16 Fun Things to Do at Lake Bled, Slovenia

Last updated on May 24th, 2026

Want to visit Slovenia’s most famous destination? We’re sharing 16 fun things to do in Lake Bled, beyond just seeing the lake itself!

Lake Bled is without a doubt Slovenia’s most iconic destination. Located in the Julian Alps, this stunning, blue lake is surrounded by mountains and is known for its island, with a picturesque church perched on top. It truly feels like something out of a fairytale!

While we tend to prefer exploring a bit more off the beaten path in our travels, we knew we couldn’t visit Slovenia and not see this lake for ourselves. And we’re so glad we did! Despite being the most touristy place we visited throughout our Slovenia road trip, we still had a blast here and can totally understand why it’s so famous!

And if you’re looking for fun things to do in Lake Bled, we’re sharing our favorite local eats, hikes, and activities from our two days at the lake. Plus some helpful planning logistics and tips to help you have a smooth trip!

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16 Fun Things to Do at Lake Bled

1. Watch the sunrise over the lake

In our opinion, the best way to kick off your time in Lake Bled is with sunrise at the lake. Being such a busy destination, it’s hard to beat having a quiet moment to start the day. Plus, seeing the lake illuminate is pretty magical!

There are a handful of areas that make for the perfect spot to see the sunrise. We personally enjoyed watching the sunrise at Velika Zaka. This east-facing beach has a great view of the island and surrounding mountains. Plus it is located right outside of where we camped at Lake Bled, which made it super easy to walk to for sunrise.

Another great spot for sunrise is from the Mala Osojnica and Ojstrica viewpoints. With their high up view of the lake, they make for a fantastic spot to see the sun pop over the mountains and they’re way less busy at sunrise! However, one downside is that you will have to hike up in the dark and the lighting will be a bit more golden, versus the mid-day blues and greens.

Lastly, you could watch the sunrise from anywhere along the lakeside path! While not all spots will offer views of the actual sunrise, you will still get to see the sunlight brighten the mountains and lake. We especially loved the scenery from this viewpoint along the path!

2. Try Bled Cream Cake

Bled Cream Cake - Traditional Slovenian Food

Without a doubt, one of the top things to do at Lake Bled is to try the famous Bled Cream Cake (Blejska kremšnita). This is one of the best traditional foods in Slovenia! The cake has a flaky crust, a vanilla custard and whipped cream center, and top layer of flaky crust, and then is topped with powdered sugar. It is perfectly sweet (but not too sweet) and creamy!

You can find it all over the lake, but one of the top spots to try it is Confectionery Zima. We opted to go here and can confirm that theirs is incredible!

3. Take a boat to Bled Island

Bled Island is the only natural island in Slovenia and can be seen from all around the lake. While seeing Bled Island from the lakeshore is great, going out to the island is one of the best things to do at Lake Bled. And you have two options to get there!

Hire a pletna

A pletna is a wooden, flat-bottomed boat that dates back to 1590 and is rowed by a pletnar, a job that is handed down from generation to generation. Pletnas act as the shared boat option to get to Bled Island, fitting up to 20 people.

You can find these boats to hop on all around the lake, with a few popular options to hop on being Mlino Port, Pletna Boats Bled, and over by Velika Zaka. It typically costs about €20 per adult and no reservations are needed, you can just show up and hop onto the next boat! The experience includes both the ride to and from the island, plus some time to wander around the island itself.

Row yourself

If you’re up for a more “do it yourself” type adventure then we highly recommend renting a row boat and rowing yourself to Bled Island. This is what we did and it made the experience even more memorable and fun!

We had never rowed a boat before, so there was a bit of a learning curve, but we eventually got the hang of it. Plus, getting to visit the lake on our own versus in a packed boat was a good way to escape the Lake Bled crowds for a bit.

There are a bunch of places you can rent boats around the lake, but we rented from a spot on the south side of the lake, which is one of the shortest distances to the island, only about 10 minutes or so. And since you pay by the hour (€20 for a small boat), not having to go as far gives you more time once you get there!

