So you’re visiting Lake Bled but only have time to spend a day trip there. Well, you’ll be glad to know that I’ve got you covered! Lake Bled is an absolutely beautiful place to visit if you ever find yourself in Slovenia. Plus, it’s only 55km away from the capital, Ljubljana, making it a perfect place to spend a day trip.
So here is everything you need to know about how to spend one day in Lake Bled, including an itinerary and guides on how to get to Lake Bled, where to eat and where to stay.
How to Get to Lake Bled
By Car
🕒 48 mins
Lake Bled is about 55km away from Ljubljana and 47km away from the Austrian border and Italy.
To get to Lake Bled from Ljubljana, take the highway to Jesenice and leave the exit toward Bled or Lipce. Another option is to drive on the regional road where you’ll pass Medvode, Kranj, Naklo and Radovljica.
To get to Lake Bled from the Austrian border (Wurzenpaß) or Italy (Lacs de Fusine – Rateče), take the highway to Ljubljana and leave the exit toward Lipce or Bled.
Alternatively, you can take the Kranjska Gora–Jesenice regional road, where you’ll pass Blejska Dobrava čez Kočno and Gorje, or take the motorway from Jesenice, where you’ll pass Žirovnica and Lesce to Bled.
By Bus/Coach
🕒 1 – 1.5 hours
There are 2 bus stations by Lake Bled: the central Bled bus station and the Bled Union bus station. Both are only a 3-5 minute walk from the lake. You can catch any bus heading to Bohinjski Jezero/lake or Bohinj Ukanc as they stop at Lake Bled along the way.
If you’re travelling to Lake Bled from Ljubljana, there’s also a direct bus with Lake Bled as its final destination. Tickets are range from €5-10 each way depending on peak times. You can purchase them on the Ljubljana bus station website, if you want to plan ahead!
Keep in mind that if you decide to get on a local bus to Lake Bled and pay with cash at the station directly, your seats cannot be reserved.
By Train
🕒1.5-2 hours
The closest railway station to Lake Bled is Lesce-Bled. You can get this on the route to Villach HBF from Ljubljana or vice versa..
Suppose you’re visiting Lake Bled from elsewhere in Europe, whether it’s Austria (Vienna), Germany (Munich), Switzerland (Zurich), Croatia (Zagreb), Hungary (Budapest) or Serbia (Belgrade). In that case, the best way to get to Lake Bled by train is to take the route to Ljubljana railway station, then hop on the route to Villach and get off at Lesce-Bled.
After getting off at Lesce-Bled train station, take bus A6350 or A6345 from Lesce ŽP bus stop and get off at Bled Mlino. This will take you right next to the lake.
You may also like: How to Get From Ljubljana to Lake Bled (coming soon!)
How to Spend One Day in Lake Bled: Itinerary
Walk Around the Lake
Lake Bled is a beautiful glacial lake with a stunning alpine landscape. So what better to kick off your one day in Lake Bled itinerary than to walk around it? Walking the loop around Lake Bled is only 6km so it will take about 1.5 hours to walk around the whole thing (but will probably take a little longer if you decide to stop every 15 mins to admire the scenery that the lake offers)!
You’ll see beautiful scenes of Bled Island and Bled Castle from different spots, find areas to take a little swimming sesh (or sunbathe), and boat docks for transport to Bled Island (keep note of where they are because you’re gonna have to go back to them soon later on!)
Eat Bled Cake (Blejska kremšnita)
During your walk around Lake Bled, don’t forget to stop at one of the cafes or restaurants nearby to try Bled Cake! Bled Cake was invented in 1953 by a former manager, named Ištvan Lukačevič, at the Park Hotel. You can still try the Bled Cake at the original place it was made at Kavarna Park (the cafe next to Park Hotel) and they’re made fresh every day!
It has a golden, crispy crust and is made from butter dough mixed with butter, vanilla cream, whipped cream, and icing sugar. I really like that it was a nice light snack to have while enjoying the lake and mountain views!
Another place right by the lake that you can try it at is Café Belvedere! Alternatively, if you’re walking a trail slightly off of Lake Bled, you can try it at Confectionery Zima, Villa Prešeren, or Caffe Peglez’n!
Whichever place you decide to eat Bled Cake at, make sure that it has a dedicated spot on your one day in Lake Bled itinerary! Trust me, eating Bled Cake with the view of Lake Bled in front of you isn’t something many people can say they’ve done!
Visit Bled Island
If you ask me, Bled Island is obviously the star of the show at Lake Bled. It’s the only island in the whole of Slovenia and is such a gorgeous sight! So when spending one day in Lake Bled, make sure to give yourself enough time to visit Bled Island!
You could probably tell that to get to Bled Island, you need to cross the water. Remember when I said you’d need to take note of the boat docks on your walk around the lake? Well, that info will come in handy when getting to Bled Island.
