DAY 1: Arrival, Ljubljana

Arrive in Ljubljana. Transfer to the hotel and afternoon half day sightseeing. Dinner and overnight.

DAY 2: Postojna Caves, Predjama Castle, Predjama Caves

Morning departure for Postojna to visit the world famous Postojna Caves, one of the largest cave systems in Slovenia and Europe and indeed in the world. See the caves with an expert guide, explore some off-the tourist-track parts, see the famous Proteus (human fish), which lives only in Postojna Caves. Proceed to Predjama castle, a veritable storybook of medieval myths and stories. The legend says, that count Erazem was besieged by the royal army in the castle for months, but he cunningly took advantage of his own cave (which started in the castle) and supplied himself enough food to throw it to his own enemies, who tried to starve him to death! As you will see, the cave really exists and is connected to the cave system of Predjama Caves. You will have plenty of time to explore them both. In the afternoon drive back to the hotel, dinner and overnight.

DAY 3: Planinsko polje, Rakov Skocjan,
Pivka cave and Crna Cave

Today is dedicated to other specific karst features – in the morning ride to the Planinsko polje, a field surrounded by limestone hills that supply water. The field has an impermeable base, which creates springs and lakes in the middle of dry land. On the downriver side the water again disappears into the caves. See Rakov Skocjan, which is famous for the ''natural bridge'' – a part of the cave which has collapsed, but two arches (one minor and one larger) are intact and form one of the most remarkable sights in Slovenia. Finish the day in Pivka Cave and Crna Cave (Black Cave), which is one of the most remarkable yet least visited sites in the Postojna caves system.

DAY 4: Krizna Cave, Cerknisko Lake

Today you will see two of the greatest karst features in Slovenia and probably in the world. First you will drive to Krizna Cave, carefully protected with strictly limited number of visitors. The cave is 8km long and has 22 lakes – and you will go all the way to the 13th lake. In the beginning you will see the bones of the extinct Cave Bear, after that you willcontinue partly by foot and partly by row boat deep into the cave. You will see Cerknisko lake, the world's largest intermittent lake, covering almost 38km² and be taken to an
ethnological museum to see the 1:2500 scale live
model of the lake demonstrating the activity of the water over the centuries with an expert's explanation. Dinner and overnight in Postojna.

DAY 5: Skocjan Caves, Lipica

Depart Postojna for southern part of Slovenia – first stop is Skocjan Caves, where you can see the world's largest undergound canyon from a bridge of over 80 metres height. See parts of cave system that are closed to tourists and some unique features (ponvice) and enjoy the ride back to the surface by the cable car. For its uniqueness and natural heritage this cave was included in 1986 in UNESCO'S world heritage list. Continue to Lipica Stud Farm and see the world famous Lipizzaner horses. The original, royal stud farm in Lipica was built to breed elegant cart and saddle horses for the Hapsburg court and the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. Enjoy the
classical riding school and its stables. From the farm there is only a short hop over to the coastline of Slovenia. Dinner and overnight in Portoroz.

DAY 6: Portoroz, Secovlje, Piran

See the Saltpans Secovlje with its museum located in its original centuries old house and the explanation of the traditional method of salt production. See Piran, one of Slovenia's most charming towns with its winding alleys, visit the church of St. Jurij and climb the church tower from where you will have a magnificent view of Slovenian coastline - in clear weather you can see all the way to the Italian Alps with their towering mountains. The rest of the day is at leisure – you might like to visit some of the wellness centres or just relax in the sun. Dinner and overnight in Portoroz.

DAY 7: Hrastovlje, Karst, Stanjel

Early morning departure. First stop in Hrastovlje – see the 800 year old Roman church, which is special for two reasons. It represents a perfectly preserved fortified church from the times when Ottomans invaded this part of Europe (16th century). Second, there are preserved frescoes from 15th century, representing different motifs, the most famous being the Dance of the dead. Continue to Karst Plateau, the home of true speleology. Enjoy typical karst landscape which, with its limestone base, is perfect for producing good wine. You will stop at a local farm and enjoy a lunch of typical Slovene cuisine, see the wine cellar and taste the local wines. On the way back to Ljubljana you will also explore Stanjel, a typical karst village and its castle. After the village was abandoned, the old stone houses are now being restored to their original designs. Today it represents a fine example of local architecture. Dinner and overnight in Ljubljana.

DAY 8: Ljubljana, Departure

Depending on the time of your flight, morning sightseeing on your own. Transfer to the airport and departure.

Salt Making in the Past and Today

The Slovenian coast was scattered with saltpans as early as in the beginning of the 20th century. The Koper saltpans, which were located on the sediments of the Rizana river and the Badasevica stream, were abandoned in the first half of the 20th century. The first records of saltpans in Izola date from 1700 and offer little information. But it is evident that these saltpans produced salt only for the consumption of the local population. Most important were the saltpans in Piran, of which only a small portion still survive in Strunjan and, for Slovenia, the extensive saltpans of Secovlje. It is not known when the Piran saltpans began to emerge, but the first written record is the Piran statute which dates from the second half of the 13th century. Much has been written about their historical development and extremely rich cultural heritage which encompasses an architectural, technical, technological, ethnological and linguistic heritage.

Saltpans - a landscape park

In 1989, because of the exceptionally varied natural and cultural heritage, the Secovlje saltpans were declared a landscape park which was divided into four smaller areas or natural reserves which are of exceptional botanical or ornithological importance. Having gained its independence in 1991, Slovenia ratified several international conventions which it inherited from Yugoslavia. In 1993 the Secovlje saltpans became the first Slovenian wetlands to be put on the Ramsar list because of their exceptional landscape and ecological value.

Salt-making museum

Over the last ten years, at the Giassi channel of the abandoned Fontanigga saltpans, a museum complex was created. The salt-making museum encompasses two renovated salt-makers' houses, two adjacent salt fields and the Giassi channel which is the main channel for the influx of sea-water. One of the museum buildings houses a collection of old salt-making techniques, while in the other, there is a salt warehouse and a modern room and kitchen intended for the workers of the two museum salt fields and occasional research and teaching activities. The salt-making museum presents the old salt-making procedure in individual production units, the beginnings of which date to the Middle Ages. The museum complex will in future be intended exclusively for visitors to the saltpans or the landscape park and will be turned into a teaching museum complex with the aim of reducing the visitor pressure on the rest of the saltpan ecosystem.