Brilliant stalagmite – the symbol of Postojna Cave, Slovenia

A century and a half of the cave railway and electric lighting

This is the only cave in the world large enough for visitors to be taken around by an underground train. The railway was laid in the cave 140 years ago and nowadays the double-track circular line, along which the electric train takes visitors to the most beautiful parts of the cave, transports up to several thousand visitors daily. The train ride is followed by a pleasant walk along a footpath, which reveals the most beautiful corners of the underground world and presents them in all of their beauty illuminated by electric lighting, which has been available since 1883 (i.e. three years longer than electric illumination in London).

Train in Postojna Cave, Slovenia

The underground world easy accessible to all visitors

The entire tourist trail around the cave is just over five kilometres in length, of which approximately one kilometre is a footpath, but without any steps or strenuous uphill walking, which means that the cave can be visited by almost any visitor. During the underground walk visitors can listen to cave guides providing information in Slovene, English, German or Italian languages or opt for an audio guide available in 15 different world languages.

Postojna Cave, Slovenia

More than 150 prominent visitors

The most significant milestone for the development of modern-age tourism was without doubt the year 1818, when a large inner area of Postojna Cave was discovered by Luka Čeč, a local of Postojna. Already a year later, on 17 August 1819, the footpaths around the cave were in good enough condition for the locals to take around the cave the first esteemed visitor – the then Austrian heir to the throne Ferdinand I, and foundations for cave tourism were thus laid. Ever since, Postojna Cave has been visited by more than 150 country presidents and prime ministers, kings, emperors, scientists and artists, who have written down their impressions in the Golden Book of visitors to the Postojna Cave; the first to sign their names in the book were in 1856 the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph I and the Empress Elizabeth. In decades to follow, many other eminent guests joined in their enthusiasm for the underground beauty of the cave, such as: King of Italy Vittorio Emanuele III, King Milan Obrenovi of Serbia with his son Alexander, King Paul I of Greece and his wife, as well as the former President of Yugoslavia Josip Broz Tito, who brought along his guests on a number of occasions, including the then Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union Nikita S. Khrushchev, Shah of Persia Reza Pahlavi and the first Prime Minister of independent India Jawaharlal Nehru. In the last twenty years, Postojna Cave was also visited by all Presidents of Slovenia: Milan Kuan, Dr Janez Drnovšek and Dr Danilo Türk, who loved showing the cave to their guests from all around the world, including the President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga, the President of Czechoslovakia Vaclav Havel, the President of the Republic of Macedonia Branko Crvenkovski, the President of Finland Tarja Halonen, the Queen of Denmark Margaret II, Albert II, Prince of Monaco, and many others.

Trails in Postojna Cave, Slovenia

For stamp and coin collectors

Before getting back on the train at the end of their Postojna Cave tour to be taken to the exit, visitors can have a look at another cave attraction located inside the Concert Hall (which has a surface area of 3,000 m2, a volume of 50,000 m3 and can accommodate up to 10,000 guests at the same time): an exhibition of the history of the oldest underground post office. Postcards were sent from here as early as 1899 and even today postcards sent off from here receive a special postmark. The Concert Hall has in the past been the venue of a large number of events: musicians of the world-famous La Scala from Milan have performed here, as has the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra; it has also hosted theatre performances and eye-catching acrobatic performances.

Postojna Cave had been welcoming visitors long before the railway was laid in the cave, which is attested by visitors’ signatures in the Passage of Old Signatures in the east part of the cave. The year 2013 marks 800 years since the oldest known signatures were made, an occasion that will be commemorated together with the Bank of Slovenia, which is going to issue a special two-Euro commemorative coin.

