About Lake Bled
In Slovenia, there is a real place that looks like it came from the fairy tale world! That place is the beautiful Lake Bled, a 2,220 metre by 1,380 metre lake of glacial origins, with a maximum depth of about 30 meters. It’s a perfect aquamarine color. It has a small island with a lovely Gothic church on it in the middle, and a medieval castle on the cliff above, all surrounded by picturesque mountains of the Julian Alps. It is so beautiful that you’ll swear it’s been photoshopped.
The lake is located in northwestern Slovenia, some 55 kilometres (34 miles) northwest of Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana. No words can do this remarkable place justice so we’ll leave it up to the pictures to do the talking.
Lake Bled Photos
Enjoy this beautiful photo gallery with 50 high resolution Lake Bled photos, all taken by professional photographers!
Lake Bled is the crown jewel of Slovenia. (photo: Jost Gantar, Slovenia.info)
Lake Bled is the picture-postcard view of Slovenia. (photo: Jost Gantar, Slovenia.info)
A great way to explore the lake and reach the island is to row yourself on one of the hire wooden rowboats available at several points scattered around the lake. (photo: Jacob Riglin, Beautiful Destinations, Slovenia.info)
One of the most interesting Lake Bled facts is that the lake’s crystal clear, turquoise water is surprisingly warm. (photo: Jacob Riglin, Beautiful Destinations, Slovenia.info)
Lake Bled offers perfect conditions for rowing. Owing to its stunning natural beauty, it’s known as one of the best and most gorgeous places for rowing in the world. (photo: Drazen Stader, Produkcija Studio, Slovenia.info)
There are several ways to get to Bled Island. You can swim, jump in a traditional wooden boat known as a Pletna, or hire a boat and row over. (photo: Marco Coppo, Foto Video Coppo, Slovenia.info)
Water lilies that cover large expanses of the lake. (photo: Marco Coppo, Foto Video Coppo, Slovenia.info)
Bled Island’s beautiful church, the 17th century Church of the Assumption of Mary. (photo: Vid Rotar, Mediaspeed, Slovenia.info)
A traditional thing to do at Lake Bled is to ring the wishing bell of the church on the island. (photo: Vid Rotar, Mediaspeed, Slovenia.info)
The truth is that Lake Bled really is as beautiful in real life as it is on photographs. (photo: Marco Coppo, Foto Video Coppo, Slovenia.info)
The benefit of taking a walk around the lake is that you can see Bled Castle and the church on the island from different angles. (photo: Vid Rotar, Mediaspeed, Slovenia.info)
The best way to see Lake Bled is to simply walk around it. (photo: Vid Rotar, Mediaspeed, Slovenia.info)
Sure, Lake Bled is touristy, but there’s a reason throngs of tourists flock to the town all year long – it’s amazingly beautiful. (photo: Vid Rotar, Mediaspeed, Slovenia.info)
Slovenia is full of amazing castles to explore and there is no denying Bled Castle is one of the highlights. It is perched on a rocky precipice above Lake Bled and is over 1000 years old. (photo: Matevz Lenarcic, Slovenia.info)
Lake Bled has been a very popular wedding destination for centuries, with the most popular venues being the medieval Bled Castle on a rocky cliff and the storybook island Church of the Assumption of Mary. (photo: Michael Matti, Slovenia.info)
Bled Castle offers spectacular views of the lake and the island. (photo: Mirko Kunsic, Slovenia.info)
Not only can you see the lake from the castle terrace but also the Julian Alps. (photo: Vid Rotar, Mediaspeed, Slovenia.info)
Lake Bled is surrounded by green forests. (photo: Vid Rotar, Mediaspeed, Slovenia.info)
The 646-metre-high Straza hill stretches on the southern side of Lake Bled. It’s a popular choice for many hikers, as it offers beautiful views of the Bled Castle and the Julian Alps with Mt. Triglav. (photo: Vid Rotar, Mediaspeed, Slovenia.info)
Lake Bled is beautiful and picturesque in any season, at any time of day in any kind of weather. (photo: Franci Ferjan, Slovenia.info)
Bled is popular with tourists but sometimes tourist hot spots are visited for a reason – Lake Bled is impressive! (photo: Alex Strohl, Slovenia.info)
Ojstrica is a hill situated south-west of Lake Bled, it’s the classic viewpoint of the lake that you see on many, many postcards. (photo: James Relf Dyer, Beautiful Destinations, Slovenia.info)
Lake Bled is 2,120 metres long and 1,380 metres wide, with a maximum depth of 29.5 metres. (photo: Marco Coppo, Foto Video Coppo, Slovenia.info)
The Lake Bled area is the most beautiful part of Slovenia. (photo: Franci Ferjan, Slovenia.info)
Bled is a small town, northwest of Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana. It is located in the Julian Alps and there are lots of great things to do in Lake Bled area. (photo: Franci Ferjan, Slovenia.info)
Lake Bled is one of Slovenia’s most popular destinations. It features a small island and impressive castle overlooking the lake. (photo: Janez Tolar, Slovenia.info)
Autumn is one of the best and most picturesque seasons to visit Lake Bled as the temperature begins to cool and the leaves will begin to change – giving you even more great photo opportunities. (photo: Nikola Jurisic, Slovenia.info)
The quiet Lake Bled in the autumn is perfect for stand-up paddling, or SUP for short. (photo: Nikola Jurisic, Slovenia.info)
