Predjama Castle in a cave (Slovenia) – Tips + Photos

Predjama Castle is the most famous and unique castle in Slovenia. Also known as Slovenia's cave castle or Postojna Castle, it has been built in front of a Karst cave halfway up a 123m cliff. Thanks to its position, it was a proud and impregnable fortress.
Below is my guide to help you plan your visit with tips, map and photos.

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The Predjama Castle (Predjamski castle) is one of the places worth visiting in Slovenia to discover its unique appearance and atmosphere.
I have read reviews of people saying it is not worth going to, and I totally disagree! 
The beautiful cliff, the interior settings, the cave at the back... the visit is quite an experience! It is one of my favorite castles in Slovenia.

Many stories and legends surround the castle. It has such an air of mystery. Some say that treasure chests are still hidden in secret passages.

Predjama Castle in movies and tv shows

This iconic castle has, of course, been featured in movies and tv shows but not many famous ones.
The list includes:

• Armour of God in 1986 with Jackie Chan
• Ghost Hunters international

Many sites reference this castle as a great way to enjoy a "Game of Thrones" like experience, However the site was not used as a filming location.

More photos after the planning tips.

• Located South of Ljubljana - easy day trip from the capital city (see my list of suggestions)
• Postojna cave to Predjama Castle - 15min drive
• Ljubljana to Predjama Castle - 1h drive
• Bled to Predjama Castle - 1h30 drive
• Piran to Predjama Castle - 1h15 drive
• To get to the castle you are only 15minutes away from the motorway. Roads are in good conditions.
• Or a shuttle service from Postojna Cave to the castle is available in July and August
• Below is a map to get your oriented and locate the Cave Castle:

This location is included (with GPS coordinates, map of location and planning info) in my travel guide eBook that helps you easily plan your Slovenia road trip:

But if you don't want to drive, no worries. Predjama is a classic and is included in day trips combined with the Postojna caves or Skojcan caves.
A smooth solution where you get dropped at each location with tickets and all.

Here are 2 options:

• Half day trip from Bled or Ljubljana going to both Predjama Castle and Postojna Cave - See program and book
• Full day trip from Bled or Ljubljana - it is quite a long drive but it will give you a great overview with the Predjama Castle, the Unesco side of the Skojcan caves, the Lipica stud farms (but be aware that you don't always see the horses) and the beautiful medieval coastal town of Piran (my advice - if given the choice, I would choose to not to visit the horse farm to get more time at other locations) - See program and book tour

Visit Tips

• Predjama Castle opening hours - at least 9am to 6pm May to September and at least 10am to 4pm in Winter - see the latest on the official website here
• Predjama Castle entrance ticket - 13€80 or can be purchased as combined tickets with cave tours
• Time to plan your visit - Plan 1h with the audio-guide to tour the whole castle and caves
• Difficulty - 200 steep steps up and down
• There are several carparks - and a slope to reach the entrance
• Bring a jacket because it can be cold inside
• Wear proper walking shoes, it is an old castle in a cave!
• If you choose to visit, the tour includes an audio-guide with explanations about the history and life in the Predjama fort in 15 languages.

Where to stay in the area

• There is a good choice of accommodations close to the Postojna caves, which I recommend in order to visit the caves first thing in the morning before all the busses arrive.
• I stayed at Postojna Cave Rooms & Apartments Proteus - Nice little apartment in the center of the small town - great restaurant - Check out photos and availability
• Or you can stay at the Postojna Cave Hotel Jama which has fantastic reviews, it right by the entrance of the cave and offers great views - Check out photos and availabilit
• And here is a link to the best rated accommodations in Postojna

From the carpark, there is an uphill path to the ticket booth near a couple of restaurants and cafés - good ice cream there.
You can purchase combined tickets with entrance to the Postojna and Skocjan caves.

But if you want to save money, you don't have to enter, you can admire the castle and its strategic position from the outside for free. Entrance is only at the entrance gate.

Before deciding to visit the castle or not, be aware that there are lots of steps - I think around 200 with some of them quite high.

You first discover the castle from the distance and realize how it is set up:

Once inside it is quite fascinating to discover the combination of rocks and walls.

Predjama is an important archeological site. Bronze age stones and roman coins have been found in the caves behind and under the castle.
Even quite recently, in 1991, silver dishes were discovered in the floor of the castle cellar during restoration.

As you can see below, they were able to collect drinking water from the water dripping along the rock walls! The cold castle may not have been the most comfortable, but it was perfect to withstand a siege.

Some of the rooms inside Predjama Castle have furniture and mannequins displaying life as it probably was. Sorry for the not so good pictures, but there is not much natural light illuminating the Predjama castle interior!

Your first stop is through the castle's courtroom and the torture chamber. The chamber is very dark with a 60m deep chasm, so I don't have any good pictures.

Then you discover the Dining Room and the Kitchen. They are located in the Palatium which were the living quarters for the Lord's family
Small windows and thick walls made the environment moist and cold.

The Kitchen's fireplace is located under a natural tunnel. There is also a stone sink against the outer wall for draining.

Bedrooms

Then you can walk through the bedrooms:

The most interesting rooms were, in my opinion, the Knight chamber and the armory.
The Knight's room is located in the living quarters and was primarily used by the males. It includes a hidden corner where valuables were kept.

The armory used to serve as the home of the guards. You can see large displays, replica of armours and weapons. Those required strength and skills.

You can also climb a steep staircase through a rock tunnel to one of the protection natural windows where guards could surveil and protect against intruders.

Predjama has a network of cave passages that is 14km long with different species of bats.
Access to the cave below requires to book a special tour with equipment and all. And it is accessible only in summer because bats need to be left hibernating in Winter.

But during the visit of the castle, you can enter the cave behind. Below is the entrance - mysterious, isn't it?

Then you climb stairs to reach a platform. No stalactites or stalagmites here, but an impressive hole in the cliff behind the castle!

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