I did not know anything about lake Bled before I came across a blog about it and after that I read many many more as it looked so beautiful!!
We just HAD to go there!
How to get to Lake Bled :
Take a bus from Ljubljana city to lake Bled. Costs approximately 7 euros one way. You can do Bled as a day trip, but I would highly recommend staying here for at least 3 days to explore the area and surroundings optimally without feeling rushed.
Day 1 - Explore lake Bled
Day 2 - Vintgar gorge
Day 3 - Lake Bohinj
Also remember while travelling with a toddler, you tend to slow down, snack breaks are frequent, "the duck watching " breaks are frequent and with a place so beautiful, "just-look-around-and-soak-in-the-beauty" breaks are very frequent too !
Things to do:
Lake Bled is one of the most stunning places that I have been to ! In simple words its truly enchanting! And as a small town – this place is so amazing to visit with kids!
Here is how you can spend a day in Bled :
1) Mala Osjanica and Mala Ojstrica:
The hike to this peak is not a very difficult one but is a little challenging with kids and toddlers, as the path gets narrow and slippery at places. Its not a well-marked path and definitely not suitable for strollers. But the views from the top are stunning!
It takes around half an hour to 45 mins to get to the top, the last leg of the climb being an extremely steep staircase or rather a metal ladder! But its all worth it! See for yourself :
It should take about a couple of hours to get back to the lake. And trust me you are going to be very hungry by the time you are down!
2) Bled cake!
Now there is a cake named after this place. And since there is a cake named after this place, you got to try it !! Anyway it was just an excuse for us to enjoy dessert !
It is basically a rich cream and custard cake with fluffy pastry at the base and top. Its yummm and you will definitely need company to finish it.
We found Bled cake at hotel Mlino to be the yummiest.
3) Chill by the lake!
Yes! After an awesome hike and a filling lunch, its time to relax by the lake. Either just lie down on the grass or sit on one of the benches along the lake or go for a swim in the lake!
Stand up boats etc are available for rent.
You can also opt for a gandola ride to the church in the centre of the lake and back at the cost of around 10 euros per person.
4) Straza Bled -
Head to Straza Bled for some adrenaline rush. This place provides a lot of fun activities to suit all age groups. You HAVE to ride the Toboggan here! The place is around 500 meters walk from the lake.
The price for 1 Toboggan ride including a chair lift up, is 8 euros per person (if you buy 2 rides its 12 euros). Toddlers ride with an adult at no extra cost.
The place closes at 6 pm.
5) Rent a bicycle -
Rent a bike from one of the many places offering them for rent in the Bled city centre to explore the area . The circumference of the lake is around 5 km.
6) Bled castle -
Perched on a hill top, overlooking lake Bled, Bled castle is one of the oldest and the most visited castles in Slovenia. Great views from the castle are guaranteed!!
7) Beautiful sunset by the lake -
The sun setting behind the mountains surrounding lake Bled, creates some magical colours in the sky! Choose a restaurant for dinner or drinks with the view of the beautiful lake and you will be finishing a wonderful day in the best possible way!
Where to eat:
There are some great restaurants and café around lake Bled. You can either enjoy ones in city center or one at the farther end of the lake for lesser crowds and closer view of the lake.
As far as restaurants are concerned, our favourite was Mlino. It was close to our farmstay , the service was fantastic and the food was good! Plus they have very delicious Bled cake.
Vegetarian options though limited, are available and also taste good. Gnocchi in mushroom sauce was my favourite. For Indian taste buds, they do have curry chicken with rice and it tastes as close to home as it can get! We loved it!
Expect to pay 11 to 15 euros for vegetarian main dish and 15 to 25 euros for a chicken main dish. Radler costs around 2.5 to 3 euros at most places and tap water costs 1.5 euros a jug.
However ,eating at restaurants can be a little expensive ,so if you don’t want to eat out, then either cook your meals or opt for ready-made sandwiches, bakery items and drinks available at a very reasonable cost at stores like Mercator. Also shop for grocery here. Buy water if you need from a grocery store as it works out way cheaper than buying water in restaurants, where you are charged 1.5 euros for a jug of tap water.
Where to stay:
We opted to stay at a farmstay in Selo village, approximately 1.6 kms walk to the lake Bled (also around 2 kms further walk from the lake to the bled city centre).
We chose this place to experience local culture and stay in a Slovenian home and it turned out just great! The walk from the farm in the morning through the village , with fruit laden trees along the road is refreshing! And if its been a while (or never before) that you have walked under a sky full of stars – get here! Also there are plenty of tourist farms to choose from in Selo village – its cheaper, away from the crowded city center and gives a more authentic experience.
Other interesting options to stay is clamping/glamping Bled. Also garden hotel has few camping/glamping options. Book ahead to get good rates . The glamping option was not available during our travel dates.
Tips:
Allot at least 3 days to explore Bled and Bohinj. We stayed 2 days and missed out on visiting Lake Bohinj.
Take day trips to Vintgar gorge and Bohinj.
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