Swimming Spots

Swimming in Lake Bled is one of the pleasures of a summer visit to the town, and the lake offers several different places to do it, from a managed bathing area beneath the castle to quiet public beaches and the private terraces of hotels. The water is clean and, by midsummer, comfortably warm in the upper layers, and the setting of wooded hills, the island with its church and the castle on its cliff makes a swim here quite different from a swim at an ordinary beach. The water quality of the lake is monitored, and the main bathing areas are well kept.

The castle bathing area, known in Slovene as the Grajsko kopališče, lies on the north shore below Bled Castle and is the best-known of the official swimming places. It is a paid, supervised area with a pontoon, sunbathing lawns and facilities such as changing rooms, a snack bar and play areas for children, and it is open through the summer season. Facilities and prices vary from year to year, so it is sensible to check the current details. The setting, with the castle rising above and the island in view, is the main attraction, and it is popular with families.

For a quieter experience there are public beaches at Velika Zaka and Mala Zaka, on the western side of the lake. These are grassy areas with easy entry to the water, shaded by trees, and they are favourites of local people. Facilities are simpler, and at busy times the lawns fill up, but the atmosphere is relaxed and the views toward the castle are good. Other points along the shore allow access to the water, and some small coves are used informally, though visitors should respect signs and private land.

Hotels on the lake offer their own bathing areas to guests. The Grand Hotel Toplice, on the shore, takes advantage of the thermal spring that gave Bled its early reputation, a source of mildly warm water that has been used for baths for generations, and some hotels have indoor heated pools for cooler weather. The tradition of bathing is old: in the nineteenth century the Swiss naturopath Arnold Rikli promoted exposure to water, air and sunlight as a cure, and visitors came to bathe in the lake long before it became a mass tourist destination.

Swimming is generally safe, but the lake is deep in places and the water is cooler below the surface, so children need supervision and swimmers should stay near the shore. Boat traffic, including pletna boats and rowing boats, is part of the scene, and swimmers should keep clear of the routes.

The lake suits families, couples and anyone who likes open-water swimming in a beautiful setting. July and August are the warmest months, and mornings are the quietest.