Lake Bled Triglav
3
Day Itinerary •
Slovenia
Three days in the Lake Bled and Triglav region gives you the full extraordinary range of Slovenia's alpine heartland, from the iconic island church on the perfectly circular glacial lake to the wild high valleys of Triglav National Park, the extraordinary Vintgar Gorge and the hidden lakes and waterfalls of the Bohinj valley. This route takes in Lake Bled at dawn before the crowds arrive, the traditional pletna boat to the island church, the walk above the lake to Ojstrica viewpoint, the extraordinary Vintgar Gorge carved by the Radovna river, the wilder and quieter Lake Bohinj and the finest cream cake in Slovenia.
Best Time To Visit
May to October
Getting There
Fly into Ljubljana (LJU), drive 45 minutes to Bled
Getting Around
Car recommended; buses serve main sites
Budget Per Day
Approx 90 to 150 euros per person per day
Difficulity
Easy to moderate, walking and driving
DAY 1
LAKE BLED
MORNING
LAKE BLED AT DAWN, THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED LAKE IN SLOVENIA
Lake Bled is the most recognisable landscape in Slovenia, a perfectly circular glacial lake with a small island topped by a Baroque church and a medieval castle on the cliff above. Arrive before 7am when the surface is completely still and the island reflects perfectly in the water. The walk around the entire lake takes 6km and gives extraordinary views from every angle. Hire a traditional pletna rowing boat to the island from the eastern shore. Island entry approx 8 euros, pletna approx 15 euros return. Drive: 20 min walk uphill
MIDDAY
BLED CASTLE, THE OLDEST CASTLE IN SLOVENIA
Bled Castle on the cliff 130 metres above the lake is the oldest castle in Slovenia, first mentioned in 1011. The extraordinary views from the ramparts over the lake and the Julian Alps beyond are the finest in the region. The castle museum tells the history of the bishops of Brixen who ruled the area for 800 years. The castle wine cellar produces an extraordinary local white. Entry approx 15 euros. Drive: 20 min drive
AFTERNOON
OJSTRICA AND MALA OSOJNICA VIEWPOINTS
The two viewpoints above the southwestern shore of the lake are the finest places to photograph and experience Bled. Ojstrica at 611 metres takes 20 minutes to climb from the lakeside car park and gives the classic heart-shaped lake view. Mala Osojnica 10 minutes further up gives an even wider panorama. The best light is in the late afternoon when the sun falls on the island church from the west. Both viewpoints are free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The island church of the Assumption of Mary contains a wishing bell that visitors ring by pulling a rope that descends through the church floor. Legend holds that anyone who rings the bell three times will have their wish granted. The bell was cast in 1534 and the tradition is extraordinary. Ringing is free with island entry.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe Belvedere, Bled Coffee at dawn on the lake terrace before the crowds. Extraordinary lake views. | Lunch: Gostilna Pri Planincu Traditional Slovenian dishes in the oldest restaurant in Bled. Local trout and buckwheat. | Dinner: Vila Preseren, Bled Elegant lakeside dining with extraordinary views of the illuminated island at night.
DAY 2
VINTGAR GORGE
MORNING
VINTGAR GORGE, THE FINEST GORGE WALK IN SLOVENIA
The Vintgar Gorge cut by the Radovna river just north of Bled is the finest gorge walk in Slovenia, a 1.6km wooden boardwalk clinging to the canyon walls above the extraordinary turquoise water. The gorge was discovered in 1891 and the walkway built the following year. The final section opens into an extraordinary pool below the Sum waterfall. Go at opening time at 8am in summer to avoid the crowds entirely. Entry approx 10 euros. Drive: 30 min drive
MIDDAY
RADOVNA VALLEY AND THE TRIGLAV NATIONAL PARK EDGE
The Radovna Valley above Vintgar is one of the finest hidden valleys in the Julian Alps, a narrow glacial trough with the Karavanke range above and traditional hayracks in every field. The village of Kranjska Gora at the head of the valley is the finest base for Triglav National Park. The drive from Vintgar through the valley passes through the most beautiful agricultural landscape in Slovenia. Drive: 30 min drive back to Bled
AFTERNOON
LAKE BLED SWIMMING AND AFTERNOON EXPLORATION
The afternoon is best spent swimming in the lake and exploring Bled town. The public beach on the eastern shore is free and the water reaches 26 degrees in summer. The town itself is small but has excellent shops selling local honey, Bled cream cakes and Slovenian craft goods. The evening light on the castle cliff from the western shore is extraordinary and the finest time to photograph the lake.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Church of St Martin in Bled town contains an extraordinary cycle of frescoes by Slavko Pengov painted in the 1930s in a unique blend of Art Nouveau and Slovenian folk tradition. The church is almost never mentioned in guidebooks. Entry is free and the interior is one of the finest in the region.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe in Bled town Early coffee before driving to Vintgar. The gorge is best at opening time. | Lunch: Gostilna Vintgar Grilled trout and local cheese at the gorge exit. Outdoor terrace above the river. | Dinner: Ostarija Peglez'n, Bled The finest traditional restaurant in Bled. Local venison, mushroom soup and Slovenian wine.
