Vilenica Cave

<p>Long before Postojna took the crown, Vilenica was the cave of the Classical Karst. Visitors were being shown through as early as 1633, which makes it the oldest tourist cave in Europe; the oldest surviving visitors' book dates from 1821, and until the mid-19th century it was reckoned the biggest, finest and most visited cave in the region. The local parish once used the entrance fees to fund itself — arguably the world's first cave tourism business.</p><p>The system runs more than 1,300 metres and reaches some 180 metres deep, though visitors see the first 450 metres or so: a hall of heavy columns and draperies reached down a long stair. Since 1986 its Dance Hall has hosted the Vilenica International Literary Festival, where the Slovene Writers' Association awards the Vilenica Prize — an award given, uniquely, by candlelight underground.</p><p><strong>Planning your visit.</strong> Vilenica has the narrowest opening of any cave here — for individuals it is essentially a Sunday-afternoon proposition outside August, with a single mid-afternoon departure. The visit itself takes about an hour. Check the current times and arrange your visit in advance; turning up unannounced on the wrong day means a locked gate. Plan the rest of the Karst — Lipica and Škocjan are both close — around that one fixed slot.</p>