Tips for Visiting Lake Bled in the Rain & How to Make the Most of it

Ugh…. showing up at Lake Bled and not being able to see through the fog was not what I was hoping would happen! I’m going to share some tips for visiting Lake Bled in the rain.

Lake Bled is this little lake with a church on an island in the middle and a castle behind it. It is probably on your Pinterest board! It was a dream place for me to visit and the number one reason I went to Slovenia. But, except for one day during my week in Slovenia, it rained. You can’t control the weather!

So, obviously worse things can happen and a little rain isn’t a big deal, but it does mean you won’t be able to see that million dollar view you might have flown here specifically to see. I want to share what it was like being in Lake Bled in the rain, and some tips to make the most of it.

Tips for Visting Lake Bled in the Rain & Things You’ll want to know!

1. You won’t be able to go to the church if it’s a torrential downpour

In the heavy rain, the small boats that take people to the church were not running, but I think this was mostly due to the fact no one was crazy enough to get in the boats in the rain! Brr. The church is only accessible through boats like this. BUT if it’s just raining a little bit, the boats are running. We saw people go out when it was raining fairly steady but light.

2. SUP seems off the table

Standup paddle boarding here was my dream, but in the rain, there was no one offering the service while we were there. I imagine if you book ahead, you’ll have to see the policy on playing in the rain.

3. The castle is difficult to explore in the rain but there’s a reason to still go

The castle that is perched on top of the hill, overlooking the lake, village, and church is one that you can explore the outside of mostly. You can go inside, but it’s not a huge castle tour like Predjama castle in Slovenia.

But, when it rained as hard as it did while we were there, it was really too difficult to explore in even with an umbrella and even harder to take photos.

see jacket here, see purse here

see jumpsuit here, see long sweater here

But, while it was difficult to get around, the cafe at the castle was very warm and cozy. It’s a great place to have coffee and offers that classic lake view we all want to see!

4. The best photos will be from above

So, the lake shot you might want for Instagram: it’s going to be a little sub-par. In fact, I didn’t even get one good enough to post on my Instagram channel. The fog and the blurriness of the rain made it difficult for me plus I was afraid to get my camera wet.

tips for visiting Lake Bled in the rain

The photos from on the ground of the lake with the castle behind turned out okay, but the ones from above at the castle, looking down on the lake look better. You can see the fog clearly so it looks like a misty fairytale instead of just a rainy blurry day.

5. Cars drive fast and splash, take a taxi OR….

…hitchhike! Yes, Helen and I hitchhiked because we were tired of cars splashing us.  I think we drive pretty slow in Goa so Europe’s speeds of 100+km/hour seemed really fast to me. People drove through the little town of Lake Bled so quickly and all us tourists were getting splashed. It’s a tiny village and the walkway is right next to the road, like usual.

So, after we walked in the rain to town to get some wine, we were like no way we are walking back again in this! Helen’s boots were soaked through and her toes were freezing. So, we put out our thumbs and the third car graciously stopped.

Slovenians are really nice, so I feel like hitchhiking here has basically no risk ;)

6. Stay somewhere you can hear the rain while you sleep, it’s heaven!

We stayed in a treehouse! It is called Garden Village Bled and it was an incredible place. Actually, I stayed in so many cool places, I’m going to write an article which is a round up of all the unique properties I found in Slovenia. In that article, I will go into more detail about Garden Village.

In case you are wondering what is in my hand, it’s a tootsie roll. My mom sent it to me in India and I brought it to Slovenia. I always pack snacks!

7. Dress for the rain, duh!

You know I didn’t, though, because when am I ever weather appropriate? I saw it would be 68 Fahrenheit (20 c) and thought hmm, that’s not cold, is it? I can wear a dress with a leather jacket. I figured the sun would be out and the temperature would feel hotter than it said, after all, it was the end of April.

see jacket here

But, the rain brought the temperature down and my outfits were just not cut out for it. But, if you are traveling long-term chances are yours won’t be either. You will definitely need an umbrella and can buy them in the shops in town.

8. Be ready for when the sun does come out. Don’t be a homebody. It is still beautiful!

Throughout the day there is bound to be a time when the rain slows and clouds move. Don’t just sit in your hotel! Go to town, chill at a cafe, go to some shops, and be out and about. If the rain does stop, it’s a very small town so you can head straight to the castle at that time or hop in a boat to the church.

see sneakers here

PS: the church does not have service on Sundays.

Overall, just don’t let the rain ruin the whole town. Yes, it’s a bummer and I was disappointed to not see that epic view, but it was still absolutely stunning. You can walk up close to the lake and see how clear the water is and imagine what it must look like on a sunny day.

So, these are my few tips for visiting Lake Bled in the rain. It’s not the worst thing to happen. Although it’s a small town, there are shops and cafes dotted around that you can hang out it. If you don’t want to risk it, come in July or August! If you want to know more tips for Lake Bled, check that link from a blogger who was there in the sunshine!

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