If you are in search of breathtaking views, look no further than Bled Lake in Slovenia. The crystal clear lake sits in the Bled valley and offers a panoramic view second to none. I traveled to Lake Bled this past January, and was very impressed with all the things to do. Best of all, in the winter months there are very few tourists and no crowds, allowing you to experience this wonder of the world all by yourself.
Boats Lake Bled
Row boat rental lake bled
My number one recommendation for Lake Bled is to rent a row boat. Row boats are available year around and only cost 15-25 euros an hour depending on the company. The rowboat can fit up to three people, and offer great views of the island, mountains, and castle. You can rent the rowboats from Blagajna Cash Desk. The rowboat is the best way of getting to bled island and the Chapel.
Chapel of St. Maria Lake Bled
The Chapel of St. Maria, also known as Lake Bled Church of Assumption, is the beautiful Catholic Church that sits on the island in the middle of Lake Bled. You can dock your rowboat for free, and there is no Bled Island entrance fee. The Chapel is stunning, and the views of the lake from the Chapel are also incredible.
Bled Castle Slovenia
Situated at the highest point on Lake Bled, the Bled Castle is a must do if you are looking to capture the best photos. With the first tower being constructed in the year 1004, the castle has a long and rich history. The bled castle entrance fee is 15 euros, but the lookout point above the castle walls is the most photogenic spot in Bled. The entrance fee ticket also includes entrance into the museum.
Bled Castle Museum
The Bled Castle museum was one of my favorite parts of the trip. The museum focus is the rich archeological history of Bled Lake. The museum contains artifacts found in and around lake bled dating back to the stone age. There are also very cool life size wax figures of the early inhabitants of lake bled. If human history interests you at all, I highly recommend visiting the bled castle museum.
Vintgar Gorge
Another must do while in Lake Bled is visiting Vintgar Gorge. It is very close to lake bled, only a 10 minute drive and less than a one hour walk. Vintgar Gorge features a beautiful river side walkway along the blue, crystal clear gorge. The Vintgar Gorge walk time is around 2 hours, and I highly recommend it. If you are feeling ambitious, you can walk the Vintagr Gorge all the way to the best waterfall near lake bled: Waterfall Šum
Šum Waterfall
Waterfall Šum is around 15 meters tall and flows through the Radovna River. You can view the waterfall from a lookout point below, as well as from a staircase located at the top of the waterfall. Although its probably not the tallest waterfall you will ever see, the crystal water and sounds of nature provides a serenity that I certainly recommend experiencing. There are two options to return to lake bled. You can either go back the way you came through Vintgar Gorge, or you can take the hiking trail that goes past Saint Katherine Church.
Saint Katherine Church
Saint Katherine’s Church is located on top of a hill overlooking the beautiful villages of Zasip, Breg, and Podhom. This view is absolutely incredible, featuring a group of small houses and farmland with the beautiful mountain range in the background. There are also benches and chairs here which make it the perfect place to stop for a picnic lunch.
Best Restaurants in Lake Bled
Pizzeria Rustika is my favorite restaurant in Lake Bled. It has great quality food and in my opinion is the cheapest restaurant in Lake Bled. A full pizza is around 8 euros and they have draft beer for only 3 euros.
The Bled Castle is also a great option. Contrary to what one might think, it is not very expensive, and you can find entrees for under 15 euros.
Lake Bled Winter: Is Lake Bled Worth Visiting?
Absolutely! From site seeing, museums, hikes, rowboating, Lake bled has so much to offer. Aside from swimming, you can do just about anything at Lake Bled during the Winter that you could do during the summer, and you avoid the big crowds. I was only there for the weekend, but I think there is more than enough to do for a 4-7 day trip.
Zagreb to Lake Bled
I traveled from Zagreb to Lake bled on a direct train. The cost was around 15 euros. Travelling back from Lake Bled to Zagreb, we took a direct bus for only 10 euros. We got lucky with the timing of the bus though, as the direct line from Lake Bled to Zagreb only runs twice a week. There is also a direct bus line between Lake Bled and Slovenia that has around 10 trips a day.
I’ve never been to Slovenia, but it has attracted me for a long time… Nice shots!
I am dying to go here! I am even going to Croatia in a couple of months but don’t think I will be able to add to my itinerary. It is so picturesque any time of year, but like how you have shown it in wintertime.
We were here in 2018. We loved all of it. Lake Bled is one of a kind. And Vintgar Gorge, too. I wonder how long it takes to get to Zagreb from Lake Bled? We went to Innsbruck from Lake Bled instead.
I opened this article expecting a bunch of pretty pictures of a lake. I was so glad to see that there were so many other things included! This article makes me want to go visit this corner of the world that I hadn’t even heard of until just now. Thanks for sharing this info and the beautiful pics!
Hello!
I have yet to see Lake Bled. It is in my list. It is definitely one of the kind. However, I am planning my trip in the summer.
Beautiful! The Sum Waterfall is stunning! I am a nature lover so this would be right up my alley! Thanks for sharing.
Beautiful photos. I was positively surprised to see that you can rent boats in winter. We love kayaking and I can imagine that kayaking with the snow covered mountains in the back will be fantastic.
What a gorgeous area!! I am sure I have seen photos of Lake Bled really frozen with all the trees covered in snow. It actually doesn’t look too cold in January! Was it a good temperature for hiking around?
Wow, Slovenia must be a beautiful country to visit all year round! Lake Bled looks very picturesque, and it’s especially nice that you got great sunny weather while you were there. A rowboat sounds like the perfect way to enjoy the scenery!
Rowing a boat over to the church sounds so dreamy! This place looks like it would be beautiful year round.
Lake Bled is seriously one of the most beautiful places! I would love to rent a boat there and explore the island.
Wow, this place is absolutely stunning! Such a unique beauty – definitely on my list now
Thank you for sharing!
Just looking at it makes my eyes happy, I really want to go right now