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Bump Lake Bled, Slovenia, to the top of your travel list to visit a picture-perfect destination where your route from Düsseldorf will be as beautiful as the destination itself.
Lake Bled is a small northwestern town tucked in the Julian Alps in the Upper Carnelian region of Slovenia. It is a popular destination for tourists because of its majestic beauty and historical landmarks, and it is around 2 hours away from Ljubljana, Slovenia’s capital city.
View of Lake Bled hiking down from Mala Osojnica. (Eden Brockman)
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HOW TO GET FROM DÜSSELDORF TO LAKE BLED
Bear with me on these travel directions. If you are taking public transit, you will split up your trip. I traveled from Düsseldorf to Munich and then Munich to Lake Bled because there are no direct trains between the cities.
Recommendation💡: Take the longer train, bus, or car option because your route will take you through the stunning Austrian Alps. The time will go by quickly as you gaze out at the window at beautiful mountains, lakes, and quaint villages.
View at a Flix Bus restroom stop. (Eden Brockman)
There are no direct flights from Düsseldorf to Ljublijana, but you can fly there directly from Frankfurt or Munich. Then you can take a train for one and a half hours to Bled.
My Route
The Way There:
- Train: Düsseldorf ➡️ Munich
- Train: Munich ➡️ Salzburg
- Train: Salzburg ➡️ Villach
- Train: Villach ➡️ Lesce-Bled
We had to stop in Jesenice and then take an S-Bahn to Lesce-Bled. We stayed at Bled Hostel and hopped on a bus (it cost 1 euro) to finish our journey.
Does this sound like a lot? It did to me, too, but it is worth it!
Tickets between Salzburg to Villach and Villach to Bled were less than 10 euros. You can buy a ticket or take regional trains (included with the Deutschland ticket) from Munich to Salzburg.
The Way Back:
Flix Bus sometimes runs from Bled to Munich, but it is not every day of the week. Keep up to date when these buses happen because it will make the leg of your journey between Munich and Bled much simpler.
WHEN TO GO
A perk about Lake Bled is that it is beautiful all year round. I went to Bled in the middle of December and got to experience its lovely Christmas Markets.
Want to explore Christmas Markets closer to home? Check out our guide.
In December, I could do all the hikes I wanted to do, but, make sure to bring proper attire for the cold weather ❄️!
Bled in the summer is stunning as well. In the summer, you can paddle board on the lake and toboggan at Straza Bled.
WHAT TO SEE AT LAKE BLED
- Row to Bled Island
- You can row or hire a pletna to visit the island
- Mala Osojnica Viewpoint
- The hike can be difficult, but it is worth it as you will get the best views of Lake Bled
- Ring the Wishing Bell
- Check out Lake Bled Castle
- The oldest castle in Slovenia sits right above Lake Bled and is not that far of a hike, and it offers a beautiful view of the lake
- Walk around the lake and see the Olympijski Veslaški Center Bled
- More Activities
Rowing to Bled Island. (Stacia Mendoza).
Day Trip: Bohinjsko Jezero
View of Lake Bohinj. (Eden Brockman)
Just a 45-minute bus ride from Bled lies Lake Bohinj, the largest permanent lake in Slovenia, located in Triglav National Park.
There is a lot to see at Lake Bohinj, including:
Savica Waterfall. (Eden Brockman)
No buses run around the lake, so you will walk to each destination. It is impossible to see everything in one day (at least in Winter), so you choose what excites you most! We decided to hike from the Cablecar Vogel area to Savica Waterfall and then through Mostnica Gorge.
I did not go up the Cablecar Vogel; however, it offers an exceptional view of the lake below. Roundtrip tickets are around 30 Euros. It can be foggy in the morning, so wait to go up until you know you will get a worthwhile view.
The hike to Savica Waterfall costs 3 Euros and is lovely. It is mainly uphill and provides a bit of difficulty without being overly strenuous.
We then hiked around the lake from Savica Waterfall to Mostnica Gorge.
Sitting by Mostnica Gorge. (Eden Brockman)
My favorite part of the trip was hiking through Mostnica Gorge. The gorge has so much depth, and the water is a rich turquoise blue.
NEED A PLACE TO STAY? TAKE A PEEK
I chose to stay at Bled Hostel and highly recommend it to my fellow budget travelers. The staff is very friendly and helpful, and the hostel is clean and in a convenient location with a market and Flix bus stop within 5 minutes of walking.
Interested in more nature getaways closer to Düsseldorf? Click here.
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