Slovenia is blessed with several impressive and unique cave systems that visitors can easily explore. The Postojna Cave (Postojna Jama) is Europe’s most visited cave system, featuring an underground train ride that traverses several chambers that are filled with stalagmites and stalactites of all shapes and sizes. It is also near the impressive Predjama Castle, the world’s largest cave castle. The Skocjan Caves (Škocjanske Jame) are a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is home to one of the world’s largest underground canyons. Both of these spectacular underground caves are located along the same motorway that links Ljubljana to the Adriatic Sea and therefore both make excellent day trip options from either Ljubljana or Lake Bled. To help you plan your visit to the area and help you decide which cave (or caves) you want to visit, we put together this visiting guide for Slovenia’s very impressive Škocjan and Postojna Caves.
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You might also be interested in these pages (coming soon):
Best Things to See and Do in Bled (Slovenia)
Best Day Trips from Bled (Slovenia)
5-Day Slovenia Road Trip Itinerary
Best Hiking and Walking Trails Near Bled (Slovenia)
Škocjan and Postojna Caves Locations & Map
Both cave systems are located in southwestern Slovenia, near the border with Italy and the town of Trieste.
How to get to the Postojna Cave Park
By Car: The easiest way to reach the Postojna Cave is by car.
From Ljubljana: about a 40-minute drive (55 km)
From Lake Bled: about a 70-minute drive (105 km)
From Trieste (Italy): about a 45-minute drive (50 km)
From Piran: about a 60-minute drive (75 km)
From Rijeka/Opatija (Croatia): about a 70-minute drive (65 km)
If you need to book a rental vehicle for your travels, we highly recommend using Discover Cars to get the best rates on your rental in Slovenia.
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Important: All Slovenian freeways and expressways are subject to tolls. All cars, motorbikes, and camper vans must have purchased a digital vignette online when they plan to drive onto a motorway or expressway. Digital Vignettes with periods of validity of 7 days, 1 month, 6 months or 12 months are available and can be purchased from the Slowenien Vignette website. They are not prohibitively expensive — for instance, the 7-day vignette for cars costs €13.90 (2024).
Arrival by Car & Parking: The car park is right next to the visitor and a full-day ticket for parking at the entrance to the Postojna Cave Park costs €6 (2024).
By Train: You can reach the Postojna Cave by train with a little bit of walking. You’ll need to get off at the Postojna railway station (on the main railway line between Ljubljana and Trieste (Italy), from where you can take an approximately 25-minute walk to the Postojna Cave Park. For more information on schedules and fares consult the Slovenian railway website.
By Bus: There is a regular bus service between Postojna and Ljubljana. For more information on schedules and fares consult the Ljubljana bus website.
By Guided Tour: Several tour options to the caves depart from Ljubljana and some include stops at Predjama Castle and/or Piran and/or Lake Bled:
Tours are also available from Trieste (Italy) or Zagreb (Croatia):
How to get to the Škocjan Caves Park
By Car:
From Ljubljana: about a 50-minute drive (75 km)
From Lake Bled: about an 80-minute drive (125 km)
From Trieste (Italy): about a 30-minute drive (30 km)
From Piran: about a 45-minute drive (50 km)
From Rijeka/Opatija (Croatia): about a 65-minute drive (65 km)
Arrival by Car & Parking: The car park is located right next to the cave ticket office. Parking at the Skocjan caves is free.
By Train: You can reach the Skocjan caves by train with a little bit of walking. You’ll need to get off at the Divaca railway station (on the main railway line between Ljubljana and Trieste (Italy)). There is a map at the station showing a footpath to the Škocjan Caves. The path is around 3 kilometres long and well marked and should take around 35-40 minutes of walking. For more information on schedules and fares consult the Slovenian railway website.
By Guided Tour: Several tour options to the caves depart from Ljubljana and some include a visit to the coastal town of Piran.
How do the Škocjan and Postojna Caves Compare?
