Things to do
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Divača Cave
Just outside the village, this cave is visited by torchlight with a guide, descending about 50 metres to galleries that hold 8 degrees all year, so a warm layer helps. Tours of about 90 minutes run at weekends from March to November and daily in summer. Groups can arrange a visit at other times with notice.
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Lipica Stud Farm
Lipizzaner horses have been bred on this estate on the Karst edge, about 10 km southwest of Divača, since the sixteenth century, and white mares still graze its paddocks under old lime trees. Guided tours cover the stables and the museum, and riding presentations run on set days in season. Carriage rides and riding lessons are booked at the estate, and weekends in summer are the busiest time.
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Škocjan Caves
Underground, the Reka river roars through a canyon so deep that the Cerkvenik bridge crosses it about 45 metres above the water. Visits are guided only, on lit paths with steps, and start from the Matavun ticket centre a few kilometres from Divača. The caves are a UNESCO site, photography is restricted underground, and a jacket is worth carrying for the cool, damp air.
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Štanjel
Terraced stone houses climb a hill above the Branica valley in this Karst village, about 30 km north of Divača. The castle holds exhibitions, and below it the Ferrari Garden, laid out by the architect Max Fabiani with a pond and terraces, is free to wander. Late afternoon light suits the lanes, and the village is small enough to cover in two hours.
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Vilenica Cave
Visitors have paid to enter this cave near Lokev since the seventeenth century, which makes it a strong claimant to the oldest show cave in Europe. The halls are electrically lit and the visit is a guided walk on paths, at a steady 8 to 10 degrees. Individual tours run on Sundays and holidays from April to October, and daily in August; tickets are sold online.