A train ride, dragons, a castle and a humungous cave system
One of main tourist attractions in Slovenia, Postojna caves is a must-visit. A 1 hour drive from Lake Bled and a 40 minute drive from Ljubljana you will reach the caves in South-West Slovenia. Postojna if the second-largest cave system in the country after Migovec in North-West Slovenia. The cave was first discovered in the 17th century but graffiti was found dating back to the 1200s. The lighting system was installed incredibly back in 1884.
What is unique about Postojna is that you take a train through the cave system which is fun for all of the family. Officially opening in 1872 this train was the first documented railway in an underground cave. The first train was gasoline powered and now the trains are electric. There is a circular line which allows a number of trains to travel through the caves.
Not only will you get to marvel at the subterranean world but in the caves you will also get to meet baby dragons. Also known as the human fish these dragons appear to have 4 limbs but no eyes. They survive in the darkness and their skin is so pale they cannot survive if they are exposed to sunlight. As long as they remain in the dark these dragons can live up to 100 years. They also do not need to worry about predators due to their habitat and was survive for long periods of time without food.
Hop on a train at the entrance to the cave and you are lead through the caves and surrounded by impressive stalagmites and stalactites. After around 10-15 minutes the train will stop, you will disembark the train and start exploring on foot. Here you will be met by a tour guide who will explain the history of the caves to you and take you through the key sections of the caves such as cave mountain, spaghetti hall, white hall and the red hall. You walk slowly through the caves and have plenty of time to capture those amazing pictures.
The caves are open 365 days a year and run frequent tours through the day. You can purchase a combined ticket to not only visit the incredible caves but also visit the largest castle built into a cave, Predjama. Perched on the side of a cliff 123 metres high sits the castle of Knight Erazem of Predjama. You can explore the castle and find out the history at your own pace with an audio guide in a number of different languages.
This is a wonderful day out for all of the family and I would 100% recommend you had this to your Slovenia itinerary.
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