Whilst staying in Lake Bled I did some exploring of the local area including trips to Vintgar Gorge & Lake Bohinj which were both incredibly beautiful locations. They’re easy to get to so I would highly recommend you visit both!
Vintgar Gorge
Vintgar Gorge is located about 3.5km away from the town of Bled and you can get a shuttle bus or, do what I did, and walk each way. The directions are fairly well marked, and the walk will take you through some cute little towns and has some gorgeous views of the Alps.
The gorge itself is 1.6km long and entry is €4. The walk through the gorge is flat and generally easy, although it can get slippery at times. I managed to walk all the way to the start of the gorge in ok weather, but then was hit by some rather heavy rain while I explored the gorge. Nevertheless it was still incredibly beautiful – even more beautiful than it looks in my photos!
The Gorge was carved by the Radovna River and has canyon walls of between 50 and 100 metres high, making it not only gorgeous but pretty loud as well!
The Vintgar Gorge ends at the Sum Falls, which is the largest river waterfall in Slovenia, with a beautiful old bridge above that has been in place since the 1870s. The Gorge was opened to the public after the wooden walkways were installed in the 1890s and it has been a popular tourist destination every since.
If you are walking back to Bled you can return back through the Gorge to head back the same way you came (through the town of Podhom) or head out through Zasip and do a slightly longer loop back, which is what I did. It was a rather muddy walk for the first part, but the town of Zasip was really pretty and I had a lovely walk back into Bled. I was pretty tired, wet and dirty by the end of it all, but it was a wonderful way to spend 4 or so hours.
Lake Bohinj
Another easy day trip from Bled took me to Lake Bohinj, about a 30 minute bus ride which runs every hour or so. Lake Bohinj is within the Triglav national park and is Slovenia’s largest glacial lake.
It is located within the Bohinj Valley of the Julian Alps and as a result is surrounded by mountains which provide a striking back drop to the lake. It is a much quieter lake than Bled, with only a handful of shops and places to stay.
There are plenty of activities though, particularly water sports, swimming, bike riding and hiking, so it’s an ideal location if you want to get outdoors and active! I decided to do the 12km long walk around the entire lake which was for the most part flat and easy, but there were a few rocky, trickier parts (not too hard though!).
The view as I walked around Lake Bohinj was so beautiful even in the rather overcast weather. I set out expecting thunderstorms but none were forthcoming, so I was pretty happy with that! The water was so clear and still, making the reflections of the Alps almost mirror-like.
I would recommend you taking water and some snacks with you if you are planning on walking the whole way round, although you will come across a few places to eat along the way. There’s also the option to take a cable car up to a ski resort which apparently has an amazing view, however given how cloudy it was I figured there wouldn’t be much to see!
I really did have a wonderful day exploring Lake Bohinj and whilst I might have been rather tired (and a little muddy!) when I got back to Bled I was definitely one happy camper! Visit if you can!
Have you been to Slovenia before? Did you visit Vintgar Gorge or Lake Bohinj?
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I Spy Plum Pie is Liz, an early 30s kiwi-born, Melbourne raised girl who is passionate about the environment and sustainability, food, exploring and learning new things. Join me on my journey to a happy, sustainable life!