4. Explore Bled Island

Bled Island is pretty small, with just a couple buildings, including a cafe and the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which dates back to the mid-17th century. However, getting to these buildings requires a nice walk up 99 steps!

And while you can visit the island itself for free, if you want to go into the church and up its tower, there is a €12 fee. We personally decided to skip this, as it was quite a bit of money. But for those interested, you will be able to get a higher up view of the lake (although, there is a netting that sort of ruins the view), plus ring the church’s wishing bell, which you can hear ringing all over the lake!

There is a local legend that whoever rings the bell will have their wish come true. And apparently if grooms carry their bride up the steps in complete silence and then ring the bell three times, they’ll have good fortune. So if you want to up your luck, it may be worth the cost to you!

5. Enjoy a snack at a local hidden gem

Being one of the best places to visit in Slovenia, Lake Bled has no shortage of restaurants to choose from. But if you want to escape the crowds and experience something a bit more authentic, we highly recommend making the walk down a side street to Monika Poklukar (cash only!).

This spot is located at a historic Slovenian farmhouse and is run by a local family that serves local meats and cheeses, plus homemade beer and other drinks. While it’s more of a snack vibe than a full on restaurant, it was an experience we wouldn’t miss!

Not only is the food delicious and high quality, but you will get excellent service from the nice family and they’ll even give you a tour of their traditional farmhouse, which is over 1,000 years old! The star of the farmhouse tour is the black kitchen where they used to smoke and preserve the meats. It’s given this name because the walls were heavily discolored by the centuries of smoke. We have never seen anything like it!

But if you’re in search of a heavier meal, here are a handful of other popular and highly ranked spots:

Old Cellar: Our well-traveled friends (Chad and Claire!) visited this restaurant and said it was one of their favorite meals ever! They focus on a seasonal menu and our friends loved their ribeye, lamb shank, and their Prekmurska Gibanica cake.
Oštarija Peglez’n: A great spot to try some local foods, including seafood platters and risotto, plus čevapčiči!
Pizzeria Rustika: If you’re craving pizza, this spot makes some delicious wood fired pies!

6. Swim in Lake Bled

On a warm, sunny day the sparkling blue waters of the lake will be calling your name! And if you happen to get such a day, one of the best things to do at Lake Bled is to go for a swim. There are several spots where you can safely enter the water around the lake.

We personally swam at Velika Zaka, a free beach right by Camping Bled with a grassy area to sit out, plus a pier. It gets busy though, so make sure to arrive early if you want to sit and enjoy it for a while. Zaka and this swimming area (fee to visit) by Bled Castle are also popular!

Important to know: There are many areas where you are NOT allowed to get into the water, so pay attention to signage!

7. Visit Vintgar Gorge

Just a few minutes away from Lake Bled is Vintgar Gorge, one of the prettiest natural spots near Bled and one of our favorite places we visited in all of Slovenia!

This is a 1,600 meter (1 mile) long and up to 250 meter (820 feet) deep canyon that has been carved by the vibrant and crystal clear Radovna River. It was first discovered in 1891 and was the first protected natural attraction in the country, opening to the public just two years later.

Today you can walk along wooden boardwalks, which wind along the canyon edge, taking you by turquoise pools, waterfalls, and rapids, ending at Šum Waterfall, the largest river waterfall in Slovenia.

There is quite a bit of logistics to know before you visit Vintgar Gorge, so check out our detailed guide for information on tickets, the free shuttle, and other important tips!

8. Scream down the Straza Bled Toboggan

One of our absolute favorite thrills are toboggans or alpine coasters. And the toboggan at Straža Bled was maybe the best one we’ve ever been on!

To get to the top of the toboggan hill you can either hike or take a chairlift up (tickets need to be purchased at the bottom though). The line for the chairlift can sometimes be pretty long, so we recommend taking a look at the line before you purchase chairlift tickets. But if you are able to take the chairlift, it’s worth it for the views of the area. Plus if you buy two toboggan rides with chairlift rides, you can skip the chairlift line on your second trip!

