Things to see and do Postojna

The castle is a real eagle's nest. Every lord's dream. Impenetrable. It is attached to a 123 m rock face. It was built inside the rock cavity in the 13th century. Nothing to do with the current 16th century fortress built by Jean de Kobenzl. Such a setting, with a complex system of caves and galleries, could only generate the most daring adventures. In the middle of the 15th century, the castle belonged to Nicolas de Foramine, alias Luogar. This rich lord became governor of Trieste. The fiefdom then passed into the hands of Erasmus Lueger. He is probably Nicolas' son, dismissed by Emperor Frederick III. Erasmus Lueger is linked to Matthias, the king of Hungary who fought against the emperor's armies. It's not to please Frederick III. Taken prisoner, sentenced to death, Erasmus managed to escape. Having become a looter with a big heart, defender of the oppressed, the noble rebel confronts the emperor's army. The castle is under siege, but Erasmus has everything it needs. Food comes to him through secret channels and he can come and go without fear. Such a story implies a traitor. A bribed valet tells the enemy where the rebel is. Latrines and a tight fitting ball and chain cause his loss. The wall has five openings. The galleries of the cave are 6.5 km long.

It is the waters of the Lokva that flow into the precipice. After visiting the rooms of the castle, you reach the area where the cave castle was built.

Since the ^17th century, it has been the cradle of biospeleology, the science of underground life. When you arrive at the time of your reservation, you'll be given an audio guide in your own language, before boarding a small train that takes you deep into the cave. On a 2 km guided walk, you can admire the splendid galleries in a golden silence, with the lights dimmed to preserve this unique heritage. The return journey is again by small train, the first in the world to operate in an underground gallery.

It would be the only cave in the world where two rivers meet. Pivka and Rak are indeed mixing to give birth to Unica. The new course disappears to better reappear in Vrhnika, now called Ljubljanica. The cave is home to many proteins, eels and other aquatic salamanders. Some 7 km long, it can be visited on foot (a small 1-hour tour) or by boat (a 4-5-hour tour), using lamps because it is not lit.

It is a museum that traces life in the region from prehistoric times to the present day. All the objects found in the caves are collected, archived and displayed here. There are among others beautiful photographs, old pottery, engravings in stone, bronze utensils, coins... In recent years, it has also hosted a superb exhibition designed to unravel the mysteries of the Karst, at the forefront of world scientific research. Great efforts in popularization and pedagogy.