The Slovenian Underground Postojna and Škocjan Caves

It’s highly likely that a trip underground is on the cards when you come out to Slovenia and again people tend to pick one of the two big hitters, flamboyant and belle of the ball Postojna or raw and unmanicured Škocjan Caves. It’s not necessary to pick if you have the time and it’s not necessary to draw comparisons either. Just like the Bled and Bohinj experience, both offer very different experiences and if you put them both together you get something far more complete (I promise, I am not on the take with the Slovenian Tourist Board). They are likely to be on the more pricey side of activities that you do in Slovenia (if you are not hiking up Triglav with a guide or doing any andrenalin based activities in Bovec or Bled). It’s €16 for Škocjan Caves and €25.80 for a visit to Postojna Caves (you can get a combination ticket to visit nearby Predjama Castle with this ticket too, more on that later). Both are timed entries and accessed with a guide. Only Škocjan Caves gives you that extra time at the end of the tour to explore beyond the guided part and you could feasibly spend as long as you wanted there after your had completed the guided part of the trip.

Why visit either of them?

They are some of the most extensive cave systems on the continent, you won’t find caves much bigger anywhere else in Europe. Even on timed visits, you get a real grasp of how vast these two cave systems are.

As mentioned above, they are different experiences. You get a show when you visit Postonja Caves, with the train journeys through the cave systems, which is fun and a great way to experience the environment, the columns, pillars, vast chambers and the lights that add to the atmosphere. You get to come off the train and take a walk through the chambers and caves too, bringing you closer to the subterranean, just mind you don’t touch anything.

Škocjan Caves is a more raw and natural experience. There are no lights for show here, no train, you trek through the caven environment and experience it in a fuller way, with the sounds of the flowing river and the howling wind. It’s eerie and you can get swallowed up in the vast, darkness of the chasm and just imagine a grim turn in an adventure story. Make no mistake, both Postonja and Škocjan are fantasy lands, very different kinds of fantasy lands, different stages in a meandering, fantasy adventure.

Access wise, you can, with your own wheels, base yourself in Postonja and easily get out to Divača from there for Škocjan Caves, it’s about 30 – 40 minutes. It is possible to visit by public transport, either by train or bus between Postonja and Divača. Depending on the time of year, there are more frequent connections. Note, that it’s about 4km from Divača train and bus station to Škocjan Caves. In July and August there is a shuttle bus service, but not outside of these times. I managed to do Škocjan Caves in the morning and Predjama Castle in the after travelling by public transport (I even walked the 10km to Predjama Castle) so it is doable outside the main season.

Škocjan Caves comes with the added advantage of an unguided section following the main caves, where you are free to roam some of the other structures on a well marked hiking path with two exit options depending on if you are all hiked out or just low on time. The unguided route lasts between 20 minutes for the first chance to exit to about an hour for the longer route, which is well worth it if you have the time.

Is it worth the combination ticket for Postonja Caves and Predjama Castle?

Implied within this question is ‘Is it worth visiting Predjama Castle?’

It certainly saves you money to buy the combined ticket if you want to go to Predjama Castle. I really enjoyed experiencing the largest castle built into a cave in the world, and it is an impressive, fortress like structure with and interesting story and its fun to explore the interior, especially the way it is built into the cave. It’s also in a pretty gorgeous location looking out over the valley and forests ahead, something you can get fantastic views of from the castle. Tours are self guided through audio guide and you can go at your own pace. You could complete the tour in as little as 45 minutes.

If you like castles, you really will get a kick out of visiting this one. If you are only a casual enthusiast there is still enough about Predjama Castle to warrant a visit that is novel and different from others you may have visited (it’s built into a cave after all). There are also some short walks you can do for great views up at the castle if you are looking for those shots for your Instagram. 

While there are pubs, cafes and restaurants by the castle, if the weather is good, I would suggest a picnic might be in order with amazing views of the castle from one of the lower viewpoints. You shouldn’t struggle for space while you may have to wait at any of the vendors. From you perch why not contemplate medieval living and how far (or how little, depending on your philosophical lean) we have come.