The Skocjan Caves, located with the municipality of Divaca, are among the most significant treasures in the world, and they are also one of the most popular and unique attractions in Slovenia. The Skocjan Caves Park offers a number of sights that are both intriguing and beautiful, and the caves are open for tours throughout the year during certain periods of the day, excepting Sundays and public holidays. In addition to an informative tour and marvelous sights, the park also offers accommodation and dining options, allowing travelers plenty of time to truly explore the area—they will certainly be awed by the intricate underground beauty of nature at the Skocjan Caves.

Some of the most remarkable features of the Skocjan Caves are the collapsed dolines (which are mammoth sinkholes), the unique mixture of wildlife, and the Reka River, which disappears under the crust and flows through the cave, helping to create the formations. UNESCO has declared the Skocjan Caves Park a World Heritage Site due to its unique features and cultural history. Relics and facts have been discovered during archaeological studies that show these caves have been occupied since prehistoric times—up to 5,000 years ago. The first written documentation of the caves date back to the second century BC by Poseidonius of Apamea, and in 1689 a Slovenian scholar named JV Valvasor wrote about the unique sinking and underground flow of the Reka River.

A visit to the Skocjan Caves Park is an opportunity for a particularly informative experience, including tours of the village of Divaca and the cave, an educational trail, and various museums. Visitors are encouraged to take advantage of a guided tour of the village and surface area of the cave, in which the history, biology, geology, and archaeological studies are featured in various exhibits within the museums and the Natural Science Center. Reaching the cave entrance is done by crossing a bridge which crosses over the gorge, and into an artificial tunnel constructed in 1930s to the original mouth of the cavern. An Education Trail runs through the Skocjan Caves Park; the path encircles Velika and Mala, two collapsed dolines at the center of the park, accompanied by explanatory boards posted along the trail.

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Skocjan cave tours are available throughout the year with extended hours and additional tours during the summer months of June, July, August, and September. Guests are also encouraged to stay in the village in private homes and apartments with the locals who often rent to tourists in order to spend more than one day exploring—and there is certainly plenty to explore. At the entrance of the caves, there is also a restaurant offering delicious cuisine from the local area.

Visiting the Skocjan Caves and the surrounding area is a real treat for those who travel to Slovenia. With tours, trails, exhibitions, and museums, Divaca supplies a wealth of activities and sightseeing opportunities, from the quaint village to the depths of a marvelous cave. This is a must see for anyone’s list of things to do in Slovenia, as the karst region, which is also home to the Postojna Caves and more than 1,000 others, is one of the most unusual landscapes in the world.