Unique nature of the Green Karst

The Karst is an area of unique natural, cultural and historical landscape where the vast forests meet the typical karst phenomena. In the Karst, more than half of the area falls under the Natura 2000 network, which makes it the largest one in Slovenia. The Green Karst impresses with a double dose of beauty! The first spreads out on the surface and the second one below it. Lake Cerknica, nature’s wonder and habitat for rare bird species, and fairytale Bloke Plateau, where you can watch bears in their natural environment, invite you to have active holidays. Snežnik Castle and Predjama Castle will take you through history. And, below the surface of the Green Karst, you can find the most beautiful and world famous karst caves. Meet the Green Karst, the EDEN finalist in the category of accessible tourism!

Astonishing caves and castles

The underground world of the Green Karst is densely criss-crossed by caves. The biggest, which is also world famous, is Postojna Cave. Hop on a little train and take a ride through the fantastic web of tunnels, galleries and halls for which the cave earned the right to be called a miracle of nature. Planina Cave is an original karst cave with the biggest confluence of underground rivers in Europe. Križna Cave can also be observed by boat. A more than 9 km-long underground water cave with several tens of lakes is an important site at which bones of cave bears were found and is one of the karst caves with the biggest biodiversity in the world.

The Park of Military History Pivka that, with a variety of exhibits and a richness of collections, invites visitors to take a walk through Slovenian and world history, testifies to the strategic position of the Green Karst. An important part of world history was also written between the castle walls. The castles of the Green Karst are located on its very edges and belong among the most beautiful and most important castles in Slovenia. You will be bewitched by Predjama Castle – the biggest cave castle in the world that is literally carved into the rock. High up in the hills, and protected by Renaissance walls, stands Prem Castle, while romantic Snežnik Castle is waiting to be discovered among the forests.

Bear and bird watching in the unique karst landscape

Cerknica Lake is the largest intermittent lake in Europe. Due to its regular drying out and emergence, the lake attracted explorers as early as the 17th century and has been a true magnet for visitors from all over the world since then. When it contains larger amounts of water, Cerknica Lake is one the most beautiful areas for fishing. Do not forget to bring your binoculars when visiting – the lake is a true ornithological paradise offering shelter to numerous rare and endangered birds. They will also come in handy if you decide to partake of a unique adventure – watching bears in their natural environment. The Dinaric forests constitute the largest dense and unpopulated forest area in Slovenia and, as such, offer shelter to numerous animals, including wild beasts such as lynx, bears and wolves. Would you like to see them? Several tourist centres are offering this adventure in the area of the Green Karst. If you like active holidays, we suggest you explore Bloke Plateau. The diverse terrain and unspoilt nature invite you to go biking, hiking, horse-back riding and cross country skiing.

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