Bled Lake and its surrounding areas is one of the most visited region in Slovenia. Church topped island amidst the emerald green waters of Lake Bled is one of the main tourist attractions foreign tourist want to see while exploring Slovenia.

During summer months Bled Lake is a truly Babilon of foreign speaking travelers taking photos of medieval Bled castle, paddle boarding, swimming, boat rowing or taking a ride on a pletna boat, exploring Bled Island and ringing the wish bell, indulging taste buds with Bled cake, strolling 6 kilometers boardwalk around Bled Lake or waiting in line at Vintgar gorge.

My top 5 things to do local way in Bled Lake

Take a hike to Mala Osojnica viewpoint

After hiking through a lush forest you reach remarkably summit with a bench and a fantastic and iconic view of Lake Bled lies in front of you. It is one of the most popular early morning hikes if you want to catch a sunrise.

Visit a beekeeper

At the outskirts of Bled just a short walk away from the main tourist attraction you arrive to the countryside. Time passes by slowly and there are no crowds. Only the hardworking bees are busy buzzing in and out of the bee house.  Slovenia is heart and soul of beekeeping in Europe. Admire bee house, taste delicious bee products and enjoy apitherapy as its best.

Adrenaline buzz at Straza Bled

Straza Bled is a hill overlooking Lake Bled and one of the best spots for adrenaline junkies. During the summer time you can enjoy summer tobogganing or family adventure park that is set up amidst the forest overlooking Bled Lake.

Indulge your taste buds at family run Finefood Berc

Just a stone’s throw away from the hustle and bustle of Lake Bled you find Finefood Berc that is specialized for great home-made healthy food using high-quality local and seasonal ingredients. Interior of the restaurant is very rustic but the atmosphere is pleasant and relaxing. The exquisite culinary experience is worth trying.

We indulged our taste buds with 4 course tasting menu for 48 EUR. It was our first time dining experience with Lucija in a fine restaurant. I could see some waiters rolling their eyes while she was a bit too excited and made a mess on the table. Nevertheless, we really enjoyed our meal at Finefood Berc.

Starting with a welcome dish (bread with cottage cheese, parsley and buckwheat popcorn), continuing with a trout essence (cold and warm smoked trout, trout pate, trout foam, trout eggs, green bean cream, the ramsons and fennel). The trout essence was full of surprises and the combination of ingredients made a meal rich and interesting. Bakalca, bacon and potatoes stuffed ravioli with lamb ragout was Lucija’s favourite (besides dessert). I didn’t taste much of it though as she ate almost all of it J For a main dish we were served the back of a wild bear wrapped with bacon, buckwheat “Krapi” stuffed with cottage cheese and dried pears, and a cranberry sauce. While we were enjoying our meal, a couple in their mid-60s from USA came to our table and shake the hands with us: “I was watching you from the other table. Your girl is hilarious. Her expressions on her face when she is eating food. She should be on a television. You are doing a great job. Congratulations!” Well, I need to admit that when you visit a fine dining restaurant with your kid, everybody is expecting a polite and quiet child. But the reality is different. As I parent you act like a helicopter trying to prevent forks, spoons and food to fall on the floor or the drink to split over the table. At the end of the meal you hardly know what you ate J But the smile on Lucija’s face and a sentence “Mummy more, more.” when she just finished the last spoon of my Berc style cream cake, outweighs everything. I know that we will definitely experience another fine dine restaurant very soon.

Staying at Bajtica Vintage Art House

Bajtica Vintage Art House, surrounded by summer villas from 19th century and a colorful fruit garden, is a truly Bled hidden gem. This gorgeous and well preserved wooden cottage is located in a center of Bled in a peaceful neighborhood just 5-minute walk away from the shore of Bled lake. We were lucky the accommodation was free when we were exploring Bled. Meta welcomed us and showed us around so as she provided tons of useful information what to do and see in Bled area.

Once you step into the more than 100 years old wooden cabin, you get a feeling you are turning back the time and arriving to former Bled nobility. The cabin is fully equipped, very comfortable and made entirely of wood (even the stairs!!!). On the ground floor there is a bathroom, spacious living room with a fireplace and comfy sofa, kitchen and a dining area. Wooden stairs leads you upstairs where you find a large bedroom with a king size bed, a bedroom with 2 twin beds and a room with a single bed. From the balcony you can spot Bled Castle in the distance.

In front of the cabin you can relax on a terrace or walk bare foot on the meadow. »Because it was raining dogs and cats for the past 3 weeks, we didn’t properly mow a lawn in order to provide some patches of flowers for the bees.” explained Meta while she brought us a white wine and a mint cordial for Lucija. Fruit garden (during our visit redcurrant was slowly turning red!) is a perfect playground for kids. It felt like home. The highlight for Lucija was definitely 80 years old partly decaying old fashioned stroller which she was pushing around the garden. She didn’t even want to take a royal breakfast in the morning. She was so proud to have a stroller and so she took her rabbit for a walk.

Bajtica guesthouse is a family friendly accommodation that provides a secluded and authentic retreat from everyday hustle.

In case Bajtica is occupied, check Grand Hotel Toplice*****, Rikli Balance Hotel, Nature Hotel Lukanc, Turistična kmetija Mulej, Pri Klavdiji Guest house, Perfect Apartment Bled, Penzion Vila Prešeren, Vila Rajska ptica, Old Bled House.

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If you crave some more local experiences, join my local experiences! What is more, if you need help with your travel planning to Soca valley and/or Slovenia beyond the usual tourist menu , do not hesitate to contact me. Welcome/Dobrodošli!