Postojna Cave
The Postojna Cave system is an impressive and visually stunning series of caverns, halls and passages. The entire karst cave system is 24 km long, making it the second longest cave system in the country – though it remains the easiest to explore for tourists. Here you will find stalagmites, stalactites, and formations called curtains or draperies that look like folded curtains.
The cave system was first discovered in the 17th century and tourism began in the early 19th century. A testament to how quickly the cave became popular, electric lighting was added in 1884, even before Ljubljana received the same technology.
The Postojna Cave system is made up of four large caves interconnected through the same underground river and was carved by the Pivka River over millions of years. The largest of the caves is known as the “Concert Hall”, and can accommodate up to 10,000 people for musical performances. In the week between Christmas and New Year, the Nativity scene is performed by actors in this cave.
The 90-minute guided tour (more details on the tour will be provided below) allows visitors to see 5km of the cave, 3km of which are explored via a fun eclectic train (similar to a miner’s passenger train). The temperature inside the caves is a constant 10 degrees Celsius (about 50 degrees Fahrenheit).
The Postojna Cave is the most visited cave in Europe with about 800,000 people visiting the cave annually.
When visiting the Postojna Cave, you have the option to purchase entry tickets (at additional cost) that include additional experiences and attractions:
–Vivarium: The Proteus cave houses the vivarium, where visitors can discover the vast diversity of cave-dwelling animals. More than 150 species inhabit Postojna Cave system including the famous “baby dragons” – the largest of all among cave-dwelling animals at about 1 foot in length and the only vertebrate in Europe strictly bound to cave habitat and is completely adapted to life in the dark. It can also live for up to 100 years and can survive more than eight years without food.
–Expo Cave Karst: This interactive exhibition will guide you through the extraordinary events and the coincidences it took to create the underground wonder that is the Postojna Cave. It is the largest permanent exhibition about the cave and karst phenomena around the world.
–Predjama Castle: A stunning 800-year-old medieval castle perched in the middle of a 123-metre-high cliff. Today it is known as the world’s largest cave castle, behind which there is a network of secret tunnels.
Unlike the Expo Cave Karst and the Vivarium, which are located within the Postojna Cave site complex, Predjama Castle is located a 15-minute drive from it. We will showcase the castle in greater detail further below in the “Nearby Attractions” section of our guide.
Škocjan Caves
Škocjan Caves are a significant underground phenomenon in the Slovenian Karst Plateau carved out by the Reka River. They are home to the largest subterranean canyon in Europe at 146 m deep and were included on UNESCO’s list of natural and cultural World Heritage Sites in 1986. Tourism here began around the same time as the Postojna Cave in the early 19th century.
The cave system has many trails to follow and requires visitors to climb and descend several steps (about 400 of them). These trails cross numerous bridges allowing you to see several of the 26 underground waterfalls present in the cave system. The walk across Cerkvenik Bridge is particularly jaw-dropping as the river passes 50 m below you in the highest cave hall in Europe, Martel’s Chamber. You’ll also find here impressive stalactites and stalagmites that have grown up to 15 meters in height. As you cannot take pictures from within the cave, the following pictures are from the official Škocjan Caves website:
As you exit the cave system, you will pass through two collapse dolines (Velika dolina and Mala dolina). The dolines used to be part of the cave system but the narrow ceilings collapsed around 100,000 years ago. Today, the two dolines are separated by a natural bridge, a remnant of the original cave ceiling.
From the dolines, the the Reka River disappears underground into Škocjan Caves and then flows underground for 34 kilometres, resurfacing near Monfalcone in Italy, just 2 km from the Adriatic Sea.
The 90-minute guided Škocjan Caves tour (more details on the tour will be provided below) is all done on foot, with nearly 400 hundred stairs to traverse. The temperature inside the caves is a constant 12 degrees Celsius (about 55 degrees Fahrenheit). From the dolines, the guided tour ends and visitors can choose one of three paths to return to the visitor center, taking from 15 minutes to 2 hours depending on the chosen path.
Despite the cave’s natural beauty and UNESCO status, far fewer people visit the Škocjan Caves, with approximately 100,000 annual visitors.
