Municipality of Divača

Discover the treasures of the Karst and Brkini Municipality of Divača 1 IT MIGHT BE MODEST IN SIZE BARELY 20 KILOMETRES FROM THE NORTHERNMOST TO THE SOUTHERNMOST POINT BUT THE MUNICIPALITY OF DIVAČA IS FULL OF DIVERSITY, A RESULT OF BEING SITUATED WHERE THE COAST MERGES INTO THE HILLS OF THE INTERIOR. HERE THE WARM BREEZES FROM THE SOUTH MIX WITH THE STORMY NORTH WIND, THE FAMOUS BURJA. A LARGE AREA OF THE MUNICIPALITY LIES WITHIN THE LIMESTONE PLATEAU OF THE KARST, FULL OF THE TYPICAL KARSTIC FEATURES THAT HAVE SPREAD THE FAME OF THIS LANDSCAPE AROUND THE WORLD. THIS IS HOME NOT JUST TO THE MAGNIFICENT ŠKOCJANSKE JAME CAVES, WHICH ARE ON THE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE LIST, BUT ALSO TO A WEALTH OF FASCINATING KARSTIC CAVERNS, PICTURESQUE SINKHOLES, SWALLOW HOLES, FISSURES AND CHANNELS THAT THE WATER SLOWLY CARVES OUT ON ITS ROUTE INTO THE UNDERWORLD OF THE KARST PLATEAU. IN STARK CONTRAST TO THIS ARE THE GREEN, FORESTED SLOPES OF THE SENOŽEŠKA BRDA HILLS, VREMŠČICA AND BRKINI, WHICH PROVI- DE A CONSTANTLY CHANGING BORDER FOR THE PLATEAU. 1 1 HUMANS HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS NATURAL DIVERSITY SINCE PREHISTORIC TIMES, SEEKING OUT PATHS FROM THE COASTLINE TO THE INTERIOR OF THE CONTINENT. AT FIRST THEY FOUND SHELTER IN CAVES; LATER THEY CONSTRUCTED FORTIFICATIONS AND FORTIFIED SETTLEMENTS ATOP SECURE SLOPES, AND FINALLY SETTLED IN VILLAGES THAT ARE TODAY STILL RICH WITH FLAVOURS OF THE PAST. THESE ARE NOT IMPOSING MONUMENTS TO FORMER AND PRESENT-DAY CULTURES, BUT TINY GEMS THAT ALL TOO OFTEN REMAIN HIDDEN FROM THE MODERN TRAVELLER. SO WE INVI- TE YOU TO TURN OFF THE MAIN ROAD AND WANDER THROUGH SOME LESS TRAVELLED LOCATIONS, WHERE THE PAST FUSES WITH A WEALTH OF UNSPOILT NATURE. YOU CAN DISCOVER ALL THIS ON A GENTLE STROLL OR BY BICYCLE ALONG QUIET TRAILS, YOU CAN EXPLORE THE AREA ON HORSEBACK OR EVEN EXPERIENCE IT FROM THE AIR. JUST LET YOURSELF BE CARRIED AWAY BY THE TRANQUIL LANDSCAPE, THE ABUNDANT FLORA AND KARSTIC WONDERS, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY BY THE MOUTH-WATERING DELIGHTS OF OUR CUISINE. 1

Divaški prag Water from the Dinaric massif of Snežnik gathers in the Reka River, which below the Brkini ridge breaks out towards the Adriatic Sea. On its route it encounters the limestone plateau of the Karst, and Divaški prag the Divača Threshold as its easternmost fringe is known. Over the millennia the river has carved a channel into the interior of the plateau, creating the exceptional wealth of karstic phenomena, both on the surface and in the mysterious subterranean world below. The shelter of caves, favourable living conditions and its transitional location drew people to settle here amidst these wondrous surroundings. the port of Trieste to the interior, it gained importance, expanded and developed. The local wagoners who carted goods along the roads in both directions, stopped at the growing number of inns. In the middle of the 19th century, development was stepped up with the construction of the southern railway, which linked Vienna, capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, to the harbour at Trieste, via Ljubljana. Later another line was constructed into the Istrian peninsula, and this branches off right at Divača. The importance of the railway is still evident today in the steam locomotive engine that now stands as a museum piece open to visitors the old road, and from afar the visitor s gaze is drawn to the Baroque church of St. Anthony and its ornate pilastered entrance. Not far from here is the Škrateljnova domačija, which dates back to the 17th century and is the oldest preserved Karst homestead. It is an extraordinary monument to farm construction. At one time it housed an inn with lodging and large farm buildings, where wagoners and their weary draught animals would stop to rest. Today the house offers a memorial exhibition dedicated to the first Slovenian film star, Ita Rina, who was born in 1907 in Divača, and who in the 1920s and 30s shone on silver screens in Europe and around the world. Laid out along the southern fringes of Divača is the karstological interpretive nature trail of Divaški Kras, which takes the visitor for just under 5 kilometres through a presentation of Divača is today the biggest settlement and seat of the municipality. In the 16th century it was just a hamlet of sheep farmers, but with the development of transport running from at the railway station. There is also a preserved stone cistern, which was very important for supplying water to the steam engines. The original centre of Divača developed along numerous karstic phenomena, highlights of which include the imposing Risnik sinkhole, which was created through the collapse of the ceiling over a former subterranean cavern. The sheer walls provide shelter for numerous birds, and there is some fascinating flora, not just in the sinkhole, but along the entire trail. At Divaški prag, the hilly margin of the Karst plateau, the visitor can tour Divača as well