For those feeling adventurous, you can rent a rowboat and paddle out to the Bled Island. (photo: Nikola Jurisic, Slovenia.info)
It is said that one hasn’t really visited Bled without taking a ride in one of its traditional wooden Pletna boats. (photo: Mirko Kunsic, Slovenia.info)
The oldest castle in the country, according to records, Bled Castle overlooks Lake Bled completing the romantic setting. (photo: Nejc Pernek, Slovenia.info)
Parish Church of St Martin is a pretty neo-Gothic church designed by Friedrich von Schmidt in 1905. (photo: Nejc Pernek, Slovenia.info)
Lake Bled is one the most timeless and romantic destinations one could hope to visit. (photo: Dean Dubokovic, Slovenia.info)
On the edge of the lake is a small dock with a large red heart that frames the island in the distance. (photo: Dean Dubokovic, Slovenia.info)
Most visitors to Lake Bled can’t resist a cruise on one of the lake’s traditional Pletna boats. These wooden, flat-bottomed boats date back to the 12th century. (photo: Vid Rotar, Mediaspeed, Slovenia.info)
The paved road around Lake Bled is only 6 kilometres long so it is an easy stroll for travellers of all fitness levels. (photo: Dean Dubokovic, Slovenia.info)
The views from the Bled Castle over the lake are fabulous in any kind of weather. (photo: Dean Dubokovic, Slovenia.info)
Lake Bled in the autumn looks absolutely gorgeous. (photo: Franci Ferjan, Slovenia.info)
Stunning view over Lake Bled from the viewpoint at Ojstrica in the autumn. (photo: Franci Ferjan, Slovenia.info)
If you’re looking for a view over the lake from above, there is no better way to see Lake Bled than from Ojstrica. (photo: Adrijan Pregelj, Slovenia.info)
As if a crystal clear lake surrounded by wooded mountains, blessed with a tiny island upon which a fairytale church stands wasn’t quite picturesque enough, if you visit Lake Bled in the autumn season you’ll also find the glacial waters reflecting the fiery blaze of the turning trees that surround it. (photo: Adrijan Pregelj, Slovenia.info)
This is probably the most famous bench in Slovenia. And no wonder, it offers one of the most remarkable views of Lake Bled and attracts a large number of photographers every day. (photo: Jacob Riglin, Beautiful Destinations, Slovenia.info)
Ojstrica offers a beautiful unobstructed view of Lake Bled, with a bench perfect for relaxing on after your trek. (photo: Alan Kosmac, Sidarta d.o.o., Slovenia.info)
A walk by Lake Bled at night is so relaxing and just gorgeous. (photo: Nejc Pernek, Slovenia.info)
Lake Bled is also a fabulous location to spend Christmas and New Year. (photo: Matej Vranic, Slovenia.info)
Winter is quite a romantic time to visit Bled. (photo: Nikola Jurisic, Slovenia.info)
There are only a few things in life worth waking up for by alarm at 5 am. Catching the sunrise at Lake Bled is one of them. (photo: Franci Ferjan, Slovenia.info)
Lake Bled is truly glorious in the winter, when the snow is falling, when the frost sticks to the ground and the water is icy cold. (photo: Teddy Verneuil, Slovenia.info)
Winter might just be the best time to visit Lake Bled. (photo: Teddy Verneuil, Slovenia.info)
Lake Bled might be one of the most visited tourist attractions in Slovenia, but visit in the colder months and you will find that Lake Bled in the winter is calm and tranquil. (photo: Mirko Kunsic, Slovenia.info)
The really amazing thing about Lake Bled is that every couple of years it completely freezes over. (photo: Franci Ferjan, Slovenia.info)
Lake Bled in the winter months is glorious. (photo: Franci Ferjan, Slovenia.info)
With an incredibly beautiful glacial lake surrounded by the peaks of the Slovenian Alps, an iconic church nestled in a tiny island in the middle of the lake and a medieval Gothic castle built on a 100-meter cliff overlooking the lake, Bled is possibly the most beautiful and remarkable Alpine resort in Europe. |
| |
|---|
Overall Rating: In Slovenia, there is a real place that looks like it came from the fairy tale world! That place is the beautiful Lake Bled, known for its stunning mountain-backed vistas, the iconic church located on a tiny island in the middle of the lake and the spectacular medieval Gothic castle built on a 130-meter cliff overlooking the lake. |
Overall Rating: When people say that a place is like something from a fairy tale, often they are exaggerating, but that is not the case with this charming little tear-shaped island in the middle of Lake Bled. The island has such an extraordinary beautiful setting that photographs of it are regularly found in travel magazines and it’s without a doubt the most recognizable place in Slovenia. |
Overall Rating: This stunningly picturesque gorge with turquoise water of the Radovna river and a spectacular waterfall at the far end is part of the Triglav National Park and is located just outside the northern side of Bled. It has been made into a huge attraction by the addition of walkways alongside and across the river. |
| |
|---|
Overall Rating: Above the incredibly beautiful glacial Lake Bled, on a mighty steep cliff rising 130 meters high, is the iconic Bled Castle. It is one of the most visited Slovene sights with over 300.000 annual guests. |