And once at the top, the thrill begins! The toboggan track is 520 meters long (0.3 miles), with several twists and turns! If you’re like us and don’t use the brake much, it’ll go by fast! But don’t worry, you can control your own speed, so if you want a slightly more leisurely ride, you can do that as well.

Important to know: The toboggan is only available from spring to autumn, with hours varying by season.

9. Walk up to Ojstrica and Mala Osojnica viewpoints

One of the best ways to see Lake Bled is from high up. While the east side of the lake consists of the village of Bled, the west side is home to preserved forested hills. There are a handful of overlooks you can hike up to on the west side of the lake, with the most popular being Ojstrica and Mala Osojnica. And together they can be combined into a 3.2 km (2 mile) loop!

However, don’t let the distance fool you. It’s a pretty steep hike, with rugged trails and steps. But after about 30 minutes of uphill climbing, you’ll reach a picture perfect view (from two viewpoints!), with green trees lining the bright blue waters of the lake and a stunning backdrop of mountains. This is one of those scenes that we had seen photos of countless times and it was a surreal feeling to finally get to stand here and see it for ourselves!

Despite being very busy, it’s easily one of the best things to do at Lake Bled. And to learn more about this hike, including what to expect, the differences in the viewpoints, and more, check out our detailed guide to hiking to the Ojstrica and Mala Osojnica viewpoints.

10. Bled Castle

First mentioned in 1011, Lake Bled is home to one of the oldest castles in Slovenia, Bled Castle. Perched atop a steep, vertical rock face hundreds of feet above the lake, the location of this castle is one of the most impressive we’ve ever laid eyes on!

Visiting the castle is one of the most popular things to do at Lake Bled! It has gone through several owners and restorations over the years and it has been designated a national cultural landmark since 1999. Inside you can find a museum, a printing shop, a wine cellar, and a fine dining restaurant. Plus amazing views of the lake and island!

Important to know: There is a fee to enter, but you don’t need to purchase entry in advance. We do recommend going early or later in the day to beat the crowds though!

11. Walk or bike the path around Lake Bled

One thing that we loved about Lake Bled is that there is a 6 km (3.7 mile) long walking and biking path that goes around the entire lake! This makes it easy to get between many of the best things to do at Lake Bled, especially because parking is limited (and kind of a nightmare). All while getting to see the lake from all angles!

It takes about an hour and a half to get around the lake if you walk, but it’s also popular to rent bikes, either eBikes or regular bikes. There is also a bike sharing service with multiple locations around the lake that you can utilize!

We’d suggest venturing around the entire lake, but if you can only choose one side, we really liked the southwestern side. This section is partially shaded and there is a really nice boardwalk section with no cars in sight. It’s also closer to Bled Island and at some positions you’ll have Bled Castle just in the background behind the island. The eastern side is much busier, but still a nice experience!

12. Stand up paddle board on the lake

If you want to spend more time on the water, try stand up paddle boarding on the lake! You can paddle around the lake (or head to Bled Island) while taking breaks to lay out and soak up the sun with views of the island, surrounding mountains, and a castle. It would be hard to find a more picturesque place to paddle!

There are a handful of places to rent a stand up paddle board, with SUP Bled and this spot being good options.

13. Enjoy wine tasting

Slovenia has three wine growing regions, producing 52 different varieties. And if you want to sample Slovenia’s wine offerings, you can go on a wine tasting tour at Lake Bled! On the tour you’ll try seven different wines from across Slovenia, plus appetizers, while in a 100 year old cellar.

Want to save some money on this tour or experience? Join Tripadvisor Rewards to earn 5% Trip Cash on any hotel or experience booking made in their app, which can be applied to future in-app bookings!

14. Soar along one of Europe’s longest ziplines

Fun fact: one of the longest ziplines in all of Europe is located in Lake Bled! (They claim it IS the longest, but so do many other ziplines 😅). On this zipline tour you’ll soar over the beautiful Sava Dolinka Valley and Dolinka River on seven different cables. The views look spectacular!

