Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
portation and far less strenuous to visit than Škocjan—of the three-mile route, you'll
walk only about a mile (the rest of the time, you're on a speedy underground train).
But Postojna is also more expensive and much more touristy (they get about 500,000
visitors each year, five times as many as Škocjan)—you'll wade through tour buses
and tacky souvenir stands on your way to the entrance. Most importantly, Postojna
lacks Škocjan's spectacular, massive-cavern finale. Škocjan also comes with a fairly
strenuous hike, leaving you feeling like you really did something adventurous. Fin-
ally, the choice of likely side-trip might help you decide: Near Postojna is the cliff-
hanging Predjama Castle, while Škocjan is closer to the Lipica Stud Farm.
No matter which cave you visit, you'll find it chilly, but not really cold (a light
sweater is fine). Both caves technically forbid photography (a laughable rule that
nobody takes seriously).
Thesecavesarealsohometoauniquelittlecave-dwellingcreature—theso-called
“human fish” (a.k.a. olm or
Proteus anguinus
), which is a long, skinny, pale-pink
salamander-likecreaturewithfingersandtoes.Theworld'sbiggestcave-dwellingan-
imal, these amphibians can grow up to a foot long, live for about a century, and sur-
viveuptoadecadewithouteating(thelivespecimensondisplayinPostojnaarenev-
er fed during the four months they're on view). As they're endemic to Slovenia, the
“human fish” are celebrated as a sort of national mascot.
Crowd Control:
From mid-May through mid-September, try to show up 30 to 40
minutesearlyforthemorningtours(popularwithtourbuses);otherwise,aimfor15minutes
ahead.
Adventure Tours:
Ifyou'dliketodosomemoreadrenaline-fueled spelunkinginPosto-
jna, check their website for details on booking one of the more adventurous routes through
the caves.
Getting to Postojna:
The caves are just outside the town of Postojna, about 45 minutes
southofLjubljanaontheA-1expressway.By
car,
taketheexpresswaysouthfromLjubljana
and get off at the Postojna exit. Leaving the expressway, turn right and follow the
jama/
grotte/cave
signs through town until you see the tour buses. Drivers pay to park a third of a
mile from the cave entry. By
train,
you'll arrive at the train station in the town of Postojna;
fromhere,youcanwalktothecavesinabout20minutes,orpayforataxi.Ifcomingonthe
bus from Ljubljana, you'll be dropped just a five-minute walk from the caves.
Visiting the Caves:
A visit here is basically an easy, lightly guided stroll through an
amazing underground cavern. The optional audioguide offers more information than the of-
ficial tour-guide spiel. Whether you arrive by car, tour bus, or on foot, you'll walk past
