Explore a land of disappearing lakes and castles built into vertical cliffs along the high karst plateaus. You can visit Lake Cerknica, which is a field in the morning and a lake by the afternoon depending on the rains. The drive takes you to the world famous Predjama Castle, a four story fortress wedged into the mouth of a giant cave high on a cliff face.
The region is covered in the country's deepest forests where you can walk across massive natural stone bridges at Rak Škocjan. It is a landscape of mystery where the water moves in hidden passages beneath your feet and the trees grow tall and dark. You can visit the elegant Snežnik hunting castle, which is perfectly preserved with its original furniture and trophies reflected in a quiet pond.
The small mountain towns offer a warm welcome with hearty dishes like venison goulash or forest berry strudel. You can also explore the history of the military at the park in Pivka or simply enjoy the absolute silence of the high plateaus. It is a region for explorers who want to find the true natural magic and mysteries of the karst world.
Littoral-Inner Carniola highlights
- Postojna Cave Electric Train Take a unique train ride through five kilometers of massive underground chambers and sparkling stalactites. It is the most famous cave system in Europe and even features its own subterranean post office.
- Predjama Cave Fortress Marvel at this four-story castle built directly into the mouth of a giant cave on a 123-meter vertical cliff. It is a Guinness World Record holder and features secret passages that lead deep into the mountain.
- Lake Cerknica Intermittent Lake Visit the largest disappearing lake in the world, which can be a vast field or a massive lake depending on the rains. The drive around the shifting lake bed offers a strange and ever-changing landscape.
- Rak Škocjan Natural Bridges Explore this karst valley where a river has carved massive stone bridges and deep canyons in the forest. The walking trail takes you under the bridges and into the mouth of the prehistoric caves.
- Pivka Military History Park Park at this large museum complex to see a massive collection of tanks, planes, and even a retired submarine. It is a fascinating look at the 20th-century history of the region and its strategic importance.
- Snežnik Hunting Castle This white castle is perfectly preserved with its original 19th-century furniture and sits next to a quiet forest pond. The drive through the deep woods to reach it is a journey into the wild heart of the plateau.
- Križna Cave Boat Adventure Experience a natural underground world by taking a boat across 22 emerald lakes in a cave with no electric lights. It is a world-class site for cave biodiversity and a very quiet, intimate experience.
- Mašun Forest Glade Drive deep into the heart of the beech forests to reach this historic hunting lodge and its nature trail. It is one of the best spots to experience the absolute silence and fresh air of the deep woods.
- Slivnica Witch Mountain Follow the road to the top of this peak for a view over the disappearing Lake Cerknica and the surrounding plateau. The peak is a popular spot for paragliders and offers incredible sunset views over the karst.
- Hearty Venison Goulash In the forest-heavy regions, look for local inns serving wild game goulash with bread dumplings. The dish reflects the hunting traditions of the Inner Carniola forests and is perfect for a cold mountain day.
The local Four
History of Littoral-Inner Carniola
The most famous resident of the Littoral-Inner Carniola region was a medieval knight named Erazem who lived in a castle built into a cliff and used secret cave tunnels to outsmart his enemies. For centuries the local people lived in fear of the "witches" of Mount Slivnica and the mysterious way the water would vanish from the fields overnight.
The thick forests of the high plateaus were the traditional hunting grounds of European royalty who built grand manors like Snežnik to host their guests. The region acted as a wild barrier between the coast and the interior with deep woods that were home to bears and wolves. Traveling through these forests was once a daunting task but the development of the imperial road system brought new trade and visitors to the cave wonders.
In the twentieth century the region became a strategic point for military defense with massive underground bunkers and fortifications built into the karst rock. Today the area is world famous for its cave train and the natural bridges of Rak Škocjan which show the power of water over stone. It remains a land of natural magic where the surface of the earth only tells half of the story.