Bled Travelers Recommend

Three days in Bled gives you time to enjoy a combination of tours and activities that highlight the area’s natural and historical attractions. Here are some of our favorite ways to spend 72 hours in this alpine resort town in northwestern Slovenia.

Day 1: Check Out Top Attractions

Get oriented on an early morning hot-air-balloon ride that shows off Lake Bled, the Julian Alps, and surrounding landscape, toasting your experience with a glass of bubbly. Hit Bled’s top three attractions in the afternoon: the lake, Bled Island, and Bled Castle (Blejski Grad). Purchase admission to the 9th-century fortress in advance to avoid a ticket line, and discover the castle’s medieval architecture and artifacts, wine cellar, and lake views. Afterward, get out on the water with a stand-up-paddleboard tour or boat rental and head out to the tiny island, home to a café and church. End the day with dinner, a stroll along the lakefront, and a guided wine-tasting session where you can taste different varietals and learn about Slovenian winemaking.

Day 2: Enjoy the Outdoors

Bled is blessed with proximity to national parks, rivers, canyons, valleys, and mountains. See it for yourself on a half-day tour or day trip that matches the type of outdoor adventure suitable for your group. Get your heart pumping on a white-water-rafting tour on the Sava River or a canyoning experience—both can be done in a half day. Or opt for a bike tour around Bled or into Vintgar Gorge, a nearby canyon on the Radovna River known for its pools and other picturesque scenery. Visit Triglav National Park and the Emerald River on a day trip to find waterfalls, valleys, and lakes, or take a kayaking journey through the dark tunnels of underground “black hole” mines.

Day 3: Visit the Big City

Just 30 miles (50 kilometers) southeast of Bled, Ljubljana—Slovenia’s capital and largest city—is easy to visit on a day trip; private transfers are available. When you arrive, get an overview of the city on a walking tour of sights such as the Old Town, Dragon Bridge (Zmajski Most),  Ljubljana Castle (Ljubljanski Grad), and the funicular. In the evening, enjoy a bit of Slovenian culture with a dinner package that includes traditional cuisine and folk dancing, or enjoy local nightlife on a pub crawl. For something other than a trip to the city, consider a tour south of Bled that takes you into the Postojna Caves on an electric tram and to Predjama Castle.

With two days in Bled, you’ll have time to see the best of this Slovenian resort town plus enjoy the many outdoor opportunities that await in the surrounding mountains. Here are a few ways to create a 48-hour itinerary that suits your interests.

Day 1: Discover Natural and Historical Attractions

**Morning:**Start your stay on a high note with a hot-air-balloon ride for bird’s-eye perspectives of the Julian Alps and Lake Bled, ending with a glass of bubbly. Alternatively, find your thrills on the ground with a white-water-rafting tour or canyoning experience.

**Afternoon:**Bled’s three main attractions can be visited together: Lake Bled, Bled Castle (Blejski Grad), and Bled Island. Head to the 9th-century fortress first to explore its medieval artifacts, wine cellar, and overlooks, and then get out on the water on a stand-up paddleboard or boat, which you can use to reach the tiny island and its church.  

**Night:**Enjoy Bled’s walkability by visiting a restaurant for dinner followed by a lakefront stroll, or perhaps learn about Slovenian wine during a wine-tasting session at a local cellar. You can sample different varietals with a guide who will tell you about winemaking in this small country. 

Day 2: Explore the Great Outdoors and Slovenian Capital

**Morning:**If you’re interested in more of Slovenia’s natural wonders, take a day trip to Triglav National Park and the Emerald River to see waterfalls, valleys, and lakes. Or opt for a kayaking tour through the dark tunnels of underground mines.

**Afternoon:**Go exploring by bike for an active yet relaxing way to see more of Bled; if you’d prefer not to work too hard, electric bikes are often available instead of standard bicycles. To get out of town, opt for a bike tour of Vintgar Gorge, a picturesque canyon on a nearby river.

**Night:**Head into Slovenia’s capital city of Ljubljana for an evening of culture at a traditional dinner and folk dancing event. Or perhaps you’d prefer to experience the city’s bar scene on a pub crawl, which is a great way to meet other travelers. Private transfers from Bled to Ljubljana are available so you don’t have to drive. 

With its mountain lake, historical attractions, and surrounding natural beauty, Bled is a delightful place to spend a day. Here are our top ways to enjoy 24 hours in this Slovenian resort town just 30 miles (50 kilometers) outside Ljubljana.

Morning: Choose Your Alpine Adventure

Get the day started with an outdoor activity to take in the fresh mountain air and discover Bled’s natural environment. White-water rafting on the Sava River is one of the most popular adrenaline-pumping options, or try out canyoning, which involves climbing cliffs, jumping into pools, and sliding down waterfalls. If you prefer something less extreme, opt for a bike tour around town or into Vintgar Gorge, a canyon on the Radovna River known for its pools and other scenery. Alternatively, you can fly high above Bled and enjoy bird’s-eye views of the mountains on a hot-air-balloon flight.

Afternoon: See the Top Sights

Bled’s three main attractions are Lake Bled, Bled Castle (Blejski Grad), and Bled Island, which can be visited easily in an afternoon. Purchase admission to the 9th-century fortress in advance so you don’t have to worry about the ticket line, and then explore the castle’s wine cellar, collection of medieval artifacts, and vista points that look out over the lake. With the castle out of the way, you can spend the rest of the afternoon on the lake on a stand-up-paddleboard tour or with a boat rental, which you can use to access the tiny island, home to a church and café.  

Night: Enjoy Local Food and Wine

Bled is a small town, making it easy to walk to a restaurant for dinner and then enjoy a stroll along the lake. If you’re interested in wine, book a wine tasting to learn about Slovenian varietals with a guide. At a local wine cellar, you can try different wines as you hear about winemaking in this small country. Some wine tastings also include snacks.