Lake Bled is a picturesque alpine lake in the Slovenian town of Bled, about an hour drive out of the capital Ljubljana. The glacial fed lake is framed by steep forested hills, the peaks of the Julian alps mountain range, and the imposing Bled Castle on a nearby cliff. I spent 2 days exploring the lovely town of Bled and its surroundings while on my Balkans adventure, and these were the top highlights of my time there.

1. Take a leisurely stroll around the banks of Lake Bled

The lake and it’s surroundings make for the most idyllic setting – with ducks and swans sharing the crystal clear waters with kayakers and paddle-boarders, while locals and tourists spend their time swimming, sunbathing or lazing by the banks. Even former Yugoslavia president Tito was a regular at Lake Bled back when Slovenia was still part of the federal republic. His base was the Vila Bled on the bank of the lake, which has now been converted into a boutique hotel.

2. Ride on a Pletna boat to the church on Bled Island

The centerpiece of the town and lake is the magical Bled Island with its church. The tear shaped island is the only natural island in all Slovenia, and it seems to float on the lake’s surface. The best way to get to the island is to hire a Pletna – these are flat bottomed rowboats operated by locals using distinctive long oars, in a motion almost like a cross between stand up paddle boarding and kayaking. Once you dock at the island, there is a steep climb of 99 steps to get to the church of the Assumption of Mary. The church is also known as “Our Lady of the Lake”, and has been a pilgrimage church for centuries ever since the first iteration was built here in the 9th century. Local legend states that if a groom carried his bride up the whole way, then they would have a long lasting blissful marriage. Too bad Shelly wasn’t with me on this trip to test that theory! Once in the church, there is another legend that pulling the rope to ring the bell grants you 3 wishes, so I must’ve pulled it about 6 times…

3. Hike up the hills to the best viewpoints of the lake

On my 2nd day in Bled I was up before dawn for an early morning hike into the forested hills in search of the best viewpoints of Bled Island. To get better views of the island and it’s fairytale like setting on Lake Bled, I hiked up the hillside trail on the southern end of the lake. After a 40 min hike I reached the first viewpoint at Mala Osojnica which is at a height of 685 meters. I continued further up to Velika Osojnica viewpoint, but the views there were obstructed by the tree cover. The best views I found we are the 3rd viewpoint of Ojrica, which offered a panoramic view of the lake, Bled Island, the town center, all set against the backdrop of the majestic Karavanke mountains.

4. Step back in time at Bled Castle

Blejski Grad, or Bled Castle, sits perched up on a massive cliff that overlooks the town of Bled, its lake and the island. It is hard to miss the sight of the towering castle from anywhere in Bled. At over 1000 years old, the castle is an integral part of Bled’s history and continues to keep silent watch over the town. If the hike to the hillside viewpoints is not your thing, then Bled Castle is the less strenuous way to enjoy similar views of the lake’s bluish-green waters, while taking a peek into the medieval historical heritage of this part of Slovenia.

5. Indulge in some decadent Bled Cream Cake

After all that hiking and exploring, I recharged my energy in the best way possible by digging into a Bled Cream cake, or Bledska Kremsnita. This cake is a must try local delicacy here and its hard to just stick to one! Bled cream cake is made of 4 layers – with 2 puff pastry pieces sandwiching layers of whipped cream and custard, which is then topped with icing sugar. Authentic Bled cream cake is cut in perfect cube dimensions of 7x7x7cm, and the custard is meant to “wobble” a bit when plated. The first cream cake was served at Park hotel in 1953, and it’s original recipe is still a well guarded secret.