Let’s talk about fairy tales. Imagine a shimmering emerald lake absolutely surrounded by lush green trees. These trees continue on in all directions, healthily dotting magnificent mountains that cascade up into the bright blue sky and pierce fluffy, white clouds. Now, in the middle of that lake is a tiny island that holds a church that is so quaint that it somehow blends right into this natural setting. Panning out from the island, graceful swans and families of ducks go about their daily doings. I’m not finished because we cannot forget the majestic castle. Yes, the 600 year old castle perched on a mountainous embankment that is so unreal that it looks fictional. Welcome to Lake Bled, Slovenia.

The Skinny:

• Eat a Bled Cream Cake! It’s delightful.
• If you are planning on hiking outside of the Bled area for more than one day, consider renting a car.
• In most restaurants, service is agonizingly slow. So if you are in a rush, be ready to ask for the check when you sit down.

Arrive:

Most people arrive to Bled via Ljubljana, and that’s exactly how we did, too. We took the train from Budapest into Ljubljana and just made the 4pm bus to Bled. It’s an easy process. The bus station is located right next to the train station. There’s not much signage, but it’s hard to miss the line of buses. They sell tickets in the small building directly behind the buses. You want to take the Arriva bus to Bohinj, which stops in an array of Slovenian towns, including Bled. The ride is modern, has A/C and even provides spotty wi-fi. However, as you you creep closer and closer to your destination, your eyes wont want to leave the window.

Stay:

I was really surprised about how many villas there were in Bled because when I was researching, the amount seemed scarce. So, if you are in the midst of planning, I would recommend looking at all sites catering to specialty housing; Tripadvisor, HomeAway, VRBO, VacationRentals, etc.

Luckily, if you are traveling with 2-3 people, you should simply book the place we landed, Villa Marjetica! It was truly lovely. Aside from the insanely stunning mountain views from it’s charming balcony, the location was a mere 5 minute walk to the lake. It offered the comforts of modernity without sacrificing the natural vibe of the area.

Explore:

Area: Lake Bled

Walk Around the Lake

Take time to walk (or bike!) the 5 kilometers around this Slovenian beauty. You’ll stroll under tall trees that line the lake; passing by bustling dock-sides, green-spaces for sun-bathers, and graceful swans looking for hand-outs.

Ojstrica Viewpoint

If you are only in the Bled area for a day, summiting Ojstrica is a must. Access to the trail can be found close to the camping area when walking around the lake. One of the trail heads to this hike is pretty tricky to spot because the marker signs are brown (au naturale, but not so people-friendly), but not so they blend in with the surrounding nature. #6 to Ojstrica is a mere 20 minute hike over a myriad of rocks and through tall trees, getting a bit strenuous at times.

Once you reach the top, inspiration will wash all over you. You now have a birds-eye view of the pastoral church island floating in the shimmering emerald lake; along with a stunning Julian Alps backdrop. We soaked it all in for about 30 minutes or so and headed back down.

Rent a Kayak

The beauty of the water lures you in. All around the perimeter of the lake, you will find swimmers, row-boaters, SUP-ers and the like. The most popular mode of transportation is the Pletna; a traditional wooden boat of Slovenia. In this case, you and about 15 other people are rowed to church island and back. A local told us that in order to make more of a profit, companies have started to over-pack the boats and minimize time spent on the lake. Still, they can’t take away from the beauty that you’ll experience while out there.

Per usual, we opted to take the vessel less traveled with a kayak. We rented from the “public beach” for only 10 euro an hour. It was a really awesome way to see the lake and mountains from a different perspective. If you are itching to go, it’s also a mode of transportation to visit Church Island.

Vintgar Gorge

About 5km from Bled, we opted to rent bikes from a local outfitter to venture here. We were somehow convinced to rent e-bikes and HOW MUCH FUN! When I felt the Bled Cream Cakes slowing me down on the ride, I simply kicked up the gear. With that said, they do come with a tinge of guilt because…really? You can’t just pedal?

The scenery throughout the ride was spectacular. We breezed through a few quaint farm villages. And every so often, the scenery would open up to green pastures that rolled up into lofty mountains in the distance.

We arrived early enough to avoid the level of crowdedness that we saw happening at the very end of our stay. Even during shoulder season, there were buses of tourists being dropped off at the Gorge’s entrance. I cannot imagine what peak season brings. My recommendation is to get there as early as you can so you can awe in some semblance of peace.

There is a reason why the tourists come flooding. Vintgar Gorge is extraordinary. The turquoise River Radovna has carved a plunging Gorge that is so very intricate and stunning that the journey through it is basically a scenic playground. For about two wonderful hours, you criss-cross through nature that varies at every turn.

Castle

The placement of this centuries-old castle is almost ridiculous because it’s perched on a steep cliff that rises straight up from the lake. Contributing to the fairytale of it all, this oldest castle in Slovenia even has a moat and drawbridge.

I knew that this attraction would be jam-packed with tourists, but I wanted to view the lake from every possible angle to drink every last drop. You have the option to drive up or walk up. The walk is a series of switch-back stairs that is not for the faint-of-heart.

Far and away I was correct; it was definitely the most touristy experience that we tackled around the lake. 

However, through the sounds of different languages and snapping cameras, you are met with such a miraculous sight of Lake Bled. The view alone is absolutely worth the entrance fee—even though there is a chapel, restaurant, two courtyards, a museum, printing works, and a wine cellar.

