A Mine, a Karst Cave and a Castle in the Mountains

After a hearty breakfast at the hotel in Kamnik, drive to the town of Idrija to learn all about the mercury. Leave your car at this car park or one nearby.
Idrija is one of those neat and tidy cities that you like at first sight. There are many things to do and places to see in the city, but this itinerary suggests two that are related to one of the city's main features: the mercury.
But if you want to spend more time in the city, you can buy a ticket that includes four attractions (the Written in Rocks exhibition at the Idrija Geopark Visitor Centre, the visit to the mercury mine with Anthony's main path, the visit to the exhibition at Gewerkenegg Castle about Idrija's textiles and the visit to the exhibition at the Hg smelting plant) and is valid for two days from the moment it is activated on the first visit. You can get it on this website.

The first proposed visit is to Anthony's Shaft Mining Museum. The visit lasts about an hour and a half.
First you will watch an introductory film about the history of the mine, then, together with a guide, you will go underground and go through some of the tunnels that form a real labyrinth. The guide will tell you stories that the little ones in the family will really enjoy.
You'll also see an underground chapel where the miners used to pray.
Don't forget to bring suitable footwear. As the temperature in the mine is low, coats (if you don't have your own) and helmets are provided on entry.
Admission is allowed for children over 3 years old.
Open Hours In this link you can see the opening times that change throughout the year. In summer it is open every day from 10:00 - 18:00.
You can buy tickets for this tour on the official website. If you are travelling with your family on weekends or holidays, there is a special offer on the same website. Be sure to check it out.

The second proposed visit is to the smelting plant. There is an interactive exhibition where adults and children can learn about the importance of mercury, its use in various aspects of everyday life and its process.
On this website you can buy tickets together or separately. Discounts are available for families.
Please note that this visit lasts one hour (it may take a few minutes longer).
Open Hours Open daily from 10:00-18:00 in July and August. The rest of the year you can see in the official website

Like many Slovenian towns or villages, Idrija has its own gastronomic speciality: the Žlikrofi, which is like a pastry filled with potatoes, bacon and spices. Unlike ravioli, they are shaped like a Napoleonic hat. They can be eaten alone or with meat and vegetables.
One of the most famous places to eat this typical dish is this restaurant.
Open Hours Monday - Saturday: 7:00 - 15:00 Sunday closed

After lunch it is time to go underground again, but this time in one of the most beautiful underground caves in the world. I think I am not exaggerating if I make this claim.
The cave is located within the so-called Postojna Cave Park because besides the cave you can visit other attractions such as an exhibition explaining the formation of the cave and its discovery and a place where you can see the underground animals.
There are many car parks in the complex, all of which are paid car parks.

Welcome to one of Slovenia's tourist icons: the Postojna Cave, a cave full of stalagmites and stalagmites, with a train that runs through it, tunnels and walkways that will surprise you.
To get to the walkway area, you will have to take a train that the whole family will enjoy. The train is open and on the way you will start to enjoy the underground karst landscape. Be aware that it's cold, so be sure to bring a coat even if it's summer outside.
Once underground you will see stalagmites and stalagmites. The most famous stalagmite is about 5 metres long, it shines because the water deposits a layer of calcite that makes it shine and it is one of the symbols of the caves.
Another symbol are the little animals called dragon creature. Although scientifically they are called Proteus anguinus (Proteus anguinus), everyone knows them as dragon pups. They are almost transparent, have short legs with three toes each, can be up to 30 cm long and can go for years without eating. They are not very pretty, but for some reason everyone wants to see them.
The visit with the train and the tour through the tunnels and walkways takes an hour and a half to visit.
Open Hours Every day of the year. Opening times change according to the season, but in July and August it is open from 9:00 - 18:00. You can see the rest of the opening times on the website.
Please note that it is usually very crowded in summer, so buy your tickets in advance. You can do so at this link.
If you are visiting the castle, it is advisable to buy tickets for the caves and the castle together (this also includes a shuttle that connects the two destinations).
If you wish, you can also see the Expo Cueva Karst exhibition and the Vivarium (where you can see the animals that live in the caves). Please note that this will take you more time to organise the rest of the visits.

This medieval castle has been embedded in a cave for 800 years and that makes it unique. The visit of the castle takes about 60 minutes and takes you through tunnels, kitchens, torture rooms, bedrooms and other secrets. Underneath the castle there is a cave, which can also be visited (only from May to September), but only a part of it (700 metres) and it is very interesting (because of the story they tell you).
If you go with your car, there is a car park in front of the castle, but you have to pay for it. If you don't want to go by car, in July and August (15/7-28/8) there is a shuttle bus that takes you from Postojna Cave to the castle. The route lasts about 20 minutes and is included if you bought a joint ticket to the caves and the castle.
Note. Please note that 19:00 is the latest visiting time in July and August. In other months it closes earlier, so if you want to visit the castle you should arrange to arrive earlier at Postojna Park.

After an intense day of underground walks, find a hotel in the town of Postojna with parking and breakfast included so that you can continue early on the third day of the route. Leave your stuff and go for a walk to find a place for dinner.

After dropping off your things at the hotel, go for a walk around the area to find a place to dine. One option is this place, it's simple and a bit small, but the food is good. Although it is a pizzeria, you can order other dishes, such as hamburgers, meat, potatoes, salmon, etc. Also, their desserts are very tasty!
Open Hours Friday - Wednesday: 12:00-15:00, 18:00-22:00 Thursday closed

Time to rest!