15. Explore the area by quad

Want to get a bit more off the beaten path at Lake Bled? Go on a quad tour! On this tour you’ll head up into the mountains around Lake Bled, riding along dirt roads in the countryside and stopping at viewpoints and sights that most visitors do not get to see. If you’re well versed in riding an ATV already, you can rent a quad instead and follow a map provided to see the area yourself!

16. Visit Lake Bohinj

If you’ve had your fill of adventure at Lake Bled, head over to the neighboring lake, Lake Bohinj for even more fun! This is the largest natural lake in Slovenia and many argue it’s even better than Lake Bled (we’ll let you be the judge!). Similar to Lake Bled, you can go on a boat ride or stand up paddle board on the lake, plus see scenic views from the Vogel Cable Car. But in our opinion, the best part of the lake is the hiking it gives you access to!

Lake Bohinj is located right at the edge of Triglav National Park and boasts a mix of easier hikes, like Slap Savica, plus Mostnica Gorge, a less popular alternative to Vintgar Gorge. And it is a great starting point for some longer hikes in Triglav National Park, like Seven Lakes Valley (one of our favorites)!

While you’re there, make sure to grab some giant, smoked burgers from Foksner.

Planning your visit to Lake Bled

How to get to Lake Bled

Being one of the top places to visit in Slovenia, getting to Lake Bled is pretty easy, either by your own vehicle, public transportation, or on a group tour. Lake Bled is only about a 45 minute drive from Ljubljana and is easy to reach by rental car.

But if you do not have a vehicle, you can take a train from Ljubljana to Lesce-Bled Station (40 minutes), hop on the Arriva bus from Ljubljana (1 hour, 20 minutes), or book a direct shuttle via Nomago. You can also book a tour from Ljubljana! There are countless tours to choose from, but this tour includes many of the best things to do at Lake Bled, including Vintgar Gorge and Bled Castle, plus a stop at Lake Bohinj. It will be a long day, but it’s a good way to see the highlights if short on time!

Getting around Lake Bled

The nice thing about Lake Bled is that it’s a relatively small area and everything is accessible by foot or bike. So if you came to Bled by car, it would be easiest (and cheapest) to leave the car at your accommodation and get around the lake by walking, cycling, or public transportation. There are many different bike rental companies, plus a bike sharing service with different locations around the lake.

For public transportation, you can utilize taxis, horse-drawn carriages, pletna boats, electric boats, and a tourist train.

If you do need to park in town, Bled Central Parking would be your best bet. It also allows campervans to park during the day, which is not the case with many parking lots. Also, some roads are restricted for campervans, so make sure to keep an eye out for signs.

When to visit Lake Bled

Lake Bled is beautiful to visit year round, but it is most popular in the late spring-early fall, when it’s warm enough to swim and the scenery is lush and green.

However, we heard from locals that the summer crowds have grown pretty large over the past few years so if you can, we’d avoid visiting in the summer and choosing more of the late spring or fall timeframe. You’ll still have nice weather, but with slightly better rates and less crowds. If you don’t care about swimming or greener scenery, the winter is the least busiest time to visit. Just keep in mind that some attractions and businesses are closed during this time.

Our experience: We visited in early September, just after the summer rush and it was still very busy, but definitely enjoyable. Just make sure to start your day early to have a bit more solitude!

How much time do you need at Lake Bled?

While many people visit Lake Bled as a day trip from Ljubljana, we recommend spending two days at Lake Bled. This will give you time to do most of the best things to do at Lake Bled at a more relaxed pace! Regardless of how much time you have, you can see our suggested one day and two day Lake Bled itinerary here!

Where to stay at Lake Bled

There are many options for lodging at Lake Bled, from camping to glamping to hotels and vacation rentals. While the pricing will be higher than some other places in the country, thankfully most accommodations are convenient to the lake, making it easy to explore.

