The lake is small, only 6 km in circumference, and can easily be traversed on foot. At the top, on a steep cliff, stands the 11th-century early Renaissance castle of Blej. Below it, the spa town of the same name is spread out, and all the shores where you can approach the water are occupied by beaches.
Official tourist site of Bled
Bled Castle website
Lake Bled in Slovenian is pronounced «Bljejsko jezero» and the castle above it is Bljejski grad. Bled is one of the few alpine lakes where you can swim in summer. In July-August the water warms up to 25C, and this is the peak season. The water is warm and so clear that you can see the bottom at a depth of several meters.
Vacations in Bled are chosen by so many different tourists that they seem to have nothing in common. There are many teenagers, who are taken here in groups and classes, and many retirees from all over Europe. Retirees take leisurely walks around the lake, hikers and extreme vacationers spend all their days in the mountains, and local teenagers splash in the water all day long.
Here no one is in a hurry to get anywhere: in the morning you can walk through the mountains or rafting on the mountain rivers, in the afternoon you can go to other towns or sunbathe on the beach at Lake Bled, and in the evening — the obligatory promenade along the lake. The whole town consists of hotels and villas, in the evening the restaurants are filled with life: Italians, Spaniards, Irish, Russians, Japanese, French, Slovenes — all nations are here. And not a single beggar or Hindu with selfie sticks.
Bled is a postcard. Here, unintimidated ducks and swans swim right next to people, fish can be seen at a depth of a few meters, and there are Alpine mountains and crystal clear air all around.
Where to stay in Bled
Vacations on Lake Blejsko are not cheap: in season, a bed in a shared room in a hostel costs from 30 €, and you need to book good rooms at adequate prices in advance. Six months before the vacation, if you plan to travel by car, you can rent a good apartment for 50 € or 60 € a little away from the shore.
On the first line, right with an exit to the coast, there are hotels 4—5*:
- Cozy 19th century villa Penzion Vila Prešeren 4* — rooms from 180 €
- Luxurious spa hotel Grand Hotel Toplice 5* with rooms from 180 €, with thermal treatments, restaurants and excellent views of the lake and the Alps
- Tito’s former summer residence, now Hotel Vila Bled with preserved retro interiors and rooms from 200 €
- The most expensive hotel in the resort is the Adora Luxury Hotel with rooms from 300 €
- A simpler hotel — Garni Hotel Savica 4* with rooms from 140 €
If you’re not intimidated by a bit of uphill climb, you can get a room for under 100 €:
- Apartmaji Mežan and Alparti Mini Hotel with simple rooms from 80 €
- Cute rustic rooms in Vila Alpina from 90 €
How to get to Lake Bled
Bled can be reached by car, bus or train. The train stops closer to the beach shore of the lake, but it is more convenient to take a bus to the center. Be patient: during the season there may be traffic jams on the approaches to Bled. We stood for half an hour.
- Train travel is not very suitable for those coming from Ljubljana, as the nearest station, Jezero Bled, requires an intermediate transfer, and from Lesce Bled station, to which the train goes without a transfer, you will need to take a cab or a local bus to Bled. However, from Novo Gorica or other cities you can take an uninterrupted train to Jezero Bled. Check the Slovenian Railways website for timetables and costs
- There is a bus from Ljubljana to the city center 1—2 times an hour, cost 12,84 euros (in 2018) round trip. Return ticket with open date, can be used on any flight within 30 days. The bus departs from Ljubljana central bus station, which is located at Trg Osvobodilne fronte 4. For departure times and current prices, please check the website of the Ljubljana Bus Company
