The first time I visited Lake Bled was during the winter five years ago. It was cold and almost completely abandoned. This year I returned for a summer visit to experience Lake Bled in its sunshine. Checked into a wonderful hotel Villa Bledone of the best hotels on Lake Bled, perfect for a 2 night stay.
Room with view of Bled Island
If you’ve ever visited Lake Bled, you’ve probably seen a photo (or a thousand) of the beautiful Bled Island. You can reach this island by boat, or if you don’t feel like rowing yourself, you can pay someone to take you there. Even better, book a room at Villa Bled, which offers panoramic views of the island at any time of the day. I checked into room 106 and was able to enjoy the view all day every day during my stay at Lake Bled.
Vila Bled’s 31 rooms are incredibly spacious, each with their own unique flair. Each room has different furniture and antiques, but one thing is guaranteed in every room. It’s space. When I looked back at the photos taken during my stay, I realized that I hadn’t taken a single photo of the interior of the room! To be honest, the beauty of this property is outdoors. Enjoy unobstructed views of Bled Island in the well-kept garden or enjoy an aperitif at the hotel’s cafe at sunset.
Dining at Villa Bled
We ate the entire 3 course vegetarian menu in the villa both nights of our stay. The restaurant’s menu is distinctly Slovenian, making it a great place to try local cuisine.
Many outside visitors who are not staying at the hotel visit Villa Bled for lunch or dinner. If you’re on a budget, this is a great way to experience this property without staying overnight. Outdoor guests can also enjoy Café Belvedere, overlooking Bled Island from above.
Everything we ate at the hotel restaurant during our stay was hearty, flavorful, and delicious. It was a great opportunity to try Slovenian cuisine with a vegetarian twist. Each meal begins with hot soup, followed by a hearty main dish (usually pasta, risotto, or dumplings), and always ends with dessert. The limoncello truffle dessert was a real heart stopper! I’ll be back again just for this dessert.
Cafe Belvedere
Café Belvedere is Villa Bled’s best kept secret. It is also open to outside guests, so please feel free to stop by if you are not staying at the hotel. As soon as you enter from the lakeside, you have to climb a number of steps winding through the forest to reach the terrace.
The terrace overlooks Bled Island and offers one of the best sunset views on the entire Lake Bled. The prices are really reasonable and this cafe only focuses on drinks and desserts (which is half the reason I love this cafe so much!) If you only try one thing here, it’s definitely the Bled Cake. This delicious and high-calorie custard pastry makes for a dreamy dessert.
