Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle

Postojnska jama in Predjamski grad: podzemlje in grad v skali

The cave and the castle are sights that visitors to Slovenia rarely miss, and they lie close enough to be linked in one day. The first leads deep into the karst underground, the second stands beneath a natural rock arch high in the cliff. Together they explain why the Inner Carniolan Karst is different from mountain and coastal Slovenia.

Kaj je posebnega v Postojnski jami

Postojna Cave is part of a cave system a good twenty-four kilometres long, and its arranged part is open to visitors. A special feature of the tour is the cave train, which takes you on rails deep into the underground and then brings you back, so older visitors can do the tour too. The cave is cold all year, and the temperature barely changes between the seasons, so take a jacket with you even in the middle of July. Part of the tour is devoted to the olm and other cave animals, which are hard to see elsewhere.

Predjamski grad, ki stoji v skalni votlini

Predjama Castle is built in front of the cave entrance, so that the rock above it is part of its defence. Behind the castle opens an underground system, considered the second-longest show cave in Slovenia and partly arranged for viewing. Connected with the castle is the story of Erasmus of Predjama and the long siege, which is explained on the tour. You can view the castle together with the cave or on its own, depending on how much time you have.

Kaj si še ogledati v okolici

The Inner Carniola surroundings have several spots that cave visitors often overlook. The best known is Lake Cerknica, an intermittent lake that fills and empties with the seasons, so every visit can look completely different. Nearby is also Rakov Škocjan, a small karst valley with two natural bridges and a short circular path. In Pivka there is an arranged museum of military history with a collection of armoured vehicles, interesting mainly for older children and technically minded visitors.

Kam s kolesom in kdaj na sneg

The surroundings are friendlier to cyclists than they seem at first glance, because the karst poljes stretch out in wide, gentle lines. On the portal you will find kolesarske poti v okolici Postojne, among them mountain and family versions too. In winter you can see zimsko ponudbo nearby, though it depends on the snow, so check the conditions with the operator before setting off. Thanks to its constant temperature, the cave is a good choice precisely when it is unpleasant outside.

Kaj in kje jesti v Postojni

Inner Carniolan cuisine is more continental than coastal, so expect soups, meat dishes and pasta with woodland ingredients. In the town and along the main road there are gostilne v okolici Postojne, which are a practical choice after visiting the cave, when lunch is most at hand. If you plan the visit for the morning, reserve a table in advance, because visitors gather at a similar time after the tours.

Kam na izlet iz Postojne

Thanks to its position between Ljubljana and the coast, Postojna is a good starting point for day trips in both directions. To the northeast lies Ljubljana, which you can reach in less than an hour, while to the southwest opens up The Coast and the Karst with the sea and the karst villages. In the immediate vicinity are Cerknica z jezerom in Pivka with a museum, which is enough for a second day without a long drive.

Where to stay

The offer in the surroundings is varied in type, although not large in number. You can choose among kampom in glampingom, private rooms and kočo, za avtodome pa je urejeno postajališče. As the main sights lie outside the town, access to a car matters more when choosing than proximity to the centre.

Kdaj se splača priti

As the temperature in the cave barely changes between the seasons, the visit is decided less by the weather and more by the crowds, and the current time slots are on uradni strani parka. In the middle of summer and during the holidays there are the most visitors, so you can avoid the crowds only by coming early in the morning or towards the end of the day. For the outdoor points, such as Lake Cerknica and Rakov Škocjan, late spring and autumn are often the most pleasant choices. View the whole offer among doživetji v okolici Postojne.

Kako načrtovati obisk, da ne čakate

Ogledi v jami potekajo vodeno in po urniku, ki je skupaj s cenami objavljen na uradni strani parka. If you want to see the cave and the castle on the same day, start with the cave in the morning and leave the castle for the afternoon, because the route between them is short. For a family reckon that, together with driving and breaks, this will take the whole day.