Best viewpoints of Lake Bled
Walking around the lake, taking a boat ride or a swim in the lake is nice, but let’s not forget about hiking! That’s when those breathtaking views come into play.
1. Ojštrica viewpoint
There are three main viewpoints, but the most famous one is Ojštrica. The name might not sound familiar to you, but the photos with „The Bench“ (probably the most famous bench in Slovenia) are for sure.
To come to the Ojštrica viewpoint, you have to go to the side of the lake where the docks are. Behind the restaurant, walk near the woods, and search for the sign „Ojštrica – Osojnica.“ When you find the right path, follow the signs through the woods. After a short walk up, you’ll have to turn right where you climb a small steep hill and you’re there. It takes approximately 15 minutes of an easy hike.
I suggest coming in the early morning because sunrises are amazing there. Plus, this is the quickest and most accessible viewpoint to get to, so many people will be there. That means you’ll have to wait in the queue to get to the bench (if people will be kind enough to move from it).
But please, don’t stop there. Continue your hike and visit two more viewpoints. I highly recommend doing this as most of the tourists come only for „The Bench“. So if you continue your hike, you’ll get more amazing views, and most importantly, peace. You will have a place for yourself.
2. Velika Osojnica Viewpoint
After coming down from Ojštrica viewpoint, continue the hike up the hill. Follow the signs, and you won’t get lost. After a short hike, you’ll get to the point where the path splits into two: the right one leads to the Velika Osojnica viewpoint, and the left one to the Mala Osojnica viewpoint. The best is to go to Velika Osojnica first because after Mala Osojnica you’re climbing down. The route is circular (in a way).
3. Mala Osojnica Viewpoint
After that, we went straight back to Mala Osojnica. Mala Osojnica viewpoint is one of the favorite viewpoints for photographers as it offers the best views of Lake Bled and the surrounding area.
The walk from Velika to Mala Osojnica takes 20 minutes. Along the way, you’ll pass a small viewpoint with a bench too. Only this one offers a view of the valley from the other side. Make sure not to miss it!
From the last viewpoint, Mala Osojnica, you can continue down. There is a huge staircase that leads you back to the road. It’s a circular route as you’re not coming down the same way as you were getting up. You can do the hike the other way around too.
PRO TIP: If you’re going for sunrise, I suggest starting your hike the other way (from Mala Osojnica which offers the best sunrise photos to Velika Osojnica and then Ojštrica).
Where is lake Bled and how to get there?
It is located in northwestern Slovenia, 35 km from Ljubljana International Airport and 55 km from Ljubljana, the capital. Bled is also close to the Austrian border (Wurzenpaß) or Italy (Fusine Laghi – Rateče), only 47 km away.
The best way to reach Bled is by car (although you may struggle with finding parking in the season) or by bus. There are bus connections with its surrounding area and all the larger cities in Slovenia. The bus operator FlixBus provides long-distance bus services to Bled.
Stays in BledAlso check out Hiking Through History – Soriška Planina
When to visit?
There is no wrong time for visiting Bled and hiking the viewpoints. I’ve visited Bled during every season, and each of them offers a unique atmosphere. The wintertime (when there is snow) can be a bit tricky for hiking, but if you come prepared, there’s nothing to worry about. Just make sure to check the weather prognosis, so you don’t come when it’s raining, or when it’s too foggy. Once we came during the winter and we couldn’t even see the lake – that’s how foggy it was.
