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Primorsko-notranjska · Obalno-kraška · Slovenia
The most visited caves of the Karst: Postojna, explored by train, and Škocjan, an underground canyon carved by the Reka River and a World Heritage Site. Nearby, a castle is set into a cliff face.
In the photo: Interior of the Škocjan Caves.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Get to know the place
The Karst (Kras), between Ljubljana and the sea, is a limestone plateau where rain and river water sink into the rock and flow underground. It was the name of this region that gave rise to the term karst, used worldwide for landscapes of sinkholes, caves and disappearing rivers. Two of Europe’s best-known caves are here, about half an hour’s drive apart.
At Postojna, an electric train enters the mountain and the visit continues on foot with a guide, among stalagmites, stalactites and calcite curtains. It is also the home of the olm, the blind amphibian nicknamed the human fish. Not far away, Predjama Castle clings to a cavity in the cliff about halfway up.
Near Divača, the Škocjan Caves show another side of the Karst: the Reka River disappears into the rock and flows through an underground canyon over 100 meters high, crossed by a narrow bridge about 45 meters above the water. The caves have been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1986.
The area lies between Ljubljana and the coast, next to the A1 motorway, and pairs well with Piran and the coastline or with the Lipica stud farm.
This destination brings together 2 cities: Postojna, Divača.
One destination, many paths
Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.
Boundaries: Geodetska uprava Republike Slovenije (GURS), Register prostorskih enot, 28/02/2024, licença CC BY 4.0. Adapted by Cidade Turismo.
✈ Letališče Jožeta Pučnika Ljubljana (LJU), in Brnik · 80 km to Postojna
By the A1, Postojna is about a 40-minute drive from the capital, and Divača is half an hour further toward the coast. Trains on the Ljubljana–Koper line stop at both towns. The Škocjan Caves are about 5 km from Divača, and Predjama about 10 km from Postojna.
Suggested arrival point: Postojna
A karst town inland, between Ljubljana and the coast, known for the cave that bears its name, open to visitors for two centuries. Predjama Castle, set into a cliff, stands in a nearby valley. It is the largest town in the Primorsko-notranjska region.
Small Karst town, railway junction and A1 motorway exit, about 5 km from the Škocjan Caves. It serves as a base to visit the caves and the sinkhole trail, and is a short distance from Lipica, Sežana and the coast.
Festivals and events
Dates change every year: check this year's date before you travel.
The local experience
The cave has more than 24 km of galleries, visited since the 19th century, where an electric train takes visitors inside before a guided walk through halls of stalactites. The proteus, a blind amphibian of the underground waters, lives there.
The underground canyon of the Reka River, over 100 meters high, crossed by a narrow bridge above the water, and one of the largest underground chambers in Europe. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986.
The castle set at the mouth of a cave, halfway up a 123-meter cliff, about 10 km from Postojna. Linked to the legend of the knight Erazem, who resisted a siege using secret passages through the rock.
Before you go
A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.
All year: inside the caves the temperature stays around 10 to 12 °C. In summer there are more tour times and more visitors; the galleries behind Predjama are open only in the warm season. In winter, schedules are reduced and attendance drops.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
A long day is enough for both caves; with two days you can include Predjama Castle at a relaxed pace. Many visitors make the area a stopover between Ljubljana and the coast.
Postojna has guesthouses and services in the town center, about 1 km from the cave. Divača and the villages of Škocjan and Matavun, near the caves, are small and peaceful. If you’re heading to the coast you can sleep in Koper or Piran, less than an hour away.
Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.
Get your questions answered
Yes. They are about 30 km apart, and each tour lasts around an hour and a half. Book time slots so you don’t have to wait between visits.
Postojna is easier, with a train and many formations; Škocjan has the underground canyon of the Reka and more stairs. If you have time, people usually see both.
By car, about 50 km via the A1, roughly a 40-minute drive. There are trains and buses to the town of Postojna, about 1 km from the cave entrance.
It helps, because Predjama and the Škocjan Caves lie outside the towns. In peak season a bus links Postojna cave to the castle; for Škocjan, there is a train to Divača and the rest is by taxi or on foot.
Yes. Both caves are cool and humid year-round, with temperatures close to 10 °C. Bring a jacket and closed shoes.
