Visiting caves on a hot summer day is one of the best way to cool off and visiting the Postojna cave should definitively be on your radar if you are in Slovenia!
I love caves!
Entering a cave is like entering the womb of mother Earth. There is, somehow, something mystical about it. Exploring the depth and darkness, to discover the grandiose demonstration of nature ability to shape the most incredible art pieces, is awing.
It can also be an intimate experience, one that pushes you to experience your own fears. In Caves, time stands still, not just because it takes billion of years to form, but because you completely loose track of time and place. Yet, your senses are heightened and as you try to make sense of the shapes and shadows that surround you, the silence and cold can be reminders of childhood nightmares or make you feel very vulnerable.
But visiting caves and marveling at the Earth natural wonders can also be so inspiring and exhilarating…
So yeah, I love caves and my opinion on the Postojna caves is therefore biased…
You see, there is one big issue with the Postojna cave…
The Postojna Cave is like the Disney World of caves. Huge parking lots, very active (and helpful, I must admit) ticket sellers, fast food type restaurant lined up, souvenir shops everywhere and even inside the cave (yeah!!) and of course… the train…
When in Slovenia, it’s impossible to miss the billboard signs and all the ads showing you the caves and its little train. I thought I had seen the most commercialized caves when visiting the Cheddar gorge, but apparently I had not!
And it works well for the cave. It is the most touristic attraction of Slovenia. 36 Million visitors! Up to 14,000 people can visit in a day. Yes, 14,000 people!! Tours start every 30 minutes and it is a well oiled and well organized machine!
Silly blurry picture taken on the ride back!
Despite all this, I actually did like visiting this cave!!
So if you’re like me and hate crowded places, do still consider visiting… Up to you of course!
Our visit of the Postojna Cave
When arriving at the entrance, I was not prepared to see hundreds of people there. We had booked a specific time and I couldn’t understand how, so many other people, could have possibly booked the same time slot. As more people were arriving and as group tours were already entering, I was almost considering leaving.
We went in anyway, and managed to sit in the front row of the front cart of the train, which enable me to forget about all the people behind for a short while. The ride was surprisingly pleasant and the tunnels was far from boring.
From there the tour continues by foot, through a succession of tunnels, grandiose halls and and various smaller caves with a wide array of colors and shapes.
Shame on me, but very quickly, I got bored with the tour guide explanations. Mr A. and I have visited our fair share of caves, so after a while, there is so much you can learn from these tours about stalactites, stalagmites, columns, pillars and curtains… Not bragging, but tour info are very similar everywhere, when it comes to the description of the actual formations. Yeah, this one looks like a chicken and this one is a dragon…
But here is when the magic happened for me…. I put on my earphones and listen to music and suddenly, I was alone in this marvelous place. Everything I was looking at, was like a masterpiece, and everywhere I looked was a demonstration of mother Earth genius. The crowd disappeared with the guide as we walked far back from the group and everything was just perfect…
The Technical bits:
The official web site of the Postojna cave: www.postojnska-jama.eu
Do book your ticket in advance (really, really highly recommended during summer) and do book your visit to the Predjama Castle to save on the total price.
The caves have an anti slippery floor! (yep!!!) and are accessible to all.
Better bring a jacket, just in case.
The Postojna cave are very easily accessible from Ljubljana but as I mentioned in my previous post about the Predjama Castle, you should definitively consider staying a few days in this little area of the World, as it has so much to offer.
And I feel like I’ll never say it enough… no touching!
Did you like it? Then come on Facebook and share with your friends!
