Looking for Lake Bled's cousin

electrogrimey

Went Interrailling last summer, and Lake Bled in Slovenia was definitely one of the highlights. Doesn't look like I'll be able to afford to interrail this summer, so I'm looking for somewhere like Bled to go to for a week or so. I was thinking of Croatia, I've never been.

Any suggestions?

blue_morpho

I haven't been but I have heard that Lake Balaton in Hungary is lovely?

Or of course if you are willing to spend a little more then there are the Italian lakes (Garda, Como etc)?

electrogrimey

Saw Balaton from a train, and it didn't look a patch on Bled. Are there any other nice lakes up in the alps around Slovakia or anything?

What exactly did you like about Bled? Are you looking for something touristy?

electrogrimey

Moonbaby wrote: »

What exactly did you like about Bled? Are you looking for something touristy?

Not touristy no, just somewhere as picturesque and relaxing as Bled. As un-touristy as possible really, that's one of the things I liked about Bled, it wasn't flooded with tourists.

Civilian_Target

Bled is beautiful OK.

Other good possibilities are:
- Lake Como, 3 hours north of Milan
- Lake Ohrid, on the Macedonian / Albanian border
- Lac de la Saint Croix, 90 minutes east of Marseille

dresstoimpress

I love croatia so much! Lepad (the newer part of dubrovnik) is lovely. We stayed with an old lady in old town dubrovnik bit I thought the beach was nicer in lepad. Split is also very nice, as are any of the islands.

Dopey

electrogrimey wrote: »

Went Interrailling last summer, and Lake Bled in Slovenia was definitely one of the highlights. Doesn't look like I'll be able to afford to interrail this summer, so I'm looking for somewhere like Bled to go to for a week or so. I was thinking of Croatia, I've never been.

Any suggestions?

Been looking for an answer to this question too. Bled is the nicest place I've been to in Europe. I was there two years ago. I like Croatia too but it's a different type of holiday as it's mostly coast and islands. I always wanted the latter until I discovered Lake Bled.

Lake Annecy is nice in France. I went there last year but not quiet as nice as Bled. Bled is also cheaper.

electrogrimey

Annecy looks great actually, will definitely consider it. It'd be great for a trip into Switzerland too.

Lake Ohrid is also interesting, but what's Macedonia like? Furthest east I've ventured is Hungary and Poland, which are a lot more well-trodden.

Civilian_Target

Macedonia's a bit off the beaten track. It's a pretty mountainous country, not very densely populated. It's much cheaper than Slovenia, but in particular, Skopje (the capital) is much uglier. The people are very friendly and open, there aren't many tourists, and everyone under 30 can speak English. In the summer, they party like there's no tomorrow!

kdouglas

Crotia is great, probably my favourite place in europe so far after Bled.

Spent a couple of weeks on the Islands of Rab and Cres and also visited Rijeka and Zadar

Didn't spend much time in Rijeka, it was really just a stop over, but it seems quite busy.

Cres was beautiful, hired a bike and drove the length of the Island and across the bridge to the island Losinj, technically a seperate island, but the bridge that joins them is only about 30-40ft long Then on down to Mali Losinj, the bigger of the two towns.

Rab was also beautiful, spent some time cycling from Rab town where we stayed out along the peninsula.

Then on to Zadar, which is a nice town, the old town is quite well preserved, but it's more touristy than the islands, the main reason for going here was to visit Plitvice National Park, the lakes here are absolutely amazing, have a look on google images; http://images.google.com/images?q=plitvicka+jezera

While you cant stay at the lakes in the same way you do in Bled, there are hotels within the national park, but that's a little too touristy for my liking.