Our love affair with Slovenia started on a gloomy fall day six years ago. We had taken our first trip to Europe a few months prior, and we were wanderlusting hard. After coming across a picture of Lake Bled, while brainstorming ideas for our next trip, we found ourselves unable to stop thinking about it. Reading about Slovenia only made us want to visit more. This came at a time when we were talking about getting married; and, what initially felt like an impossible idea, became a reality when we tied the knot in Bled. Although we ended up having a summer wedding, it was the idea of Lake Bled in the fall that first had us daydreaming. Fast forward to last October, and we finally got to experience the beauty of Slovenia during this time of year.
After a wonderful stay in Ljubljana we made our way to Lake Bled, which is situated in the Julian Alps. Our visit fell during the third week of October, and we were lucky to have overall good weather during our stay. The days were comfortably warm and we spent nearly all of our time outdoors. While the foliage can vary from year to year, the color around the lake was near peak during our stay. A great way to take in the scenery is by walking the path around the lake. The full lap takes roughly an hour, but longer if you stop for photos along the way. With colorful trees framing the island in the middle of the lake, every turn seemed to bring a view more beautiful than the last.
SHOP THE SWEATER HERE (COLOR: HTHR HONEY) // SIMILAR SWEATER HERE
We spent a couple of afternoons lounging at Vila Bled, and at times it felt like we had the place to ourselves. With unparalleled views of Bled Island, it’s the perfect location to sit down and try a slice of the famous local cream cake. Church bells ringing in the distance make it a truly serene experience. Additionally, there is a dock at Vila Bled where you can catch a ride on a wooden pletna boat to visit the island.
For a stunning, panoramic view of the lake and surrounding mountains, we followed the hiking trail up to the Ojstrica lookout. The hike was relatively short, but I found it to be a bit challenging. Our efforts were rewarded though, as the view from the top was breathtaking! It was in this moment that it felt everything had come full circle. As we stood there, breathing in the crisp autumn air and admiring the lake in front of us, our dream of a fall trip to Bled had finally come true.