The Karst and its caves: the back story

About The Karst and its caves: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Ljubljana Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

South-west of Ljubljana the land turns to limestone, and rivers vanish underground. This is the Kras, the Karst, the region that gave its name to karst landscapes worldwide, and below it lie some of Europe’s most spectacular caves.

Postojna Cave

Postojna Cave has about 24 km of passages. Visitors ride an underground railway, first laid in 1872, deep into the cave and walk through halls of stalactites and stalagmites.

The olm

The cave is home to the olm, Proteus anguinus, a blind, pale amphibian that can live for a century. Locals once thought they were baby dragons.

The Karst gave the world the word for a whole kind of landscape.

Škocjan

The Škocjan Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986, are different: the Reka river roars through an underground canyon among the largest in the world, crossed by a bridge high above the water.

Predjama and Lipica

Predjama Castle is built into the mouth of a cave in a 123-metre cliff. At Lipica, the stud farm founded in 1580 is the original home of the Lipizzaner horses.

Our advice: choose Postojna for the classic, family-friendly experience, Škocjan for drama; with a full day, see both, or combine Postojna with Predjama. Bring a jacket: the caves stay around 10°C all year.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The Karst and its caves: the back story before you go.