DAY 3
LAKE BOHINJ
MORNING
LAKE BOHINJ, THE WILD LAKE OF THE JULIAN ALPS
Lake Bohinj 30 minutes from Bled is the largest natural lake in Slovenia and the finest counterpoint to the more famous lake. Where Bled is manicured and visited, Bohinj is wild and relatively quiet. The lake sits in a glacial cirque with the Triglav massif rising directly above, the peaks still snow-capped in June. The walk along the southern shore to the church of St John the Baptist, with its extraordinary medieval frescoes, takes 40 minutes. Church entry approx 3 euros. Drive: 20 min drive
MIDDAY
SAVICA WATERFALL, THE SACRED SOURCE OF THE SAVA
The Savica waterfall at the western end of Lake Bohinj is the most important waterfall in Slovenia, the source of the Sava river that flows to the Danube and the subject of the finest Slovenian Romantic poem by France Preseren. A 20-minute climb up 553 steps leads to a viewpoint where the waterfall drops 78 metres through an extraordinary narrow cleft in the limestone. The surrounding forest and the sound of the falls are extraordinary. Entry approx 3 euros. Drive: 1 hour drive to Ljubljana
AFTERNOON
DRIVE TO LJUBLJANA FOR DEPARTURE
The drive from Lake Bohinj to Ljubljana takes one hour through the Sava valley, passing through the extraordinary limestone landscape of the Slovenian karst. Ljubljana airport is 30 minutes from the city centre. If time allows, a final stop in Ljubljana old town for coffee by the Ljubljanica river before departure gives a fine end to the trip through the Julian Alps.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Pokljuka plateau above Lake Bohinj is the finest high plateau in the Julian Alps, a vast forest of spruce and pine at 1,300 metres used as the Slovenian biathlon training centre. Several marked trails cross the plateau to extraordinary viewpoints over the Triglav massif. Drive up from Bled in 20 minutes. Free to access, extraordinary in any season.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Gostisce Erlah, Bohinj Breakfast on the lake shore before the morning walk. Local honey and fresh bread. | Lunch: Gostilna Rupa, Bohinj The finest local restaurant at Lake Bohinj. Lamb from the Triglav pastures and local cheese. | Dinner: Restaurant in Ljubljana Final dinner in the capital before departure. Old Town restaurants along the Ljubljanica river.
DAY 4
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
DAY 5
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Where To Stay
Bled, Nights 1 to 2 Hotel Triglav Bled or Vila Bled. Approx 100 to 200 euros per night. Bohinj, Night 3 Hotel Jezero or guesthouses on the lake. Approx 80 to 140 euros. Budget option Numerous guesthouses and apartments in Bled from approx 60 euros.
Top Tips
1. Arrive at Lake Bled at 6am. The island reflection in the still water before sunrise is extraordinary and the lake is entirely empty.
2. The Ojstrica viewpoint above the lake takes 20 minutes to climb and gives the finest view of the island. Far better than the castle.
3. The Bled cream cake (kremna rezina) is one of the finest pastries in Central Europe. Eat it at the Park Hotel where it was invented.
4. Vintgar Gorge is extraordinary but gets crowded by 10am in summer. Arrive at opening time or late afternoon for the finest experience.
5. Lake Bohinj is quieter and wilder than Bled. The water is warmer for swimming and the Julian Alps backdrop is extraordinary.
6. The pletna boat to the island is rowed by boatmen whose families have held the right for generations. The tradition dates to 1590.
Total Budget
90 to 150 euros/day