At the DINA Pivka Centre, ten interactive stations offer insights into bears, wolves and lynxes. The Pivška presihajoča jezera Landscape Park encompasses intermittent lakes. Pivka also offers a variety of cultural and historical themes. This gives travellers different ways to focus their plans: wildlife and geology, routes through the landscape, or collections and exhibitions. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Pivka, you can begin by choosing a destination based on these interests, then consider which activities fit your plans.
Wildlife, lakes and trails
At the DINA Pivka Centre, ten interactive stations offer insights into bears, wolves and lynxes. Using virtual and augmented reality, visitors can explore how animals and people perceive their surroundings and discover animal tracks. The nature theme extends beyond the exhibition: the Pivška presihajoča jezera Landscape Park encompasses 17 intermittent lakes, spread across the entire Pivka Basin over a straight-line distance of 15 kilometres. Conditions at the lakes vary seasonally.
The Ekomuzej Pivških presihajočih jezer offers an interactive explanation of how the area’s distinctive geological structure and uneven distribution of rainfall contribute to the formation of the intermittent lakes. The museum is also an access point to the landscape park and a starting point for walking and cycling routes. A mobile app guides visitors along paths between the Pivka lakes; check before your trip whether the app is available.
One specific hiking option is the well-marked Velika Krpanova pot: the 91-kilometre route starts at Pivka railway station. Maps are available at the Ekomuzej; as availability can vary, it is worth checking before you set off. You should also check the trail markers and maps before starting out. When choosing a route, the length and starting point provide clear reference points, without implying a specific walking time.
Military history and underground fortifications
Park vojaške zgodovine Pivka is a museum and visitor centre on the site of the former Italian barracks in Hrastje pri Pivki. Its extensive collection includes tanks and artillery, an aircraft collection, the Second World War steam locomotive 33-110, and the P-913 Zeta sabotage submarine. The exhibits offer different ways to explore military history, rather than focusing on just one part of the collection.
At Primož, visitors can see 500 metres of preserved tunnels on a guided tour of the underground fortification. As access is available only as part of a guided tour, confirm the visit arrangements before travelling. A themed educational trail leads from the park to the Alpski zid fortifications on the nearby hill of Primož. These offer two specific options for planning a visit: a guided look inside the tunnels and the trail from the park to the fortifications.
Art, cinema and regional culture
The Pivka House of Culture is the main gallery for contemporary visual art in the area between Ljubljana and Koper. Krpanov dom has a modern cinema screening films for children and adults. The arthouse film programme at Kino Pivka is co-financed by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia. Alongside historical collections, culturally minded travellers can also explore visual art and film as distinct themes in the area.
Pivka’s cultural landscape also has a deep history: stone crosses have been among its most enduring and distinctive features from the 17th century to the present day. Human traces discovered at Parska golobina are among the oldest in Slovenia. Further afield, Šobčeva domačija presents the traditional Brkini schnapps distilling tradition through an ethnographic collection and a short film; confirm visiting arrangements in advance. The “Od zrna do kruha” visitor programme is offered at Petrovi in Narin. Check before your trip whether it is currently available.
Getting there and planning
Pivka is connected to Ljubljana by a direct, regular train service. Check the current timetable for your travel dates. When planning, you can coordinate your journey with your chosen interests: the lake landscape and hiking trails sit alongside exhibitions, military history, art and cinema. Confirm the availability of maps and the app, as well as access to guided tours, wherever they are relevant to your visit.
More destinations
Discover more destinations: Narin, Šmihel Pod Nanosom, Razdrto, Prestranek, Stara Vas, Planina, Veliko Ubeljsko, Postojna
Back to the main travel overview: Postojna.
