How to Visit the Top Caves in Slovenia

You have been charmed by the streets of Ljubljana and awestruck by the alpine miracles of Bled. But your pay a visit to to Slovenia is not comprehensive till you’ve skilled at the very least one of the major 5 caves in Slovenia.

In this article are the leading guidelines from Terry Anzur, a Slovenian-American journalist at the weblog Strangers in the Dwelling Room:

1. Postojna Cave: a little something for anyone
2. Predjama Cave Castle: world’s biggest cave castle
3. Škočjan Caves: UNESCO heritage underground
4. Pivka Cave: adventure for thrill-seekers
5. Idrija Mercury Mine: deep dive into background

Which Slovenia cave adventure is right for you? In a region with hundreds of caves in Slovenia, there is anything for everybody: Organic beauty, interesting record, epic experience and even a Disneyland-design prepare experience.

Postojna Cave: Obtainable Slovenia Cave Journey

If you have time for only a single Slovenia cave experience, make it Postojna Cave. This all-natural marvel has been wowing site visitors for additional than 200 a long time. In 1818, a nearby lamplighter stumbled into the cave and declared: “Here is paradise.”

More than 40 million men and women have visited Postojna Cave because then. It is the 3rd most frequented attraction in Slovenia, just after Ljubljana and Bled. At periods, you may have the experience that you are in a cave-themed amusement park. Really do not despair if there’s a line to board the prepare it moves quickly.

The 3.7 km practice trip helps make the most astounding chambers and galleries obtainable for all ages and talents. Never overlook the wide Dance Hall, lit by Murano glass chandeliers. There is an optional 1.5 km stroll to the legendary “Brilliant” development.

Be positive to stay seated on the train as it whips earlier the overhead rocks with deadly pace. You should respect nature by not touching the formations. They shaped about millions of years, a single drop of h2o at a time.

For utmost pleasure, place down your digicam. In the minimal gentle, your phone shots are most likely to be disappointing. Flash photography is not permitted. Specialist photographers want authorization to established up lights.

Join this Postojna Cave tour from Ljubljana!

Slovenia’s Infant Dragons

Children will enjoy observing the “baby dragons,” a exceptional species in Postojna Cave. The olms can reside for 100 yrs and can survive a ten years with no foodstuff. Invest in a different ticket to the Vivarium to find out extra about all the creatures of the underground planet.

When to Pay a visit to: Postojna Cave is open up 365 days a year. There’s an underground nativity scene for the duration of the holiday seasons. Provide a warm jacket because of the frequent 10-diploma Celsius temperature, calendar year-round. To prevent the summer months crowds in June, July and August, get there when the cave opens at 9 am. The large tour groups get there later on in the morning.

Having there: Postojna Cave Park is an simple working day vacation from Ljubljana or Bled, by motor vehicle or bus. Reserve tickets on line or obtain at the ticket place of work.

Professional idea: Keep at the Resort Jama to skip the ticket line and get a discounted on tour packages. Tenting in the region is also well-liked. There is a parking whole lot for motorhomes. There’s even a free kennel exactly where your pet can wait around while you tour the cave.

Predjama Castle: Mighty Slovenia Cave Fortress

Predjama Castle, the world’s biggest cave fortress, is only a shorter drive from Postonja Cave. You can easily take a look at both equally on the very same day with a combined “Two Adventures” ticket or blended tour.

Numerous group excursions only prevent for the insta-worthy photo opportunity of the Slovenia cave castle emerging from strong karst rock. But you ought to program to go inside and discover the interesting history.

The 15th Century knight Erazem withstood a siege for more than a calendar year by smuggling in contemporary food items as a result of the cave tunnels. Unfortunately, he didn’t endure a cannonball that struck the castle at its most vulnerable stage: the rest room.

Make a wish as you ring the castle’s bell. It was utilised to alert of approaching invaders. You only have to admire the see of the encompassing countryside.

Professional idea: Get the Predjama Castle audio guideline for a vivid description of lifetime in the Middle Ages as you wander as a result of the torture chamber and weapon rooms.

Škočjan Caves: UNESCO heritage Slovenia Cave

For a extra natural Slovenia cave practical experience, visit the Škočjan Caves in Slovenia. UNESCO has structured a guided tour that offers the underground environment heritage whilst respecting the environment.

