A Guide to Lake Bled in the Fall

Last Updated on 08/12/2019

Between the fall colors, the perfect temperatures and the prices of shoulder season, fall is my favorite time to travel. Lake Bled in the fall is no exception. This fairytale lake in the mountains of Slovenia is the ideal spot if you love hiking, rowing and being outdoors (even if it’s just having the famous cream cake and some Slovenian wine on a patio).

Where to stay in Lake Bled

We stayed at Penzion Berc and it was the perfect choice for exploring Lake Bled in the fall. The rooms are modern, but you’ll still feel like you’re in a cozy chalet. This family hotel provides free bikes with an electrical option just in case you need some assistance on the hills after eating and drinking your way around the town… hypothetically speaking.

Penzion Berc is dog friendly too!

Things To Do in Lake Bled in the Fall

Since we were in Lake Bled in the fall there was no chance of swimming, but those autumn hues were perfectly golden. It was still warm enough to bike around the lake (about 6 km) and be outdoors without freezing.

Rent a rowboat to get to the island (or just take one of the small ferries in a group if rowing is not your idea of a good time).

For a more intense hike and incredible views, get up early and hike the Okstrica trail (Christina of Happy to Wander wrote a super helpful post on the details here).

Climb the stairs up to Bled Castle (10 euro entry fee; we’re not in Piran anymore where entry fees are 1 euro). From the castle walls you can see all of Bled.

There’s a museum and a fine dining restaurant up there too. We grabbed some wine and the famous Bled cream cake at the casual outdoor café.

Speaking of cake…

Where to Eat in Lake Bled

The Park Café claims to be the home of the famous Bled cream cake, but you can (and should) get a piece at any restaurant you go to in Bled. Honestly, I wasn’t impressed with the service here, but they do have a nice outdoor patio.

If you are a vegetarian/vegan/celiac, get a burger at Public & Vegan Kitchen. I always drag my husband, AKA Medium Suitcase, to these places because I am a pescatarian and have celiac. He even liked it!

Grajska Plaza Restaurant was the perfect place for drink by the lake.

Not only does Penzion Berc offer an amazing complementary breakfast to their guests, they also have a restaurant. Even if you’re not staying at Penzion Berc, you should still get dinner here. Everything is locally sourced and they have an extensive list of Slovenian wines. Every single thing we ate there was delicious.

This part of Slovenia has been on my bucket list for years and I was so excited to explore Lake Bled in the fall. We stayed two nights and that is enough time to see Bled. However, if you want to go to neighboring lakes and Vintgar Gorge, you might want another full day so you’re not rushed. We left late morning on our third day to our final stop of our 5-day Slovenia road trip, Ljubliana.