The first stop on our road trip through Slovenia, thanks to Agio Rent A Car, was the iconic Lake Bled. It was a chilly morning, but we decided to take a (long) stroll around the lake.
My brother, who had visited Slovenia earlier this year, had recommended that we take a hike to a viewpoint near the “campsite.” I had no idea what “the campsite” was, but we pulled up Google Maps and saw it. There was no name, and no marked trail, but we took a detour up a dirt road that looked like it led into the woods — that’s a trail, right? We followed a poorly cleared path and saw a couple that was coming down what seemed like a small rock face; they ensured us that we were in the right spot, and that the viewpoint was up there. What started as a cold and cloudy day, turned warm and sunny as we approached our lookout. It had rained the entire previous week in Bled, yet we were blessed with incredible weather for the key moment of our day. This is what we saw:
After we completed our walk around Lake Bled, we stumbled upon a Gastronomy Festival, which showcased food from all over Slovenia. It had a very Christmas Market-esque feel to it, and we couldn’t decide what to try! Ultimately, we decided to get a “posmodulja,” which is an old, almost forgotten Slovenian dish: dough leftovers, kneaded into a round shape, spread with a mixture of sour cream, herbs, or minced bacon, topped with cheese, and baked in the oven. It was prepared and cooked in a brick oven in front of us, and absolutely delicious! It tasted similar to a white pizza with garlic and rosemary, and it was oh so very tasty!
With time to spare, and access to our rental car, we decided to venture to Lake Bohinj before checking into our hotel for the night (it was only an extra hour of driving round trip). Honestly, we were underwhelmed by Lake Bohinj. Was it pretty? Sure. Worth it in comparison to Lake Bled? Not so much. We did enjoy the drive itself though – and got to see our first view of the Julian Alps too!
When we arrived back in Bled, we checked into Hotel Krim, our cozy hotel for the night. It was as centrally located and within walking distance to everything in Bled. A simple room with comfortable beds and a beautiful view was just what we needed for the night!
We slept fabulously, and woke up to see the sunrise over Bled Castle and the surrounding mountains right from our balcony! Such a lovely sight first thing in the morning!
The hotel has a restaurant that offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner for an extra charge. Well worth it. While we didn’t take advantage of the lunch, we did stay for breakfast and dinner. There were many options at the breakfast buffet (from fruit to cereals and granolas, pastries, eggs, meats, and coffee), and we were served a fantastic fixed price dinner (with a salad bar buffet) in the restaurant that evening, all for a very affordable price. I highly recommend taking advantage of Hotel Krim’s restaurant; in a town where most revenue comes from tourism, you can imagine the prices elsewhere!
In general, there isn’t all that much to do in Bled, but it doesn’t take away from its incredible beauty. There’s no need to spend more than a day relaxing in the area, unless you’re looking for a retreat (a great place to get some writing done!) or a home base during your travels through Slovenia. Nonetheless, Bled is an absolute must.
**Special thanks to Hotel Krim for kindly offering me a complimentary stay. As always, all opinions are my own.