You’ll be awestruck by the underground cathedrals, carved out about the generations by the Reka River. Pictures is not allowed for most of the tour inside the caves. Around the exit, there is a photo possibility that conveys the majesty of what you have just knowledgeable.

Strong climbing footwear are a have to, as perfectly as a jacket for the underground chill. Be geared up for slippery pavement and hundreds of measures. This journey is not suggested for tiny kids or people with mobility worries.

Finding there: You can pay a visit to Škočjan Caves on a day journey from Ljubljana by car. Get tickets online or at the ticket workplace. Horse fans might want to include a prevent in nearby Lipica, dwelling of the Lipizzaner horses you may possibly have observed accomplishing in Vienna. Bicycle tours of the karst region are one more terrific selection.

Professional suggestion: Enable some excess time for an extended hike through the karst landscape and the charming village of Škočjan. Hiking trails are perfectly marked, beginning from the end of the cave tour.

Pivka Cave: Experience for Thrill Seekers

If you arrived to Slovenia for a large-octane experience, you’re in luck. With a minor organizing ahead, you can e book an adrenalin tour in the large underground of Postojna Cave Park. All of the distinctive machines you will have to have is integrated in the price tag of the guided tour.

The Luka Čeč tour in Pivka Cave is named for the lamplighter who discovered the cave program in 1818, but toiled in poverty for many years just before receiving the credit rating he deserved. Be organized for rappelling down rock faces, slogging through mud and paddling by means of an underground lake.

You also have a probability to location the toddler dragons and other exclusive cave species in their pure habitat. This journey was so epic for my spouse and children of a few that it justifies its own film, as you’ll see in this movie:

The Bat Cave beneath the Castle

A less demanding experience permits you to discover the Windy Hole and other passageways underneath Predjama Castle. Distinct versions of this guided tour are acceptable for more mature children and teenagers.

But beware of bats! The steady yr-spherical temperature helps make the castle caves a hibernating location. Excursions have to be reserved in progress from Could to September, when the bats are awake.

Pro tip: Gas up for your journey at Gostilna Požar, a friendly mid-priced cafe serving Slovenian specialties with a picture-postcard perspective of Predjama Castle.

Idrija Mercury Mine: Underground Heritage

Record paired with caves in Slovenia! This tour addresses 500 years of UNESCO globe heritage in the 700 km of mercury mine tunnels underneath the city of Idrija. Anthony’s Shaft is the oldest preserved mine entrance in Europe.

The tour commences with a film about the tough life of the mercury miners. A tutorial donning a mine foreman’s uniform requires you into the tunnels. You’ll see the numbered medallions miners wore all through their shifts on the “death clock.” They stopped at an underground chapel to pray for a safe return.

Miners saved up their spirits with powerful consume. They considered the mine was haunted by a mischievous elf who would guide them to the quicksilver — or worthless rocks. Idrija prospered as it became a person of the biggest mercury mines in the environment. Sad to say, the wealth did not trickle down to the inadequately compensated miners.

The miners worked without security devices until modern-day instances. How numerous died from mercury poisoning and relevant sicknesses? All of them. But you will be perfectly risk-free in the warm jacket and protective helmet involved with the tour. Anticipate plenty of going for walks on slippery surfaces and stairs.

Uncover out far more in this video:

Idrija Dumplings and Lace

Earlier mentioned floor, the miners’ wives held active with lacemaking, a tradition that carries on nowadays. The handcrafted lace offered in the neighborhood retailers makes a gorgeous souvenir to consider home.

Really do not forget about to attempt the regular Idrija dumplings known as žlikrofi. Served with hearty sauce, they have been a filling meal for the challenging-functioning miners. The most popular cafe is Gostilna Pri Škafarju, just a limited wander from the entrance to the mine tour, but the dumplings are served in numerous of the neighborhood eateries.

Receiving there: Idrija can be achieved by auto on a working day journey from Ljubljana. Locate tour times and ticket details on the website.

Pro suggestion: If you have much more time, visit Gewerkenegg Castle, which looms about the narrow streets of the modest, friendly town. It is loaded with displays about the heritage of mercury mining and lacemaking in Idrija.

Scheduling a journey to Slovenia? The most significant oversight you can make is not enabling more than enough time for all of the character and background that is packed into this small region – the caves in Slovenia in specific. It is a miniature version of Europe in a person cleanse, green, sustainable package deal.

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