White Hall, Postojna Cave, Slovenia

Proteus Vivarium, the Proteus Cave – learn about life in the underground world

Although scientist for a long time believed that life without the sun or the seasons was not possible, numerous animal species that inhabit the underground world of Postojna have proven the contrary. By far the best known inhabitant of the Postojna underground world is undoubtedly the proteus (proteus anguinus), often called the human fish, it is however not the only one at all. More than 100 cave-dwelling animals have been discovered in the underground world of Postojna, and the Postojna cave system is thus considered to be the cradle of speleobiology, the study of organisms that live in the subterranean world. In terms of biodiversity, the underground world of Postojna ranks very high on the worldwide scale, which is proof of the environment being well preserved. Visitors learn about the diversity of the underground life, and about its characteristics and special features, in the part of Postojna Cave called Proteus Vivarium, the Proteus Cave, another world-famous attraction where visitors can also see the animals.

White Hall, Postojna Cave, Slovenia

The cave is open throughout the year

Tourist tours of Postojna Cave last approximately an hour and a half and the cave is open throughout the year. For visitors looking to experience the underground world of Postojna in a somewhat different, more adventurous way, there are a number of special adventure tours. As part of these tours the cave is visited in small groups and participants use caving equipment, which gives them the feeling that they are the first ones to enter this underground kingdom.

Spaghetti Hall, Postojna Cave, Slovenia

The temperature inside Postojna Cave remains the same throughout the year: around 10°C. Comfortable footwear and warm clothing is recommended, but no other special equipment is needed. Warm raincoats are available for hire at the entrance to the cave.

This unique article along with the pictures have been delivered by Postojna Cave Management. You can find more information on Postojna Cave official website https://www.postojnska-jama.eu

A family enjoying a visit to Postojna Cave, Slovenia

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The Nant Llech is a small and peaceful river that meanders its way to the edges of Farewell Rock. It is here that the waters of the river make the 27-meter plunge over the edge of the rock face.

Henrhyd Falls, Wales, UK by Dave Mack

The Henrhyd Falls are very well-known; not just in the UK, but throughout the world as well. Up until just recently, the area was a popular destination for those who lived in the UK and just wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of inner city life. However, since the falls appeared at the end of the recently released film, The Dark Knight Rises, more and more visitors from all over the world have made the trek down into the gorge.

To get to the Henrhyd Falls, you will need to park your car and take a steep hike down into the very deep gorge lined with oak and ash trees. There is a small bridge at the bottom which will take you to the opposite side of the Nant Llech. From here, special care must be taken as the path narrows and becomes uneven.

There is only one way down into the gorge and one way out so special care must be taken when choosing to make your way down to see the Henrhyd Falls. The path will take you down to the base of the waterfall and if you continue to follow it, the path will take you behind the falls.

The area that Henrhyd Falls is located in is aptly dubbed the Wales Waterfall Country as there are countless falls that can be found throughout the Brecon Beacons National Park. For someone who is planning on visiting the Henrhyd Waterfall, make sure that you bring the proper footwear for the trek down into the gorge.

Take your time and make sure to check out the many other spectacular water falls that can be found throughout the area before you leave.

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Durdle Door, Dorset, England, UK by W. Lloyd MacKenzie

The vast majority of Durdle Door is composed of limestone which is why over the centuries it has slowly eroded away to form the arch. Its mammoth size however has led to its popularity over the years. Countless people have made their way to Durdle Door and to enjoy the English countryside.

The limestone rock formation has appeared in a number of music videos over the last few decades which have increased its popularity. One of the more popular videos is the Tears for Fears’ Shout video which was filmed on location in and around Durdle Door. Also, Pink Floyd fans have seen an image of the rock formation in the lyric books supplied with every “The Division Bell” album sold.

The rock that the Durdle Door is composed of stretch for great distances in every direction. They can be found hundreds of meters inland as well as out in the sea. Those who visit the Durdle Door will also be able to see the Bull which is located just off shore. This has been determined to be a continuation of the rock that the door itself is made of.

Durdle Door, Dorset Coast, England, UK by W. Lloyd MacKenzie

While there are many things to see and do in England, many people make the choice to head out into the countryside to get as far away from the hustle and bustle of life in London. While there are many great attractions in the capital city, some of the best destinations in the country are not.

