At 24 kilometres long & visited over 38 million times to date, Postojna is home to one of the most impressive and second largest stalactite cave in the world. It is one of the biggest attractions in Slovenia and for good reason too. “Gigantic” would be an understatement given the size of the Postojna Caves.
However, a visit to the Postojna Caves somewhat resembles that of an amusement park. This is not surprising of course, given the masses of tourists have to be channelled through the large cave system somehow. In this blog article we tell you about our experiences and reveal what you should consider before visiting the Postojna Caves.
1. The Caves of Postojna in Slovenia
About halfway between the capital Ljubljana and the coast of Slovenia is the hidden location Postojna. At first glance, it’s hard to believe that this is one of the country’s most important attractions.
The rush is enormous: an unbelievable 8,000 people walk through the Postojna Cave System (“Postojnska jama”) every day during the high season. Therefore, you should be aware that this place is no secret. But when standing in front of the most bizarre stalagmites and stalactites, no one can deny that these caves of Postojna are downright impressive.
Visiting the Caves of Postojna: What to Expect
The classic tour of the Postojna Caves takes approximately 1.5 hours and always follows the same procedure. First, you will be divided into smaller groups at the entrance – depending on your language of choice. Afterwards, you will take a train for about 10 minutes through the cave. It’s during the train ride, that you begin to realise just how incredibly large the dimensions of these cave systems are.
The second part of the tour is on foot. You will walk for about 1 hour (barrier-free!) through countless sections, where you can admire the strangest stalactite formations. The route also leads you through the so-called “Spaghetti Hall”, where thousands of thin limestones formations hang down from the ceiling. Every few hundred metres, the group will re-gather around for some background information.
The last stop of the tour is a souvenir shop and you take the cave train again for about 10mins before finally reaching the end point. Conclusion: There’s no question that the cave is mighty impressive – however, you should be prepared for very large crowds – especially in the high season.
Tips for Visiting the Cave
Tickets: In high season, there’s no doubt you will encounter mass tourism. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you buy the tickets in advance through the official website to avoid waiting in line at the ticket counter.
Clothing: The cave has a constant temperature of around 10 degrees Celsius, so you should definitely take something extra to wear, especially in the summer. Although the walking path is pretty sturdy, you can’t go wrong with grippy comfortable shoes.
Circuit Track: The tour lasts for a total of 90 minutes. The 1 hour walk is barrier-free, meaning that it is also suitable for strollers and wheelchairs.
Photography: Photos are allowed, but only without flash! Apparently, flash photography damages the stalactites.
Overview of Visiting the Postojna Caves
Price: 25,80 Euros (low season) or 27,90 Euros (high season)
Tour Guide: A guided tour is mandatory and takes place every 30-60 minutes. In high season it is advisable to buy the tickets online in advance.
Parking: 5 Euros
2. Predjama Castle in a Cave
Just 15 minutes by car from Postojna is another highlight of the region: the Predjama Castle (“Predjamski Grad”). This bizarre castle, which is built into a rock face, is the largest Cave Castle in the world and one of the most famous photo spots of Slovenia – and again, rightly so! We have never seen anything like it before. This castle dates way back to the 12th century, which we found super impressive.
You can either visit the Predjama Castle from the outside (like we did) or you can buy a ticket and explore the interior of the castle with an audio guide. If your time is rather short: then a stopover to admire the exterior of the castle is already worthwhile enough.
Information about Visiting the Predjama Castle
Price: 13,80 Euros (low season) or 14,90 Euros (high season). Combined ticket with Postojna caves for 35.70 Euros (low season) or 38.50 Euros (high season)
Parking: Free but very limited parks available. In summer: they have free shuttle bus operating from Postojna.
3. Our Accommodation Tip in Postojna
Since we wanted to visit Postojna in the morning, just after they opened, we decided to spend the night in the region and stayed in a beautifully renovated former farm called Smrekarjeva Domačija. The accommodation is very family orientated and personal – you feel very welcome from the first moment.
We stayed in the family room, which we found to be very spacious and they have everything you need – even a TV with German channels. Our personal highlight, however, was the food they prepared: The breakfast is small, but excellent, with many regional and homemade delicacies. For dinner we were served the best vegetarian food on our entire trip through Slovenia.
All in all: Highly recommended and by far the best value for money on our entire trip.
You can view and book the accommodation here: Smrekarjeva Domačija
Disclaimer: Affiliate Links
This blog article contains our personal recommendations in the form of so-called affiliate links. If you book or buy something through these links, we will receive a small commission. For you, this does not change the price at all. A million thanks from the both of us!
Have you ever visited the Postojna Caves or the Predjama Castle? If so, what did you think of it? If you have any further tips, we look forward to reading your experiences in the comments below.