Camping

Camping Bled (where we stayed!)
If you’re visiting Lake Bled in a campervan, which we highly recommend, then Camping Bled is a great spot. It’s located right across the southwestern end of the lake, opposite the village, so it’s a tad quieter. And there are tons of RV sites and tent sites, plus several shower houses, dish washing stations, as well as laundry on site. It was our most expensive campsite of our Slovenia campervan road trip, but for the amenities and convenience, it was well worth it!

A few things to know before staying here:

You need to book in advance, at least in the busier months. It was fully booked during our visit and people got turned away.
There is a gate at the entrance that closes at 11 PM and reopens at 7 AM. You are not allowed to enter or exit between these hours.
Like many campgrounds in Slovenia, privacy is non-existent here and everyone is parked close together.

River Camping Bled
For another campground option, River Camping Bled looks beautiful! While not on the lake, it does have river access and offers campervan sites, tent sites, and glamping accommodations.

Aire de Camping Car
For a more simple and legal place to park and sleep in your campervan, check out Aire de Camping Car. It’s a glorified parking lot with two toilets, although many reviews say the toilet paper is often out. This is a great spot if you don’t plan to spend much time at your campground.

Glamping

Prefer to glamp instead? Garden Village Bled is a dreamy property and a short walk to the lake with treehouses and different glamping tents to rent. Plus a restaurant featuring food from their garden and a beautiful pool!

Hotels and vacation rentals

Rikli Balance Hotel: Every room has a balcony, breakfast is included, and it is in an amazing location less than a 5 minute walk to the lake. Oh, and they have an outdoor pool, plus an indoor pool with a waterslide!

Penzion Berc: This traditional, old world style hotel has a restaurant serving homemade meals made from locally sourced ingredients. Breakfast is included, plus it comes with free eBikes for your stay!

Lake House Sebanc: This is a small bed and breakfast apartment style accommodation on the west side of the lake, in a more rural and quiet area. Imagine waking up and walking out to your quiet balcony overlooking the lake!

Hotel Starkl- Heritage & Unique: A stunning family owned and operated property on the lakeshore. Breakfast is included too!

Vila Alpina: A beautiful alpine style hotel with modern finishes, just a short walk from the lake!

See more hotel options in Lake Bled

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What to bring to Lake Bled

Good walking & hiking shoes

If you’re like us, you will be doing lots of walking while at Lake Bled, plus, the hiking trails are pretty rocky, rooty, and steep, so you’ll want to have some good shoes.

Since we keep things pretty minimal on our international travels we’re usually wearing our Altra Lone Peaks (Adam’s and Kathryn’s) both on and off trail.

Sun protection

You’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors in Lake Bled, so make sure to bring a sun hoodie, hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses. Adam wears KALIYADI sunglasses and Kathryn wears Ray-Bans.

Towel

Make sure to bring a towel (either your own or from your lodging) as you explore the lake! Not only will this be helpful if you plan to swim, but it can also act as a blanket if you want to relax by the lakeshore. We personally like these travel microfiber towels!

Water bottle

We visited Lake Bled on a hot September day and got very sweaty walking around, so staying hydrated was a must! Our 3L Camelbak bladders help ensure we have enough water throughout the day. There are lots of places to fill up around the lake!

And with hiking and possibly biking, we also recommend bringing some electrolytes to help us replenish the electrolytes we lose when we sweat. LMNT is our favorite! If you use this link, you get a free sample pack (8 packets!) with any order. Just make sure to pack a water bottle to put it in so you don’t mess up a Camelbak. We love our Yeti water bottle!

Swimsuit

We highly recommend taking a dip in Lake Bled, so be sure to pack a swimsuit. Adam often wears these Wellen Performance Lined Swim Trunks both as swim trunks and regular shorts. Their versatility is great for travel!

Cash

Some places we’ve suggested in this guide only take cash, so make sure to have some on hand just in case! You can find various ATMs on the eastern side of the lake if you run low on euros.