48 hours in Lake Bled

An image of Lake Bled from the mountain. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

An image of Lake Bled from the mountain. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Published Aug 22, 2017

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There’s a reason why Slovenia has the word love in it. When you visit Lake Bled you’ll understand why. Anyone that comes here will spread the word about how incredible it is and a quick image search will show you just why everyone is so enamoured with this place. Busabout offers up a few other reasons to stop off in Lake Bled!

Meet Jani and Ushka at Jazz Hostel

Feel right at home so much that you’ll immediately want to stay more nights here. Jani will set you up with any extra activities that you may want to do such as horse-riding, paragliding, or canyoning. His BBQs are notorious, featuring local specialties such as cevapcici and ajvar to taste along with some other more familiar favourites. The accommodation is modern, with clean rooms and comfy bed and a large kitchen area with plenty of seating.

The Lake

Head to Park Restaurant & Café to try Bled’s very own specialty, a recipe perfected over decades, Bled Cake. Deliciously made up of vanilla cream, butter dough and whipped cream, it can only be described as seriously yum. There are plenty of swimming spots all around the lake so take a stride around the edge and try them all out! Once you’re done taking photos from the lake’s edge, up your panorama game and head to the best view point for a killer shot from the Ojstrica path. It’s only about 610m high but hands you a ‘best travel photo’ award on a platter.

Make your wish come true by climbing the 99 steps to the church on the Island of Lake Bled to ring the bell and make said wish. The story says a widow had a bell made in memory of her husband and it sank on the way across to the island. Luckily, the pope heard about it and consecrated a new one. Keep a listen out for the first bell that still rings from the bottom of the lake.

Activities

Get your adrenaline fix on the slopes of Straza hill and reach speeds up to 40km/hr while tobogganing in summer. Your screams will no doubt echo across the mountains as you careen down 520m of track. You can also quite literally row your own boat. Try your hand at the local Pletna boats and go for a paddle out to the island of Lake Bled. Make sure you have a squad with you because it’s hard work on your own.

Vintgar Gorge

It’s GORGEous! A glacial melt river cutting through vertical rock walls and wooden walkways that hug the edge of tall cliffs and a spectacular 13m waterfall to finish. Take a taxi out to the national park for a few euros (it’s only about 4km away). Entry to this Disney-like landscape costs only €5. Take your time and make sure you wander through the cool rainforest wonderland at your own pace.

Triglav National Park

Book yourself on the Emerald River Adventure with your Busabout guide and the guys at 3Glav will take you to Kozjak waterfalls as part of this incredible day out. For those brave souls who are willing jump into the 12 degree water for a swim, they shall be rewarded with a badass Insta photo. Just try not to let the goosebumps show. There’s always a sunny meadow to warm up in afterwards.

Hike the Julian Alps. See why Chronicles of Narnia Prince Caspian was filmed in this region and get sweaty on the many trails available for trekking. Did anyone say views for days? Your guides will take you right to the very source of the crystal clear waters to a spring inside the mountain. Add in some white water rafting (also a part of the Emerald River Adventure) with eyes popping out of your head at how translucent the water is, you’ll barely have time to focus on paddling.

Speak to Busabout  for the best advice on visiting Slovenia via their hop-on hop-off network. A three stop pass starts from R5720 (or R5440 for students) and an unlimited pass will cost R18 900 (R17960 for students) which will have you traversing the length and breadth of Europe at your leisure over the summer season.

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