We don't need to bang on too much about lake Bled on this website, cos apart from being one of the few Slovenian places you might be able to say without too much trouble, it will also almost certainly be on your tick list to visit and anyway, there is loads of stuff (good and bad) out there on the tinternet about one of, it not the most picture perfect European Alpine lakes..

Lake Bled is exactly one hour drive from the Lodge, so an easy daytrip for guests and we have a few little extra tips up our sleeve to tell you all about visiting the magic pond at the end of this article.

The Longest Zip Line in Europe.. (probably isn't by now, but still pretty long)!

So this season, we went on a daytrip with some friends and their kids to Bled to have a go on the longest Zip wire in Europe.. In short, wow, just do it man!

Probably just like you, we had absolutely no idea what to expect.. we are always up for trying outdoor activities in green nature.. so we have landed in the right country!

 

One rather large member of the Lodge team is scared of heights, so spent the entire journey up to Bled quietly petrified!

So the very first thing to do is reassure you that EVERY "flight", for want of a better word, starts off at walking pace from either a long safe wooden platform or from inside the forest.. there are no sheer drops to jump.

And another surprise is this is NOT just one ride, there are SEVEN flights here taking off from the green forests above Bled, most taking you across the Crystal clear Sava Dolinka river.. the very best views are when you are whizzing high up over the river,  completely in the open so you can also see all the Alps surrounding Bled, zooming down these very long wires.. if you keep your eyes open!  

 

The whole adventure takes 3-4 hours with the transport there and back to the forest. So you will also be spending a good part of your day in Green nature.. maybe not exactly what you might have thought about when visiting lake Bled!

We parked at the back of Bled old town which has a very tall church spire as a reference.. We walked into the small old town that sits over the other side of the lake. For ease you could also use the main lake car parks, but it'll cost ya!

The Zipline Dolinka office is opposite one of those secret Bled places we were gonna tell you about later on, but it is more relevant to mention this cake shop here and now..

Zima Cafe..

You might have heard about the famous Bled Crem Schnitta, (for Brits, this is like a posh custard slice), which you really should stuff into your cake hole sitting outside in that lovely posh cafe on the edge of the lake with a view to the Castle on top of the clliff.

 

But local people tend to go to this other secret cafe for their Crem Schnittas and more great choices of other cakes too! Just saying..

It might be worth knowing about this secret place if you are gonna buy some take out cakes for a picnic by the lake, or you want to avoid the crowds at lakeside..

The cafe also has a really cool spiral staircase down to the toilets, so don't eat too many cakes or you won't fit down!

And maybe half your party might decide NOT to do the zipline, so there is time for them to go for a walk around the lake and have a coffee & Crem Schnitta at Zima to meet you on your return from zip lining.

OK, back to the adventures.. Best to arrive light as there really is no need to take a huge bag on this trip.. everything must go with you on the zip line.. maybe a secure smaller bag or zipped pocket to keep your phone in as you will certainly want to take some photos when not flying.

 

If one of your aims for your day out at Bled is to avoid crowds, then ziplining would be a top tip as the group is as large as the content of a minibus and you can book the time you prefer to start.

You drive up high in the lush green forest to a practice line, where you are also decked out in the safety equipment, very thick gloves and given expert training on how to fly and more importantly how to stop.

One of the best things about Green Slovenia are the friendly local people, especially the young ones and so this is a great opportunity to spend a little time, literally hanging out with a few of them! 

 

You walk in the forest to a few of the platforms, so there is time to chat and properly "meet a local".. and the small hikes in between are actually the one thing we would gently warn you about beforehand..  You will need reasonable shoes and MUST be comfortable doing short variable forest hikes.

It is such a great idea to have 7 flights.. If there was just one, then you might spend so much time worrying about it and then it is all over in a flash.. This way, sure, be nervous about the first one, but then your worries will be blown away by the thrill and outstanding natural beauty of this green adventure.

The first ride is over the forest and then the next 6 go over the Sava Dolinka river, which you will not be surpprised to know is crystal clear, wide and stunningly beautiful.

