try the famous cream cake, the Eastern side of the lake is your area to go to! Even though you can spend some time strolling around the town, don’t expect Bled to be a large city with numerous shops. As for me, the little park including Bled’s town hall as well as the section close to the lake was the most beautiful area.
8. Visit Lake Bled Castle
Bled Castle, the oldest and most impressive castle in Slovenia, is located at a height of 139 meters and towers above Lake Bled. The castle exudes medieval charm and can be spotted from far away. Tourists can visit the castle’s museum, and wine, and dine in the restaurant, or simply enjoy the spectacular view from the terrace. If you can’t get enough of the lovely castle, you can even start to plan your dream wedding there! On the website, you can find more information about all upcoming events and even watch short videos about the different areas of the castle.
| Opening Time | 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. |
| Duration | 1 – 2 hours |
| Price | 13€ (adults) |
9. Get on/ in the water
If you are lucky to experience a warm and sunny day at Lake Bled, the crystal clear and refreshing water will definitely call for your attention! There are three main bathing areas, where swimming is allowed. One is the Castle Bathing area on the Northern side of the lake, and the other ones are Velika Zaka, on the Western side of Lake Bled, and Mala Zaka, a little further up.
If you are looking for alternative water activity, I would recommend you rent a Stand-Up Paddle Board (SUP). The best area to do this is on the Western side of the lake, where the water is calm and the best views of the island are waiting for you. You can either rent the SUP at SUP BLED for 10€/ hour for yourself or you can take part in a guided tour (30€/ person). Whatever option you’re choosing, I can guarantee you, it will be a lot of fun!
| Opening Time (SUP) | 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. |
| Duration | min. 1 hour |
| Price | 10€/ hour |
10. Day Trips from Lake Bled
As you might know by now, there are a lot of fun things to do at Lake Bled. However, if you have enough time planned for your stay in Bled and want to explore more of the area, taking a day trip to a nearby attraction such as Ljubljana or Lake Bohinj sounds like a great idea. Down below, I have listed the best day trip options, how long it takes to get there, as well as a link to more detailed information about the places.
| Day Trip Option | Duration to get there | More info about the place |
| Lake Bohinj | 30 min. (car) | 5 things to do at Lake Bohinj |
| Ljubljana | 1 hour (car) | 10 things to do in Ljubljana |
| Triglav National Park | 30 min. (car) | National Park Website |
| Radovljica | 10 min. (car) | Slovenia Tourist Info |
| Piran | 2 hours (car) | What to do in Piran |
Among many other famous landmarks in Europe, Slovenia’s Lake Bled is a true natural gem. As you can see, there are many cool things to do at Lake Bled! Hopefully, my list inspired you to visit this beautiful area and helped you to get prepared for your Slovenia adventure! If you’re still looking for packing advice, take a look at my list of Backpacking Essentials as well as my ultimate campervan packing list!
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