How do the Škocjan and Postojna Cave Visits Compare?
Postojna Cave Opening Hours and Entry Price
Opening hours (2024 schedule)*:
Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec: 3 guided tours per day, 10h00, 12h00 and 15h00.
April, Oct: 6 guided tours per day, between 10h00, and 16h00.
May, June, Sep: 12 guided tours per day, between 9h00 and 17h00
July, Aug: 13 guided tours every hour, between 9h00 and 18h00.
*Open every day, even during holidays and in bad weather. From Dec. 25 to Dec. 30, regular tours of the Postojna Cave take place until 12:00 p.m
*Canine companions and other pets are not permitted to visit the caves.
The Vivarium and Expo Cave Karst exhibition are open every day between the first guided tour and the last guided tour on that day (for example, in March you can visit either between 10h00 and 15h00).
Cost (2024 prices):
€29,90 Postojna Cave tour
€41,90 Two Adventures package (Postojna Cave + Predjama Castle)
€39,90 Cave Experience package (Postojna Cave + Predjama Castle + Vivarium + Expo Cave Karst)
€51,90 Full Park Experience package (Postojna Cave + Predjama Castle + Vivarium + Expo Cave Karst)
These options and other ticket combinations can be found and purchased online on the official Postojna Cave website.
Advanced booking: It is recommended to purchase your tickets online in advance to guarantee a spot in your preferred guided tour time slot, particularly during the summer high season.
Škocjan Caves Opening Hours and Entry Price
Opening hours (2024 schedule):
Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec: 2 guided tours per day, 10h00 and 13h00.
April, May, June, Sep, Oct: guided tours every hour, between 10h00 and 15h00.
July, Aug: guided tours every hour, between 9h00 and 16h00.
Cost (2024 prices): Adult entry price varies from €16 (low season) to €24 (high season). Reduced prices are available for seniors, students, and children.
Advanced booking: It is recommended to purchase your tickets online in advance to guarantee a spot in your preferred guided tour time slot, particularly during the summer high season. Tickets can be purchased here.
*Canine companions and other pets are not permitted to visit the caves.
*Visitors are requested to wear appropriate footwear for the visit, bring warm clothes as the temperature inside the caves is 12 °C, and plan for a raincoat/umbrella on rainy days, as the self-guided portion of the tour is outdoors.
*If you want to learn more about the history of the exploration of the Škocjan Caves, there’s also a museum you can visit, a short 10-minute walk from the reception center.
Postojna Cave Guided Tour
The only way to visit the Postojna Cave system is by guided tour. The guided tours last 1h30 and cover 5km worth of caves. The first 3.2 km are explored via a neat miner-type train, and after walking the remaining 1.8 km, the train will take you back to the tour starting point.
The train first takes you to the Great Mountain cavern from which guides will escort you through a series of galleries and caverns filled with a vast array of stalactites and stalagmites of all sorts of shapes and sizes.
Because of the cave’s constant 10-degree Celcius temperature, it is recommended to wear warm clothing (you can also rent warm felt capes at the entrance). Appropriate footwear is also highly recommended due to potentially slippery surfaces. No helmets are needed for the cave tour.
Each Postojna Cave tour is accompanied by several tour guides, who provide visitors with tour commentary in Slovenian, Italian, English or German. You can also rent an audio guide in one of the 17 available languages.
Škocjan Caves Guided Tour
The guided tour of the Škocjan Caves lasts about 90 minutes – all of which will be spent on foot covering about 2.5 km worth of waking trails. For the duration of the tour, visitors will be given caving overalls, a helmet with a lamp, a safety belt a transport bag with water, and a bag for waste. It is important to note that unfortunately all photography and videography are forbidden inside the caves.
You will first walk 10 minutes from the visitor center along a forest trail toward the entrance of the cave system (the path to the entrance is mostly downhill but not on a very steep incline). From here, the tour guides will give a brief introduction to the caves and the tour before splitting the visitors up into smaller groups based on their preferred tour language (typically English, Slovene, German and Italian).
