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1 city
Region · Mediterranean and Karst Slovenia
Primorsko-notranjska
Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle, the intermittent Cerknica Lake, the natural bridges of Rakov Škocjan and the forests of Snežnik.
In the photo: Snežnik Castle, in Primorsko-notranjska.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
The region
Get to know Primorsko-notranjska
Primorsko-notranjska occupies the interior of southwestern Slovenia, between Ljubljana and the coast. It is a region of limestone plateaus and forests, where rivers sink into the ground and reappear further on, forming caves, closed valleys and lakes that fill and empty. The main towns are Postojna, Cerknica, Pivka and Ilirska Bistrica.
Postojna Cave is partly visited by an electric train that runs through the galleries before the walk through chambers of stalactites and stalagmites. The proteus, a blind, unpigmented amphibian that Slovenians call človeška ribica, “human fish,” lives there. About 10 km away, Predjama Castle was built at the mouth of a cave in the middle of a rock wall and is linked to the legend of the knight Erazem.
Cerknica Lake is the largest intermittent lake in Slovenia: in rainy periods the water covers the plain, and in dry periods it drains into the subsurface, leaving meadows in its place. Nearby, Rakov Škocjan Park has natural stone bridges over the Rak River, and Križna Cave has underground lakes navigated by boat on guided visits.
To the south, the Snežnik massif is covered in beech forests, and the Snežnik-Ždrocle forest is part of the ancient European beech forests World Heritage. Snežnik Castle, in a valley near Kozarišče, preserves 19th-century interiors. In Pivka, a military history park displays tanks, planes and a submarine.
Destinations
1 destination in Primorsko-notranjska
Cities
1 cities in Primorsko-notranjska in the guide
When to go
Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle are open year-round; inside the cave the temperature stays around 10 °C in any season. In spring and autumn, with more rain, Cerknica Lake is usually full; in summer it often partly dries up. The trails and forests of Snežnik are busiest between May and October. In the high parts, cold months bring snow.
Getting there
Postojna is about 50 km from Ljubljana via the A1 motorway, which continues to Koper. Trains from Ljubljana to Koper and to Sežana stop at Postojna and at Pivka, and there are frequent buses from the capital. The airports of Ljubljana and Trieste are both less than 90 minutes’ drive. For Predjama, Cerknica and Rakov Škocjan, having a car is convenient.
Your questions
Frequently asked questions about Primorsko-notranjska
How long does the visit to Postojna Cave take?
The guided visit, including the train section and the walk through the chambers, takes about 90 minutes. It departs at scheduled times, and in summer there are usually more departures. Bring a jacket, because the temperature inside is about 10 °C year-round.
Can you visit Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle on the same day?
Yes. They are about 10 km apart, and it is common to buy a combined ticket. With a full day you can also include Škocjan Caves, about 30 km from Postojna, or Rakov Škocjan Park.
Does Cerknica Lake have water year-round?
No. It is intermittent: it usually fills in rainy periods, generally in spring and autumn, and empties in summer when water drains through the limestone underground. The size of the lake varies from year to year depending on rainfall.
What is the proteus of Postojna Cave?
It is a blind, unpigmented, elongated amphibian that lives only in the underground waters of the Balkan karst. In Postojna, a breeding facility inside the cave allows you to see it. Slovenians call it človeška ribica, “human fish,” because of its skin color.