One of the most picturesque and popular resort places in Europe is Lake Bled (Slovenia). Locals call the resort a real gem, they are echoed by many visitors. There are always a lot of vacationers who are happy to dive in the clear azure water in the summer and visit the sights, and in the winter they conquer the mountain peaks and ski. It is in this place, hidden from the noise of the city and hidden from restless civilization, that it is always quiet, because it is surrounded by wooded cliffs, on the tops of which snow does not melt even in the heat.
The Cote d’Azur reflects one of the most significant sights – the majestic medieval castle of Bled, and people enjoy boating on the lake. This is an idyllic picture that meets all vacationers, will never disappoint, and therefore it is time to get ready for the journey.
General information
Prudent tourists will never deny themselves pleasure, and therefore, before the trip, they will definitely enjoy the more numerous photos of Lake Bled in Slovenia. And only after that they learn a lot of interesting things about him:
- Located at an altitude of 500 meters above sea level.
- Here you will find clean mountain air and mild weather conditions due to the subalpine climate. It is in this place that the longest season among other resorts of the Alps.
- A full-fledged vacation on Lake Bled in Slovenia allows you to spend your holidays in leisurely observation of nature, in active entertainment. However, many people appreciate this place for its many thermal springs, where a constant temperature is maintained at 23 degrees.
- The lake area is significant – it reaches 144 hectares.
- The width of the reservoir is 1380 meters, length – 2120 meters.
- Depth – 31 meters.
- There are always more tourists on Lake Bled than local residents, whose number does not exceed 5 thousand people.
- Having learned where Bled Lake is located, visitors will definitely want to visit the resort famous throughout Europe. Only 55 km separates the heart of the country from a quiet, but such a popular place.
The resort has an impressive number of rooms – up to 2000 families can live here simultaneously.
Where to stay?
Slovenia is always welcoming visitors. For vacationers and travelers near the Bled Castle, hostels, hotels, apartments and pensions and even campsites open their doors. It takes several days to explore the sights of Bled in Slovenia. Travelers will be able to stay during this period in:
- Hostel – € 25–40.
- Hotel 1-2 * – € 60.
- Hotel 3 * – € 80–100.
- Hotels 4–5 * – € 140–250.
The price range is quite large, as is the level of service in Slovenian hotels. However, do not forget that this place is visited and very popular, and therefore you should book rooms, especially before the holidays, in advance – at least 2-3 weeks in advance.
What to eat
This is not to say that a vacation with a view of Bled Castle is so cheap. For a standard lunch on the lake you need to pay about 30-40 € according to conservative estimates.
The menu may be different. It will offer risotto with chicken for 12 €, but with seafood it will cost already € 15-16. Beef steak will cost gourmets € 20-25, salad – € 10-15.
Attractions and entertainment
Not only natural beauties attract numerous tourist groups, Lake Bled is also interesting for another reason – the sights of this place delight all romantics and beauty connoisseurs, including the famous castle.
The castle is a representative of the Middle Ages, built in the 11th century. As usual, in those difficult times it was a real stronghold, fortified from all sides. Powerful fortifications, a moat filled with water, a drawbridge – all this was a beautiful defender of those ancient times.
To this day, Bled Castle in Slovenia keeps an ancient Gothic chapel, quiet and comfortable. Various art exhibitions are exhibited here, and in the summertime the place becomes a real testing ground for various cultural events dedicated to the Middle Ages. The cost of a walk on the courtyards of the castle will be about 8 €.
The place becomes a pleasant bonus for those who still decide to treat themselves to a trip to the fabulous region of Slovenia. This is another pearl of the famous Lake Bled. Here travelers can see how the small but very beautiful Radovna River makes its way.
You can get to the gorge from the castle on foot, but you will need to spend about an hour on it (to overcome 6 km). Where it is faster to get by car if you rent it. You can rent bicycles at a local hotel or choose a train that stops at Podhom Station. And from here you can get in just 20 minutes, covering a distance of 1.5 km.
Bridges were laid along the cliffs, and therefore you can see all the beauty from a height, in some places passers-by are waiting for rest benches. However, such a pleasure will cost you 3 €, children – € 2.
This is a small plot of land located right in the middle of the lake, it offers a beautiful view of the castle. Wattle glides across the water – small covered boats with rows of seats on both sides, which will allow vacationers to reach the island.
In itself, a short trip to an unusual attraction will give a lot of positive emotions. Sometimes even the owners of boats arrange speed competitions between themselves. If you don’t want to take part in such fun, you can rent a small boat ashore.
It is almost impossible to find a place on earth where such pleasure will be available. For this, a monorail is laid here, and the descent itself does not take much time. In just one minute you will receive a host of pleasures, and then treat yourself to it again. Tourists who decide to ride, compare the feeling with those that you experience on a roller coaster. Those who have a rented car can get to Kranjska Gora to treat themselves to an even longer descent.
One of the types of outdoor activities can be considered as an immersion in the tectonic basin of the lake. However, such entertainment requires thorough preparation and is available only after passing the training. But everyone can rent a boat, a kayak and swim. In summer, rowing competitions are often held here. Golf courses are also available, and bicycles are available for rent. Guests are offered glory by canoe.
This is a fascinating activity for those who seek to see all the beauty and sights of these places and leave the most pleasant impressions of Lake Bled.
In winter, ski slopes await guests. In particularly frosty times, the surface of the lake is covered with ice, and therefore the ice-skating season opens.
Weather
Favorable weather on Lake Bled allows guests to choose this place to relax almost all year round to see the sights and plan a vacation in the lap of nature. There are no sudden changes in temperature, and therefore people of different ages come to Bled, including families with small children.
In summer, mild, warm and almost always sunny weather is established here, when the air warms up to an average of 19–25 degrees. The unique location and proximity of thermal springs warm the water temperature to 25–26 degrees.
In winter, the weather is comfortable for skiing and hiking. At this time, you can also pamper yourself with hikes or trips to attractions. The average temperature does not fall below minus 2–5 degrees. The nice thing is that in any weather in Bled you can swim in the thermal springs, which nature warms up steadily to 23 degrees.
How to get there
When deciding how to get from Ljubljana to Bled, you need to consider several options. It is only 35 minutes by car from the nearest airport. However, if such a trip does not suit you, there are other options.
First you need to get to the Ljubljana – Tivoli stop and catch the AlpeTour bus. Having understood how to get to Lake Bled in Slovenia from Ljubljana, it should be noted that municipal transport runs with a frequency of 1 hour. The trip will take a little more than an hour. Tourists should leave at the Bled Union stop. The fare is 7 €.
At Ljubljana station, wait for the regional train that Slovenian Railways (SŽ) serves. The frequency of movement of such vehicles is 3 hours, the voyagers will spend 1 hour on the way. The fare is 6 €.
If a high level of comfort is important to you, you can always order a transfer from the airport directly at the hotel and get to the famous lake and castle with a breeze. In this case, you do not have to search for a car yourself, you will be met with a sign at the airport. For an average service you will have to pay € 65–85.
It involves not only payment for services, but also refueling. For travel you will need an average of 4 liters of gasoline, which will cost € 5–8. The cost of renting a car depending on the level of the car will fluctuate between € 25-50 per day.
Lake Bled (Slovenia) annually meets several thousand tourists who discover a magnificent castle, a lake and a lot of opportunities for a good rest. All voyagers seek to return to the Cote d’Azur again.