From the entrance, you will first walk 10-15 minutes through narrower portions of the caves with the stalactites and stalagmites before entering Europe’s largest underground canyon. As you journey through the canyon, you ascend and descend several steps, about 400 of them in total. Apart from the stairs, the paths taken are mostly flat and level.
The tour will take you through several impressive caves including the Silent Cave (Tiha jama) – a dry fossil tunnel rich in many diverse stalactite formations, and the Murmuring Cave (Šumeca jama) where you will hear the roar of the Reka River and cross over it via the Cerkvenik bridge.
The Škocjan Caves guided tour doesn’t take you back to the original tour starting point but rather ends at the dolines, the portion of the canyon that collapsed hundreds of thousands of years ago. From where the guided tour ends, you are invited to independently follow one of three self-guided trails back to the reception center The shortest takes only 15 minutes whereas the longest takes upwards of an hour (more on these trails below).
After emerging from the caves, you then have the option to follow one of three trails to return to the visitor center. The shortest option takes 15 min, requires you to climb an additional 100 steps and makes use of an elevator to ascend the remaining elevation. The middle option (yellow path below) requires you to climb 400 steps and takes people 30 min on average to complete. The longest route takes people on average 1h30 to complete and requires climbing an additional 700 steps.
Škocjan vs. Postojna: which cave should you visit?
We honestly thought both caves were amazing to visit and, all things being equal, highly recommend visiting both. They are both so different and the visits provide you with completely different experiences. Both tours are the same length, though you have to factor in the additional walking time at the of the Škocjan caves tour (15 min to 2h).
That being, we can appreciate that there are reasons that might make people inclined to choose one cave over the other, particularly if there are time constraints.
Reasons to pick the Postojna Cave over the Škocjan Caves
Mobility issues: People with mobility issues or who would normally have trouble walking up and down hundreds of steps should probably consider skipping Škocjan.
Young children: If you are travelling with children, you should be aware that the Škocjan caves tour is not recommended for young children given the amount of walking and steps involved.
The Train Ride: If you really want to experience the train ride through the caves (it is honestly a unique and fun experience), then the Postojna Cave is your only choice.
Rainy days: When it is raining heavily, the Škocjan Caves might be less appealing since the first and final portions of the tour are outside.
Additional Exhibits: You can also visit (at additional cost) the Vivarium and the Karst Expo at the Postojna cave. You can however save money when visiting the Predjama castle by purchasing a castle and cave combo ticket.
Photography: If taking pictures and videos is important to you, then you might prefer the Postojna Cave since neither is permitted at the Škocjan caves.
Stalactites and stalagmites: If this is what you are most interested in, then definitely head to the Postonja cave.
Reasons to pick the Škocjan Caves over the Postojna Cave
The WOW factor: As impressive as the Postojna Cave system is to visit, we found that the Škocjan Caves provided more of a jaw-dropping experience. The underground canyon is just so vast and was somewhat reminiscent of the Mines of Moria scenes in The Lord of the Rings movies.
Cost: The Škocjan Caves are less expensive to visit, particularly during the low season, and parking is free.
Fewer people: The Škocjan Caves receive significantly fewer visitors than the Postojna Cave, so there are fewer tour groups and each tour group tends to be smaller.
UNESCO: If you are on a mission to prioritize UNESCO-listed sites, then Škocjan Caves should be your choice.
Additional Hiking: If you like the idea of combining a cave visit with an additional 1h30 of hiking through remnants of a former collapsed cavern, then you should definitely visit the Škocjan Caves.
How Much Time Do You Need to Visit the Škocjan and Postojna Caves
Both guided tours last about 90 minutes, but you should plan for at least an additional 30 minutes as both tours recommend that you arrive 15-30 minutes before your scheduled tour start time. You will also have to factor in additional time if you take one of the longer routes for the self-guided part of the Škocjan Caves and/or if you want to visit Postojna’s interactive exhibit and vivarium.