There are 2 ways to get to Bled Island: by rowboat and by pletna boat. If you’re happy to use a rowboat, the cost to hire ranges from €12-€30 per hour. Alternatively, a Pletna Boat, inspired by the concept of the Venetian gondola boat, is navigated by Pletnar. So you can sit back and enjoy your ride to Lake Bled without aching your arms from rowing. Taking a pletna boat costs €20 per person for a round trip!
When I visited Lake Bled on my interrailing trip with 2 of my friends, we opted for a row boat. Although I was terrible at rowing, my friends rowed with ease, and it didn’t take long to get to the island. So I’d recommend that unless you actually know how to row a boat, don’t rent one if you’re visiting Lake Bled on your own!
The Church on Bled Island
Once you reach Bled Island and head up the picturesque southern stone staircase, you’ll find the iconic symbol of the island: the Church of the Mother of God on the Lake. It’s also known as the Assumption of Mary Church, the Church of Mary the Queen, Our Lady of the Lake, and the Pilgrimage Church.
This church dates back to the 7th/8th century when it was a small shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Over the years, the shrine was rebuilt several times, eventually becoming the baroque-style church building we see today!
The interior of the church looks absolutely beautiful, with the main altar featuring a statue of the Mother of God (along with the Holy Emperor Henry II and his wife, the Holy Empress Kunigunda) as well as other altars featuring St. Mary Magdalene and St. Blaise.
But the most notable feature of the church is the bell tower and Wishing Bell. This bell tower was forged in 1543 and has been the main attraction for pilgrims and tourists for centuries! Legend has it that those who ring the bell and make a wish will see their wish come true! So make sure to not miss out on ringing the church bell for your one day in Lake Bled itinerary!
The entrance fee for visiting the church and ringing the bell is €12 for adults, and €10.50 for students, seniors, and disabled people.
Other Attractions on Bled Island
You gotta make the most of your day trip to Lake Bled, and this includes exploring the other attractions on Bled Island! If you’re not allergic to walnuts, head to Potičnica (Potica House) to try some freshly baked Slovenian poticas (walnut rolls)! There’s also Provost’s House (a gallery and souvenir shop), the Sexton’s House and hermitage, and another small chapel, The Chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Hike up Ojstrica, Velika Osojnica and Mala Osojnica
What better way to end your day trip to Lake Bled itinerary than to admire the beautiful landscape of the lake and Kamnik–Savinja Alps from a high point? The most popular viewpoints of Lake Bled are Mala Osojnica, Velika Osojnica and Ojstrica. These are forested hills that sit above the western shore of Lake Bled.
It takes about 20 minutes to reach Ojstrica viewpoint, a further 20 minutes to reach Velika Osojnica and an extra 15 minutes to reach Mala Osojnica. Each viewpoint has multiple benches where you can sit and take in the stunning panoramic views of the Lake.
Ojstrica, Velika Osojnica and Mala Osojnica are all linked together by a single 5km trail, so it’s very easy to follow and takes about 1.5 – 2 hours to complete!
Where to Stay in Lake Bled
If you’re only spending a day in Lake Bled but still need a place to stay for the night, then there are various hotels, hostels and lodges around the lake to choose from! Here are the topic choices for where to stay in Lake Bled:
- Luxury – Adora Luxury Hotel
- Mid range – Lake House Sebanc
- Budget – Bled Hostel
Alternatively, you can find hotels or lodges that tickle your fancy below!
Where to Eat in Lake Bled
- Oštarija Peglez’n
- Park Cafe (Kavarna Park)
- Old Cellar Bled
- Kitajska restavracija Peking
- Restavracija Sova Bled
One Day in Lake Bled: FAQs
Is one day enough in Lake Bled?
Many take a day trip to Lake Bled and definitely believe that it is enough time to explore what it has to offer. The main attraction of Lake Bled is Bled Island, and there are various attractions around the lake which you can see. On my interrailing trip, I only spent one day in Lake Bled, and I definitely feel like it was enough to see everything I wanted!
Is Lake Bled worth it?
Lake Bled is a destination in mainland Europe that is often overlooked but definitely worth visiting! It’s very easy to get there for a day trip, it has beautiful landscapes, and there are various things to do during your visit! I would say it’s a bucket list location for anyone travelling around Europe!
How to Spend One Day in Lake Bled: Final Thoughts
I hope this guide helped you plan your one day itinerary for Lake Bled! From admiring the beautiful landscape to trying Bled Cake, exploring Bled Island and hiking up hills for panoramic views, your day trip to Lake Bled will be one of the best experiences you will have when travelling mainland Europe!
Don’t forget to pin “How to Spend One Day in Lake Bled” for future planning!
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