 

The group develops a real team spirit and excitement for the next ride and smaller kids get to hang with one of the guides to go across, which they love, of course!

By the time you get to the last platform for a final view across the river, photos and handshakes, you do feel it is time for a crem schnitta and all in all, you have gotten really excellent value for money.

There are lots of fantastic possibilities all over Green Slovenia to combine getting the heart racing and seeing how beautiful this country really is kayaking, climbing, trekking, biking.. EVERYTHING AND EVERYWHERE.. our advice is simple, if you can, then go with a personal recommendation and try to choose a local Slovenian company..

 

We can only reiterate how professional, safe and good fun the whole Zipline Dolinka crew were and we have already told lots of guests about them..

One last thing to zip in.. it is not our fault that you will probably be here in Green Slovenia in the middle of summer.. the weather is great, but rain is still possible and in most cases will not stop you flying, however high winds or thunderstorms will and the skies can be a bit grumbly during the summer in the Alps.. (Most summer storms tend to happen overnight)..

So if you only have one particular day for zip lining, maybe book a morning slot, in case you get pushed back later, but do not worry too much about the phone weather forecasts, as living here, we often notice the predicted storms do not appear at all or clear off quickly.. 

 

 

Some Extra Common Sense Tips for enjoying Bled and the Environs..

So a third of your day might well be spent flying back and forwards across a stunning river, but what on earth will you do with the rest of your time at Bled! 

Allow us to firstly dispel a few "Baah humbug Myths" about Bled..

If we had been given a lollipop for the number of times we had to listen to self proclaimed or ill informed 5 minute experts that it can be a bit busy in the height of summer at Bled then we could now open a lollipop shop.. Well, what on earth do you expect at one the most beautiful lakes in the world!!

However our own experiences at the lake are quite different and don't forget Slovenia only has 2 million people, so if a local person tells you how "busy" somewhere is, then with respect, they have probably never seen how quickly a city park nobody has ever heard of in YOUR home country can fill up on a weekday lunchtime!

So our point here is crowds are relative, depending on where you come from.. But it seems beyond obvious that in the middle of summer you are not gonna just roll up to the lake, park and get a seat in that lovely cafe right next to the water!

So box clever.. arrive earlier or go to lake Bohinj first and return to Bled later in the day. The main cafe bit of the lake might well have a lot of people arriving and deciding what to do, but walk away from this mob as quickly as you can and as you stroll around the lake you will find your quiet places..

We have also noticed that the main Slovenian hotspots for those tourists who do little research beforehand tend to be only "busier" in the school holidays, so mid July to mid Aug..

So it would also be obvious to say.. try to visit outside these peak times.. we consistently tip the best months to visit Green Slovenia as April, May, September and October and there ARE school holidays then too.. We popped to Bled last September in the middle of the day and waltzed into the main cafe by the lake to get a front row seat without any trouble at all!

And Bled is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT in every single month of the year, so if you haven't seen the white lake in winter or the golden leaves falling in October, or the baby swans (cignets) chasing their mum on the water in a corner of the lake in spring.. then frankly darling, you haven't seen this lake at all!!

 

OK for the Moaning Minnie's who still think Bled is too busy, let's do just a few Extra micro tips for you to consider, with some links to those secret places we have also written an article on..

Take the train..

If you lack time or might struggle walking, then there is a really terrific road train that circles the entire lake, so you can avoid the crowds and hop on or hop off wherever you want. 

Climb up to the castle.. 

There is a "Grad" (castle) sign about 2 thirds of the walk around the lake where you can go up into the forest on a track and even scramble the last bit to the castle for the really sensational mountain views. Then use the very good castle step staircase back down.. 

Do the toboggan run..

It's great fun, great views down to the lake and if you time it cleverly you can also use this activity to escape a "busier" period by the lake and then go down at a quieter time..

There is a much more beautiful lake just 20-25 mins down the road from Bled!! 