If you want to visit both caves, you should probably plan for about 5-6 hours. If you want to include a visit to Predjama castle (we provide more details on the castle below), you should plan for another 1-2 hours, depending on whether you just want to visit the castle or the caves underneath as well. In this scenario, we recommend starting with the cave tours since these include timed entries and have a predetermined length, whereas the castle visit is self-guided and can start at any time during the opening hours, and therefore can last as short or as long as you want.
If you would like to see everything the area has to offer without feeling too rushed, you can also spend the night in a fantastic hotel next to the Postojna Cave (see below for more information on the hotel).
Best Time to Visit the Caves
There’s no bad time to visit the caves since they are for the most part indoors and not subject to the outdoor weather. Summertime can get incredibly busy, however, particularly at the Postojna Caves, so we typically prefer and recommend shoulder season (May/September/October).
The winter months can also be a great time to visit since the cave air is likely to be warmer than the outdoor air! Obviously part of the tour of the Skocjan caves is outdoors, but we have no doubt it can be pleasant in winter as well.
Where to Stay near the Škocjan and Postojna Caves
Most people visit the caves from Ljubljana or Lake Bled, but if you would like to visit all the attractions in the area (e.g. the two caves, the castle) without feeling rushed you might like to know that there is a great hotel located in the Postojna Cave complex. The Postojna Cave Hotel Jama is a recently renovated hotel just 100m from the cave entrance, which also features an on-site restaurant and bar.
Those who stay at the hotel also get a 10% discount on the Postojna cave tour prices and benefit from free parking, and pets can stay at the hotel. The hotel also has some interesting features, including secret rooms that you can visit, where “unusual hotel activities” took place in former Yugoslavia.
Other Sights and Attractions Near The Caves
Predjama Castle
Predjama Castle is a unique and visually stunning Renaissance castle built within a cave, roughly 9 km from the Postojna Cave site. It has stood in the middle of a 123-meter-high cliff for more than 800 years (but most of what you see today is from the 16th century) and is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest cave castle in the world. The select and peculiar location of the castle made it quite the impregnable fortress. The cave below the castle is part of the 14 km Predjama cave system. It’s open to visitors from May to September (but closed in winter so as not to disturb its colony of bats during their hibernation).
The castle is open to visitors between 10 am to 4 pm during the low season (October – April) and from 9 am to 6 or 7 pm during the high season (May – September. Tickets cost €19 (adults, 2024) but are less expensive when combined with a visit to the Postojna Cave (which can be purchased online on the official Postojna Cave website). Parking at the castle costs an additional €3. A free shuttle service from Postojna Cave to the castle is available during the summer – the ride takes up to 20 minutes.
If not visiting Slvenia with a rental car, you can visit both Predjama and Postojna Cave together via group tours from Ljubljana:
Visit Some Local Vineyards
You may not think of Slovenia as a big wine producer, but what they may lack in quantity they sure make up for it in quality! The area around the caves (Primorska Wine Region) is one of the most well-known Slovenian wine regions, and one with strong Italian influence, which is expressed not only in viticulture and winemaking but also in its language, cultural traditions, architecture, and gastronomy. There are many great vineyards to choose from in the area, and we particularly enjoyed our time at Petric Winery, which is roughly a 25-minute drive from both the Škocjan and Postojna Caves.
You can also join a Vipava Valley vineyard tour from Ljubljana (the Vipava Valley winegrowing district is a sub-region of the Slovenian Primorska wine region):
Škofja Loka
Škofja Loka is a charming countryside town in northwestern Slovenia nestled in the foothills of the Julian Alps with a well-preserved medieval historic town center. Located a short distance from Ljubljana, the town is small enough that it can be visited in an hour or two but with enough things to see and do (including visiting a hilltop castle and several scenic bridges) to keep you busy for a good part of the day. Despite its obvious beauty, this gem of a town is definitely underrated as few tourists make their way here.
For more information on this lovely town, check out our guide on the Best Things to See and Do in Škofja Loka.
Ljubljana
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Well, that wraps it up! We hope you enjoyed our guide on Slovenia’s Škocjan and Postojna Caves, and that it will prove useful for planning your trip.
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