Overall Rating: Church of the Mother of God on the Lake, also known as the Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary, or The Church of Mary the Queen, or Our Lady of the Lake, is located on a a tiny, tear-shaped island in the middle of an incredibly beautiful Lake Bled. The church has such a beautiful setting that pictures of it are regularly found in travel magazines and on travel blogs and forums. |
Overall Rating: Royal Bled Golf is the oldest and the largest golf course in Slovenia and one of those must play courses in Europe. The facility comprises the 18-hole King's Course and the 9-hole Lake's Course. The 18-hole King's Course is pretty challenging and plays host to several tournaments and other events during the year, while the 9-hole Lake's course is a bit easier option for those whose handicap is too high, or those with not-so-deep pockets. Club membership is invitation only, but both courses are regularly open to the general public with advanced booking. |
Cuisine: Slovenian Located on the quiet side of Lake Bled, the restaurant has some of the most amazing views of the lake, church on the island, and Slovenian Alps. The food is outstanding with a varied choice on the menu to suit every taste. It’s exquisite fine dining but with quite big portions. OVERALL RATING: PRICES: |
Cuisine: Slovenian This famous restaurant is now under new management of the Jezersek family who serve modern interpretations of recipes written more than 70 years ago by their grandmother. The food is absolutely lovely - it's traditional Slovenian served in a superb fine dining style with lots of lovely touches. OVERALL RATING: PRICES: |
Cuisine: International The restaurant is located in the very heart of Bled. It's a fine restaurant with a lovely terrace that has a breathtaking view of Lake Bled and Bled Island. The menu is varied with a good selection of meat, fish and pasta dishes. The food served is full of flavour and beautifully presented and yet is not too heavy on the pocket. OVERALL RATING: PRICES: |
Cuisine: Slovenian This is a lovely small restaurant that is opened only during the season (from May 1st till mid-October). The setting is charming in an open garden with lit candles all around the tables. The menu is surprisingly extensive for a small place and there's something for everyone. All the plates coming from the kitchen are a feast for the eyes. OVERALL RATING: PRICES: |
| |
|---|
| The accommodation options in Bled can be divided into six main categories: hotels, guest houses, B&Bs, apartments, farm stays and hostels. |
Finding a hotel that suits your needs and fits your budget can be a hassle. Bled is a very touristic place with lots of hotels of varying standards, from ultra-luxurious where guests can indulge themselves in some exquisite spas to a nice choice of affordable 3-star hotels. Find out which hotels in Bled we recommend and why. |
Bled guesthouses are definitely a nice, safe option for a place to stay as they are comfortable and homely with owners who take an interest in their guests. Many offer not only breakfast, but also lunch and dinner. There are quite a few wonderful guest houses in Bled, find out which one would best suit your needs, style and budget. |
Bed and breakfasts are a cheap way of staying in Bled. In essence you get a room and usually also a private bathroom in someone's house, with breakfast included in the price. Find out which B&Bs in Bled we recommend and why. |
Many local residents in Bled offer apartments for rent in their houses. Each apartment has one or two bedrooms, a bathroom and a fully equipped kitchen. Some also have a living room and a balcony or a terrace. It's a very popular wallet-friendly option when you are staying in Bled. But be careful, the rates and quality vary seriously, so always do a good research before you book an apartment for your stay! Here you will find the apartments that we think are the best ones in Bled right now. |
Hostels are a very popular option for those seeking low-cost accommodations in Bled. Most spaces and amenities are usually shared, but even if you’re not up for the cheapest option - a bed in a dorm room - you can often get a basic private room at a Bled hostel for significantly less than the cost of a low-end hotel or privately rented room. Competition between Bled hostels has grown over the past 5-10 years so the quality has risen considerably. There are now some really nice hostels in Bled, find out which are the ones that we recommend and why! |
There’s nothing quite like going to sleep under the stars, surrounded by nature and only the sound of birdsong to wake you up in the morning. The Bled area has a breathtaking nature which is perfect to do just that: whether it’s an all natural campsite or a luxurious glamping experience, these are the best outdoor sleeping areas in Bled. |
Farm stays are an increasingly popular vacation option, especially for families with young children. Styled after traditional B&Bs, farm stays offer comfortable lodging, low rates, generous breakfasts and direct access to farm animals, fresh fruit, vegetables and eggs. On some farms you can also join in with farm tasks, including feeding and egg collecting. Find out which farm stays in the Lake Bled area we recommend the most. |