WHAT.. Yep, it hardly seems possible or even fair to the rest of Europe, but it is true!! We have a simple tip for guests, "the two Thirds rule".. If you have 3 mins, 3 hours or 3 days then the best advice you can get is to spend 1 of those at Bled and 2 of them at the uberstunning, completely different lake Bohinj..

 

Try to photo "the Trio".. 

Just for fun, we noticed there are only a few places on your walk around Bled lake where you can take a photo of what we describe as the "Trio", the stunning Church on the island, the castle on top of the cliff AND Bled church with that high steeple..

This next point will sound like complete bananas to you if you have only spent 5 mins reading the 5 min reviewers, but take it from us, if we had to do a Top Ten for Green Slovenia, knowing now what we know, then lake Bled would definetely NOT get into our Top Ten..

Please pick your jaw up from the ground now, as there is more.. uberstunning as it is, Bled would currently also be our third favourite lake here, behind Lake Bohinj and Lake Cerknica, the biggest Disappearing lake in Europe..

But don't worry, the great news is, Bled WOULD certainly get into our TOP 30 for Green Slovenia and you do NOT need to travel around Slovenia following nonsense Top 10's or 100's anyway, cos everything is so close and if you plan your logistics well, then you can see two or three world class places in the same day, easy peasy!

Here are a few Unknown Secret Places REALLY close to Bled, that you might consider combining into your day out at Bled.. Find them on a map or in our own SECRET PLACES TREASURE MAP to see how ridiculously close they are to Bled..

 

Kamen Castle.. 

Grad Kamen is a partly restored ruin of a giant castle with sensational mountain forest views from the main tower and enough stairwells & open spaces to have a really good run around without any crowds at all..

Guarding ancient passages to the mountains from the picturesque village of Begunje, this castle is an absolute beauty. You can freely walk around every crumbling nook and cranny and afterwards if you are not from Germany or Austria, (you guys already have this kinda music at home) then you could head into the village, put your lederhosen on  and have a traditional meal at the spiritual home of Slovenian oompah bands..

 

Zavrsnica Lake Recreational Park.. 

As you gaze at the breathtaking mountain views from Bled castle over the Alps, the mountain range to your left, behind Bled old town is called the Karavankas.. (one of Slovenia's 4 Alps).

A little over 10km along the country road in that direction will bring you to a secret lake we recently found in a nature park that nestles under the highest Karavanke peak of Stol, 2,236m. 

The lake is nowhere near as big as Bled, but if you want a bit of peace and quiet, then come here and be blown away by nature.

 

Radovlica.. 

Otherwise known locally as Radolca, this is our "go to" tip for guests spending the day in Bohinj and/or Bled for a medieval stop off on the way home to the Lodge for an evening meal and evening walkabout.

If you try to imagine how a Slovenian old town would be, then Radovlica is one of a few mega tips in our little box of tricks for guests who want a little piece of medieval magic.

Not huge, but a fantastic pedestrianised old town with enough ye olde shoppes to entertain and not annoy you and the best thing about it.. it is NOT Bled, but so close by.

There is a gingerbread museum, an antique Apothecary (chemists) museum and lots of 500 year old frescos scattered along the tops of the different coloured houses in the high street.

Oh yes, and there is a new chocolate factory shop.. 

 

(Those other traditional Slovenian medieval old town stunners with castle, river and pretty churches.. ok, in no particular order.. Kamnik, Ptuj, Skofja Loka, Kanal, Vipava, Metlika, Vipava Kriz, Stanjel, and Idrija..)

Kropa..

Is hidden in the forest just 20 mins from Bled, but use the wiggly local roads to find a curve ball option where a lot of Slovenian Iron was made using the thunderous river that powers down through the town lined with traditional, compact iron workers houses. It is quite different..

There is a very good micro museum here too, telling the story of iron making, especially nails and a very good local restaurant at the top of the high street if you want to try some more hearty local Slovenian food.

Pokluka.. 

Our last tip near Bled is the beautiful mini region ranging back high above the lake, covered in green with little holiday cottages and biking & hiking everywhere. Far from the madding crowd indeed..

Enjoy the Zip lining!