Postojna vs Škocjan Caves: If you could only visit one, which one to choose?

Slovenia has two very special caves that are really popular attractions: Postojna Cave and Škocjan Caves.

If you will be spending only a short time in the country, you might need to pick just one for your visit. We have been exploring Slovenia for over 5 years now, and we have visited both caves just recently.

I can honestly say that one isn’t better than the other; it’s just a matter of preference. So, in this guide, I’ll share my comparison of Postojna and Škocjan Caves to help you pick the best one for your trip. I’ll also share my personal opinion in the end.

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Comparing Postojna and Škocjan Caves

Below, I’ll go through some of the main features of each cave to give you a better idea of what to expect when visiting Postojna Cave or Škocjan Cave.

We have guides for visiting both caves, so if you want more in-depth descriptions, check these out:

• Postojna Cave visiting guide
• Škocjan Cave visiting guide

The size of both caves

Postojna is the largest cave system in Slovenia and one of the largest in Europe, so when it comes to size, one would assume that Postojna would win easily. However, only a small portion of it is open to the public, so you shouldn’t go expecting to see it all. 

That being said, the cave itself is incredibly impressive, and you even need to take a little train to go down. During the guided tour, you will walk through massive chambers and sections, where you can have a clear sense of the size of it all.

Škocjan Cave is smaller than Postojna, but the Murmuring Cave doesn’t let you miss out on the wow effect. This is the section that makes Škocjan Cave really unique because you can see the Reka River flowing through the cave, forming a massive cave-canyon that is over 100 meters deep.

Score: Postojna 1 x 0 Škocjan

Price: Which one is cheaper, Postojna or Škocjan Caves?

The price of the tickets to visit Škocjan Caves is around 30% cheaper than Postojna Cave. While you would pay € 24 to visit Škocjan during the summer, the ticket to visit Postojna Cave would be € 32.90.

In my opinion, this makes sense, considering Postojna is a more famous attraction, with more infrastructure built around it. They also sell a lot of options of combined tickets where you can visit other attractions such as the Predjama Castle, the Vivarium, etc.

During the winter season, tickets for visiting Škocjan Caves get even cheaper, costing only € 16, which is considerably cheaper than Postojna.

Score: Postojna 1 x 1 Škocjan

Comparing the tour at Postojna vs. the Škocjan Caves

You can only visit Postojna Cave or Škocjan Cave as part of their own guided tours. 

The tour at Postojna Cave starts and finishes with a little train ride (seen above) that takes you dozens of meters underground. This part is a big plus when comparing Škocjan to Postojna Caves because it is really fun and unique.

Then, you will have a 1-hour walking tour of the cave, seeing all the different rock formations. At the end of the tour, you’ll also get to see the olms, which are the most unique and famous cave animals in this region. This is another great point in favor of the Postojna Cave Tour.

On the other hand, the Škocjan Caves tour can be split into 3 parts: the Silent Cave, the Murmuring Cave, and the outdoor trail. The Silent Cave is comparable to what you will see at Postojna, but on a much smaller scale.

However, the Murmuring Cave is absolutely unique and blew me away. Here is where you will see the Reka River flowing inside the cave, and you’ll cross a 50-meter-high footbridge. What I liked about the Škocjan Caves tour is that it is less touristy and flashy. The cave itself is very subtly lit, and your guide will be showing you around with a flashlight.

The third part of the Škocjan Cave tour is also quite unique because you’ll have to take one of three trails back to the visitor center. Two of the trails will take you around the area, where you’ll pass other caves and waterfalls.

Overall, it’s quite hard to make a decision in this category. Someone on Quora had the perfect comparison: “In Postojna you’d feel like a tourist in an underground theme park, in Škocjan you’d feel like an explorer in Lord of the Rings.”

I’ll call it a tie.

Score: Postojna 2 x 2 Škocjan

Accessibility of both caves

Both Postojna and Škocjan Caves are very well-known attractions, so it is fairly easy to get to them, especially if you will be traveling with a car.

In Postojna, the parking lot is payable, while Škocjan Caves have free parking for visitors.

You can also reach both attractions using public transport. In this case, Postojna is a bit easier to access because the town of Postojna has good transport connections, while the Škocjan Cave is located more remotely.

There are also plenty of tours offered to both Postojna and Škocjan Caves. Considering Postojna is more popular, there are more tours being offered there, but it should be fairly easy to get a tour for either of them.

We always use GetYourGuide for booking tours here in Slovenia, so check them out when searching for a tour to the caves.

Overall, I’d say Postojna Cave is slightly more accessible because of its proximity to the city of Postojna.

Score: Postojna 3 x 2 Škocjan

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Final comparison between Postojna and Škocjan Caves

Pros and cons of Postojna Cave

Pros

• Very accessible
• The largest cave system in Slovenia – it’s really impressive
• Better for seeing stalactites and stalagmites
• You can see the olms!
• Great for visiting all year round, in any weather
• Many tours available
• Bigger
• Suitable for visitors of any fitness level

Cons

• More touristy
• Overall busier and with larger groups
• More expensive + paid parking

Pros and cons of Škocjan Caves

Pros

• The Murmuring Cave has a truly unique view, which makes it stand out from other caves
• The outdoor trail after the cave is really nice and adds a lot of value to the overall tour
• Škocjan is normally emptier than Postojna, with smaller groups per guides
• Less touristy, but the environment still looks very raw
• It’s a UNESCO Heritage Site

Cons

• Even though it is open during the entire year, I would visit it on a day with good weather because of the outdoor trail portion
• Only 2 groups per day during the low season – it can sell out quite fast
• Photography is not allowed

Our personal opinion on Postojna vs Škocjan Caves

We have visited both caves in the past year, and we enjoyed both experiences.

I (Edo) liked Postojna better because of the entire experience with the train and the olms. Fe liked Škocjan Caves better because she was really impressed with the view of the canyon with the river inside the cave.

This is just to show that there is no clear answer to which one is better; it will all depend on your preferences.

If you only have time to visit one cave during your trip to Slovenia, choose:

• Postojna Cave if you want to see the largest cave, and if you are traveling with kids.
• Škocjan Caves, if you want a more local experience, or if you have visited many caves in the past.

If you have time, you can also add both to your itinerary to have the full experience! In this case, I’d recommend visiting Postojna Cave first and Škocjan Caves second. I think the size of Postojna Cave is more impressive, and you’ll want to see it first. Škocjan Cave will still feel special because it has a very different landscape, so it can be visited second.

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