ADVENTURE GUIDE : LAKE BLED, SLOVENIA
After a relaxing weekend in Ljublijana we packed up and headed to the jewel in Slovenia’s crown; Lake Bled.
This storybook spot had been on our radar after we’d spotted the lake island on Instagram and Pinterest a few years ago. It almost looked too beautiful to be real, and while we are always a little sceptical about what we see on the internet, this place is genuinely one that lived up to all the stunning hype. Even in the middle of Summer Lake Bled felt laid back and relaxing and while there isn’t a huge “to-do” list here, there is certainly no shortage of scenery and we happily filled 4 days with her good looks.
The Castle sitting high over the lake
GETTING THERE
Before our trip we’d briefly read a few blogs that made the bus journey from Ljubljana sound like a nightmare. Hordes of tourists pushing past each other to try and snatch one of the few seats on the local buses and others being stranded. So we’d steeled ourselves to pay the €70 taxi fee instead. However, we happened to wander past the station the day before we were set to depart and had a chat to one of the staff members. It seems in recent months the transport situation has been vastly improved and you can now book a seat on a increased number of direct shuttles through companies like GoOpti, Nomago and FlixBus, instead of relying on the local buses.
We chose to buy tickets with Flixbus for lunchtime the next day - the tickets were €7pp and gave us a guaranteed seat (even though the bus turned out to have plenty free). The bus was air-conditioned and comfortable and we arrived within 50minutes. Just a word of caution to check your ticket for which platform your bus departs from as we actually ended up on a Nomago bus even though we bought from FlixBus. (Direct shuttles are also available from the airport if you are traveling from direct from your flight -and can be booked online in advance or on the day). There is also a train from Ljubljana but the arrival station is outside Bled , meaning you need to catch a further bus from there.
WHERE TO EAT
Cafe Belvedere - A surprisingly quiet cafe with one of the best views in town! Perhaps the couple of hundred of stairs put people off. They serve just a few cakes and drinks here but lets be honest, we’re all really just visiting for the vista
The Verandah at Grand Hotel Toplice - The views here were really stunning, and while the service left a lot to be desired, the food was good and we would return just to sit and stare at the lake
Bled Castle Restaurant - while we unfortunately never got to eat here (we managed to time our visit with a hungry tour bus that quickly captured every spare seat) the views looked amazing and so many people recommend it . Just book ahead in the busy months.
Pack a Picnic - by far our favourite experience in Slovenia was the day we packed a picnic basket and rowed ourselves out to a quiet spot on the lake. If you’re interested in doing something similar Grand Hotel Toplice can organise a basket and a boat for you. Or head to the grocery store and pack your own, there are plenty of picturesque spots to park yourself in.
Cafe Belvedere
Our perfect champagne picnic for Simon’s birthday
The Verandah
WHAT TO DO
Visit the Castle
Visit the Island
Hire a Row boat
Have a picnic
Hike to the view point
Go stand up paddle boarding
Go swimming
Indulge in a local spa day
Take a horse and Carriage ride
Walk or cycle around the whole lake (6km)
Make time for a sunset drink (the sunrises and sunsets in Bled were so gorgeous over the water)
Go on a day trip - Ljubljana, Lake Bohnij, Todra Gorge or you can even visit Venice within a day if you have the energy!
The view from the castle
According the legend, for anyone married on the island the groom must carry his bride up the 99 stairs to ensure a happy marriage.
“Legend has it that a grieving widow once sat gazing out from the castle overlooking Lake Bled after her husband's untimely death at the hands of robbers. She was so overcome by grief that she gathered all her gold and silver to cast a bell that would ring out in memory of her fallen beloved.
On the day of the bell's transportation to the island, a powerful swell overtook the boat and sank the bell to the bottom of the lake, where it still rests today.
Defeated, the widow sold her belongings and spent the rest of her life as a nun. After her death, the pope caught wind of her heartbreaking story and blessed a new bell for the tiny island church. Now, anyone who makes a trip to the island and rings the bell three times will have their greatest wish granted.
The bell has become somewhat of a magnet for marrying couples, who trek out to the island in a traditional pletna boat after their ceremony to ring the bell. Not only has crossing the sacred waters become a symbol of good luck (but) that water is believed to have healing properties from the lake's unique creation from thermal springs and glacial formations.” - Excerpt from Travel Weekly
A view of the castle from a lakeside hotel pool
You can see more from our trip over on our Instagram story highlights
- Simon and Jen