Rafting

With the backdrop and energy of the area, it’s no wonder that I heard rumblings of Slovenia being an adventure-seeker hot-spot. With that in mind, I pre-booked a rafting trip with Funturist.

Hands down, rafting is one of my all-time favorite outdoor activities and I was honestly disappointed with this experience. It wasn’t the outfitter because the staff were super friendly and energetic. They even tried to address the problem by creating alternative fun. No, it was Mother Nature. The “white-water” of the Sava River was non-existent as it offered nothing above very tranquil Class II rapids. Of course, the scenery was stunning…but that’s not what we had high hopes for.

Unlike my usually intense research savvy self, I booked this activity on somewhat of a whim. The alarm should’ve rung when the cost was only 32 euro. I’m genuinely interested to learn if the other river in the area, the Soca, presents any more drama than the calm Sava. If you find out, let me know!

Area: Lake Bohinj

Lake Bohinj

When traveling, there always seems to be a nearby “hidden gem” that is “up and coming”. It can be a neighborhood, a restaurant…or in this case, a lake village. While Lake Bled is absolutely stunning, it is clearly touched by man. And according to those who thirst for off-the-beaten track finds, Bled has gained a little too much traction in the tourist department.

The alternative that is fast becoming just as popular lies about 27km away. Lake Bohinj. Aside from wanting to see what all the rave was about, a hike and waterfall we chose to tackle was nearby this lake. There is a bus that goes to Bohinj from Bled every 30 minutes, but we wanted to have the ability to explore the surrounding area, so we rented a car.

Unlike Bled, this massive lake cannot be traced with the human eye while standing in it’s waters because it kind of snakes around a bend. On one side, there is a thick forest with tall trees that grow right up until the start of the shore. Driving along Bohinj, campers dot this perimeter with brightly colored tents and clotheslines hanging between trees. As for the other side…natural drama. Lush green mountains drop right through the serene surface of the lake, creating outstanding reflections in the ripples.

The populated end (where the “city” begins) still looks untouched by tourists; resembling a locals-only lakeside in Maine. With a few unassuming docks jutting out into the water and resting boats bobbing in the wake of paddling ducks.

While I recommend Bled as one of my favorite places in all of Europe, I would not argue with someone who chooses to reside in Bohinj.

Savica Waterfall & Triglav Hike

Set your GPS for Savica Slap and you will be guided to a popular hiking area with trail heads for this waterfall and many other hikes. Here, you will find two basic restaurants to replenish your energy pre or post work-out. There is a 6 euro parking fee, irregardless of how many hours you plan to stay.

Waterfall

In order to hike to the waterfall, you must pay a small fee of 2 euro. Though a popular attraction, the hike is not for those with mobility issues. Winding stairs take you through the thick forest. At times, it opens up and offers you a pretty incredible backdrop of mountains cascading into Bohinj a few miles away. It takes about 15 minutes to arrive to the slap which is a seriously beautiful work of nature. Though the waterfall itself is quite small, the fresh water cascades over a myriad of mountain erosion lines that your eyes will follow with fascination; then they will meet a mess of sideways trees that dot all the way up the towering mountains that surround you.

If you are interested in a quick and safe hike that takes a total of 45 minutes, the waterfall is your lucky lady.

Triglav Hike

I’ve learned that planning to tackle a specific hike in a non-English speaking area that does not have a massive online presence is not the easiest task. Our original goal was to hike the “Valley of the Seven Lakes”, but once we arrived near the trail-head, we were met with names and trail numbers I didn’t recognize from research. However, we were in the right spot and the timing (2h 15) was similar to what I read, so we just went for it! 

This hike is NOT for the faint of heart. Damn. It begins with a series of uphill switchbacks that go on forever and when I say forever, I really mean it! There were so many times where we felt like we hit the last turn because we would reach the tippy top of trees and what seemed like an opening, but then another hill would magically grow into the mountain. Luckily, the trail was well marked, so I was consistently reminded that the forest wasn’t eating us alive.

After 2 hours of uphill, you reach a sign that must be a memorial for someone. Do not turn around here! The views are only 15 more minutes away. At the top, in the middle of nowhere, there is a massive refugio for hikers who are continuing on for more than one day. It perches on the side of the top of the mountain, which looks out to absolutely stunning views of Bohinj. We still aren’t sure if we were allowed on this property, but nobody stopped us from taking in the views.

I always have a tough time turning around on a hike that continues because I always feel like I’m missing something “just around the corner”. Sometimes this works out to my benefit and this time it did. We continued to hike to another landmark that signage said was just another 15 minutes away. On this path, you are offered unobstructed views of Triglav National Park’s mountains. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.

Grub:

Ribenska Cesta Bakery

While this bakery was convenient to our location, it also locked up points for deliciousness. For the life of me, I cannot remember what the bakery was called, so I named her after the street she is near. On various occasions throughout our stay, we indulged here with coffee, sandwiches, pizza, and…the famous Bled Cream Cake! Apparently, the only true cream cake lives and dies in Bled.  The Kremna Rezina is layered with flaky puff pastry and a delicious creme filling…and to make matters more dangerous, it’s sprinkled with powdered sugar to top it off.

Grill Restaurant & Terrace

While Bled is stunning, I can’t say with confidence that the town shines in culinary arts. Maybe we were unlucky with our other choices, but this is the only noteworthy restaurant we dined at. The Slovenian wine was delicious and the dishes were authentic to the area. If you go, try one of their fish dishes like the trout filet with wild garlic.