5 unmissable activities at Lake Bled

4 July, 2019

If I were to ask you to name a holiday destination in Slovenia, you would probably say Lake Bled. It is one of the most well-known sights in Slovenia. The lake is situated in a mountainous landscape with a small island in the middle, enchantingly beautiful. But what kind of activities can you do around the lake? And what are the must-sees during a holiday in beautiful Bled? I made a top 5 of activities that you shouldn’t miss!

1. In or on the water

During a hot summer’s day there is nothing better than a refreshing dip in the water. Lake Bled is perfect for this. You can also explore the lake by renting a row boat and the real sports enthusiasts can try stand-up paddleboarding.

The most beautiful part of this lake is the small island with its old church, the Maria Ascension Church, which dates back to the 9th century. Many weddings take place here, which makes sense in such a romantic setting. You can visit this magical island by rowing a boat there, or you can have a gondola take you over for €12. This type of gondola is also called the ‘Pletna’ and was first made in 1590 by Bled inhabitants. You can recognize the gondolas from a distance, because they have colourful canvas canopies to protect tourists from the sun. Once on the island you can ring the bells for € 4 and make a wish. Then you have half an hour to look around and of course take some nice holiday snapshots.

Read more: Slovenia may be hot, but is it also warm?

2. A visit to the castle

On the edge of Lake Bled you will find the oldest castle in Slovenia, Blesjki Grad, at an altitude of 130 meters. Here you have a fantastic view over both the lake and the town of Bled. The castle includes a museum with beautiful murals, historical objects, a wine cellar and a souvenir shop. The entrance fee for the museum is € 11 and you can park your car up at the castle, which will save you a lot of climbing.

If you can’t get enough of the view, take a seat in the restaurant for something nice to eat and drink. The Bled cream cake is highly recommended, a typical dessert for Lake Bled. It’s a bit like a small, square cream birthday cake. It costs only € 3.50. You really should try it!

3. The Vintgar Gorge

The Vintgar Gorge is also absolutely worth a visit. This gorge can be found about 3 kilometres from the centre of Bled. There is a 1.6 kilometre walk along this gorge and the river that runs through it. Since 1893, the gorge has been equipped with little wooden bridges allowing you to walk along mountain walls, rocks and hills full of forests. Along the way you can enjoy the turquoise waters of the Radovna River.

You will also encounter waterfalls and rapids. At the end of the gorge you will see a 16-meter-high waterfall. A path leads up to this waterfall so you can visit it up close. With a bit of luck you will see a beautiful rainbow! The entrance fee is € 5 per person and in total the walk takes about 1.5 hours. A tip: put on good walking shoes and come early. The later you go in the day, the busier it gets.

4. Enjoying the view while tobogganing

If you fancy a little action, then the Straza Bled toboggan run is for you. In summer, you can toboggan down the 500-metre-long track at high speed. During the ride you look out on the lake of Bled. And, in case you were worried; you can take a cable car back up again.

A ticket for the cable car and toboggan run costs € 5 for children up to 14 years old and € 8 for adults. Or, if like me you can’t get enough of it, two rides including the cable car for children cost € 8 and for adults € 12.

5. Adventure

The next recommendation for your holiday at Lake Bled is the treetop climbing course Family Adventure Park Bled. A super fun and above all sportive activity to undertake with the whole family. You start with a guide who explains the route and the correct way of securing yourself. Then there’s a practice run with a few obstacles and a small zipline. Once the whole family has mastered how to secure themselves, the adventure can really begin.

In total there are 5 courses that you can follow. For the little ones, there are climbing routes that are about 2 metres above the ground, while for the real daredevils there are routes that go up to 10 metres. A ticket for the Adventure Park costs € 29. If you want to go tobogganing and also visit Adventure Park Bled, you should go to the Adventure Park first, because then you will also get a toboggan ticket!

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Do you have any tips for activities around Lake Bled? Let me know in a comment on this blog!