There are countless castles and other ruins of days gone by that can be found in and around the area where the Durdle Door is located. The area known as the Jurassic Coast is one of the more popular destinations in the country.

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Those who are adventurous enough can make their way up to the Loch Skeen. The picturesque views of the area surrounding the peaceful loch are worth the almost hour-long walk it takes to reach.

Grey Mare’s Tail, Scotland, UK by Leon Pettit

Within the park, you will also find an earthwork fortress that dates back to the Iron Age. Known as Tail Burnt, the old fort was built upon a hill that has become known over the years as the Giant’s Grave.

If you are really up for an adventure, then you will need to bring your hiking boots because the trip up the side of White Coomb is a treacherous one. You may need to make your way through a herd of wild goats that live along the slopes of the hill. But the adventure is worth the effort as you stand over Tail Burn Gorge and simply admire the beauty that is the Grey Mare’s Tail Nature Reserve.

Since not everyone is willing to take the long and tiring trek up to the top of White Coomb, there is a visitor’s center which comes complete with a CCTV system. From the center, you can watch over the nest of a Peregrine Falcon and even see the entire Tail Burn Gorge. Most of all is that the visitor center offers a state of the art interactive system that will help you to learn more about the nature preserve as well as its long and colorful past.

There’s a reason why so many people over the years have made their way to the Grey Mare’s Tail Nature Reserve. The picturesque views of the valley, gorge and loch are definitely one of the biggest reasons to visit the area. Enjoying a peaceful day in the wilderness and a chance to become closer with Mother Nature is another popular reason that so many have visited the park to date.

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The Low Tatras National Park can be found in the innermost part of Slovakia. It is here where you will find the valley of the Váh, the Hron River as well as the Poprad River. And although not as tall as its larger sibling, the tallest peak that can be found within the Low Tatras, Ďumbier, still stands at more than 2042 meters above sea level. This is followed in close by the summit of Chopok which is 2024 meters above sea level.

Blue trail of Chopok, Low Tatras National Park, Slovakia by Pudelek (Marcin Szala)

Unlike its larger brother, there are a number of excellent caves that can be found within the Low Tatras which are open to the public. Some of the most popular of these caves is that of the Bystrianska Cave, Cave of Dead Bats as well as the ice Cave. As of currently, there are only seven caves in the mountain range which are not open to the public.

For those who prefer canyoning, the largest canyon in the entire mountain range is that of Hučiaky under Salatín which is situated within the Ludrová Valley just outside of Ružomberok. Not too far away is where you will also find the largest waterfall within the mountain range. The 55 meter tall Brankov waterfall can be found at the western part of Low Tatras and is easily reachable thanks to a well marked footpath that runs from the village of Podsuchá.

Dumbier, Low Tatras, Slovakia by milan.kvetko

For the most part, the Low Tatras are protected by the Low Tatras National Park which is a biological reserve that was established back in 1978. Unfortunately, there are sections of the mountain range which are not within the preserve. However, the portions that are within the reserve are home to some of the rarest of alpine animal species, including the extremely rare chamois.

The Low Tatras are known as a popular skiing destination within Slovakia. There are a number of excellent resorts that can be found throughout the mountain range including Mýto pod Ďumbierom, Jasná as well as Tále. Jasná is also one of the largest ski destinations in all of central Europe and is accessed via the town of Liptovsky Mikulas. Of course there is a lot more to do than just skiing in the Low Tatras as there is also kayaking, boating, fishing, hiking, mountain climbing, golf as well as numerous Hot Springs that can be found situated throughout the mountain range. There are two popular thermal parks that you can visit nearby – Tatralandia and Bešeňová.

Vrbické pleso, Low Tatras, Slovakia by Jiri Brozovsky

All in all, the Low Tatras offer lots of attractions, entertainment as well as recreational options to choose from; which is why it is considered to be one of the most popular parks not just in Slovakia, but in all of central Europe.

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