Postojna Cave

Postojna Cave is one of the most famous show caves in the world, a vast karst system where visitors are carried deep inside on a little underground train before walking through immense chambers hung with extraordinary dripstone formations, from delicate straws to a great white stalagmite called the Brilliant. It is also home to the olm, the strange cave salamander once thought to be a baby dragon.

History

Graffiti dated 1213 show the cave was visited long before Valvasor described it in the 17th century. In 1818, while the cave was being prepared for a visit by Emperor Francis I, the lamplighter Luka Čeč found a new section and became its first guide; rails for a tourist train were laid in 1872, electric light came in 1884, and the cave's underground post office first opened in 1899 (Wikipedia, Postojna Cave).

The landscape

• The underground train - the ride deep into the cave to start the tour.
• The great chambers - the immense halls of stalactites and stalagmites.
• The Brilliant - the famous shining white stalagmite.
• The olm - the pale, blind cave salamander, the baby dragon.

When to go

Year-round; the cave is a constant cool temperature, so bring a layer. It is very popular, so book the guided tour ahead in the busy season.

Things to know

It is a highly developed show cave with a train and crowds, so it is a polished experience rather than a wild one. It is cool underground even in summer. It pairs naturally with the nearby Predjama Castle.

Nearby

Predjama Castle is a short drive; the Skocjan Caves are nearby.

Key facts