FAQ BLED (updated 2025)
Where can I stay in Bled?
You can stay at the Hotel Lovec (the conference hotel) for a special rate of 140 € for a single and 155 € for a double room per night (including breakfast). You can make a reservation at that rate by contacting reservations@kompas-lovec.com with reference to “2025 Bled Philosophy Conference”.
Alternatively, you can arrange your accommodation. The Bled Municipality website has an updated list of available accommodations; most also offer rooms through booking.com, and some rent via Airbnb. The prices of most hotel rooms and apartments go from 100 € upwards, but there are few more affordable options.
The conference hotel is located in the center of Bled. Most of the accommodations that are located in the town on the east side of the lake, rather than scattered around the lake, should be within walking distance (10 – 15 min) from the hotel.
Where do I get information on Slovenia?
The official sources for traveling info about Slovenia and Bled are https://www.slovenia.info/en and https://www.bled.si/en/. The site https://www.tnp.si/en/ offers additional information on the Julian Alps Biosphere Reserve near Bled, the only national park in Slovenia. You can find further information on sites like TripAdvisor and Google Maps, which function well in Slovenia.
How do I get to Slovenia?
Flying to Ljubljana. The only international airport in Slovenian is located in Brnik, near Ljubljana. You have several options for getting from Brnik to Ljubljana:
- There is an hourly affordable bus going directly from the airport to Bled (you can buy the tickets up to 30 days in advance here or directly on the bus; more information about the buses from the airport is available here).
- If you prefer to travel by train, you must first go to Ljubljana (either by bus or taxi) and then take a train from the Ljubljana Central train station. The tickets can be bought through this website. Additionally, note that the stations closest to the conference hotel, “Bled-Jezero” and “Lesce-Bled,” are both still around 4 km away. Considering this, this option takes a bit more time but is still quite affordable.
- Another option is GoOpti, a Slovenian private shuttle service providing transportation to and from airports. The prices vary based on when you reserve the service (the earlier you reserve, the cheaper the fee) but should not be prohibitively expensive. You can reserve the service here.
Flying to another EU city. You can also fly to a different EU city (the obvious options are Trieste, Venice, Zagreb, or perhaps Munich) and take a train or bus from there. Traveling from Germany or Austria, you can use the Deutsche Bahn or ÖBB websites to book the train. Alternatively, the FlixBus app should provide the most convenient bus transport. Another option is again GoOpti.
Do I need a visa to enter Slovenia?
Slovenia is part of the EU Schengen area. The up-to-date information regarding the visa requirements for individuals traveling to the Schengen Area is available here. If you are unsure about your requirements, we recommend contacting your embassy or Consulate in Slovenia (or any other Schengen countries, such as Germany, France, or Italy).
What should I do about money?
The Slovenian currency is the euro. Credit cards are accepted widely in Slovenia, and you can generally count on being able to use them in most shops and restaurants, at least in Bled and Ljubljana. ATMs are also widespread, and several are within easy walking distance of the conference hotel in Bled.
How will I communicate?
Bled is one of Slovenia’s most popular tourist destinations, so communication in English (German or Italian) shouldn’t be a problem.
What sort of weather should I expect?
Unpredictable. The weather in June might typically be as follows: warm, clear mornings, followed by a brief, cooling afternoon rain, with skies clearing again by late afternoon. Temperatures are usually pleasant during the day but often nippy in the morning and evening. I advise bringing a warm sweater or jacket. If you plan to hike in the nearby mountains, bring warmer clothing.
Like all weather forecasts, this one should be taken with a heap of salt. One year, the whole week passed in rainless heat; another year, we had chilly rain almost every day. So, to be safe, bring clothes for both cold and warm weather. A compact travel umbrella is also a good idea.
What is there to do in and around Bled?
Bled and its surroundings are beautiful. The area is an alpine hiker’s paradise; not far from Bled are what are alleged to be some of the best hiking routes in Europe. There are charming villages to explore nearby. There are a castle and a church worth exploring, both medieval, right in Bled, and more of each are in nearby towns. Ljubljana, about an hour away by bus, has terrific architecture from medieval to modern, art galleries, and cultural events of all kinds, as well as a thriving cafe scene.
Also, within an hour of Bled—and in some cases right in the town—you can rent mountain bikes, canoes, and kayaks for either flat- or whitewater, and even paragliders (along with instruction in their use). For more information, I recommend the website of a local “adventure tour” company in Bled itself: https://www.3glav.com/. They run a bunch of guided walking/biking/canoeing tours. Even if you do not want to take one of their tours, they will have lots of helpful information about how to do this on your own.