Divaški prag as a number of tiny Karst villages with their stone houses huddled close to one another, protecting the Karst people from the bora wind. Some villages are included in the regional park, others are on its periphery, but none of them lacks the attractive stone entrances to the homes, the beautifully wrought wells and other fine work of the Karst stonemasons. Škocjanske Jame Regional Park This park has been named after Škocjanske jame, the magnificent network of underground caverns through which the Reka, or Velika Voda, flows. The caves themselves are on the UNESCO World Heritage list, and they are the first subterranean wetland to be included on the Ramsar list of internationally important wetlands, while the biodiversity has earned the park a place in the Man and Biosphere (MAB) world network of biosphere reserves. In a relatively small area the visitor is presented with an exceptional wealth of karstic features, a wide variety of flora and fauna, and the rich cultural heritage of archaeological finds and typical Karst villages with their attractive monuments to the local building tradition. The most prominent position, high above the Reka sinkhole, belongs to the village of Škocjan, with its famous church of St. Kancijan (Canziano), while close by are also the villages of Betanja and Matavun, the location of the park reception centre. At Škocjan there is an ethnological collection on display in the renovated barn J kopinov skedenj, and at the nearby Jurjeva domačija you can learn about the history of cave discovery. At the Natural science centre Škocjan 3 at the homestead of Delezova domačija you can view a geological, biological and archaeological collection. The caves and the area around them were already inhabited in prehistoric times, and Škocjan was at one time an imposing stronghold, with graves having been found nearby, and numerous finds bear witness to sacrifices and cult rituals performed by pilgrims above the caves in the Bronze Age. The park also features the two-kilometre long Škocjan education trail. With the help of the numerous explanatory boards, information leaflets or a guide, you can find out much about this area s natural and cultural wealth. Take a stroll above the sinkholes, marvel at the diverse flora of the karstic meadows, or take a rest in the shade of the stone houses. Another fascinating Karst homestead is that of Vnckova domačija in Matavun, an example of native farm building with its special feature of the spahnjenca, a lean-to kitchen extension with an open fireplace. There is no shortage of surprises in the villages on the periphery of the park. For art lovers this comes in the form of a visit to the humble little rural chapel of St. Helen in Gradišče, which is anything but humble in the interior, with its late 15th century frescoes depicting the journey and adoration of the Magi. In period and style these frescoes can be compared with those in Hrastovlje. Those more technically-minded can visit the ice-pit at Kačiče, the biggest one in the Karst. At one time the locals would cut blocks of ice out of pools and village ponds, and place them in walled and covered sinkholes, where the ice remained frozen until summer, when it was then used to supply inns, butchers, fishmongers and ships in nearby Trieste. Ribbed pottery situla from Škocjan (6th C. B.C.) Bronze necklace with spectacle pendant (5-4th C. B.C.) CULTURAL EVENTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Škocjanski festival Weekends in the second half of June and in July in Škocjan are reserved for this festival of theatre groups from Slovenia and abroad. Traditional holiday in Divača first weekend in July Two-day cultural and entertainment programme with the first day devoted to honouring the birth of Slovenian film actress Ita Rina, born on 7 July in Divača, and the second day to fun and dancing. Kačišnca in Kačiče first or second weekend in September On a little hill close to the village sits the church of Mary s Birth, where every year around Lady Day they celebrate the village festival kačišnca. The festival is part of the preserved cultural tradition of the village. New Year concert in Divača third weekend in December Every year the Divača brass band, which boasts a 50-year tradition, holds a Christmas and New Year concert, which it spices up with some noteworthy guests.

Senožeče valleys The northern part of the municipality lies on hilly uplands, in the middle of which is the Senožeško podolje valley system. On the north it is protected from the cold winds by the Senožeška brda hills, whose shady slopes fall into the upper part of the Vipava Valley. On the southern side the valleys are bordered by the over thousandmetre high Vremščica, which separates the valleys from Divaški prag. The hilly terrain is a patchwork of forests and extensive meadowlands, where herds of small livestock graze. This makes the sheep s cheese one of the special features of this transitional landscape on the edge of the Karst. The importance of transport through Senožeče can be seen in the preserved tollhouse dating from the 13th century, where the first lords of Duino/Devin, then later other owners, gathered tolls for goods being carried, while numerous wagoning inns sprouted up, trades flourished, and fairs were organised. With the extension of the southern railway, which was taken further south, transport and life in the town stagnated. The town s glory was revived in the second half of the 19th century only by the Adria brewery, one of Senožeče The landscape takes its name from the largest settlement here, Senožeče. Since throughout history, major routes have led through here from the coast to the interior, the town, mentioned back in the 12th century, quickly developed, especially through the wagon hauling trade. The town gained market rights very early on, and the major route named the Imperial Way was protected by the old castle Stari grad above the settlement. The original Senožeče Castle stood on the hill above the town, but only its ruins remain. In the 17th century the noble family of Porzia built the new manor of Snosetsch at the foot of the castle hill, and this also housed the local courthouse, but today it, too, is in ruins.

Senožeče valleys CULTURAL EVENTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Local festival in Senožeče first weekend in June This event, dedicated to the memory of Second World War victims, is mainly cultural in tone. the most famous in Austria-Hungary, but this collapsed after the First World War. Herders games in Senožeče last weekend in July Sports and cultural activities, exhibitions of domestic products and a presentation of small crafts happen in the evening with a party and dance. The collector Zdravko Čuk maintains a fascinating ethnological collection in the middle of Senožeče, featuring a multitude of objects testifying to life in these parts. Another fine reminder of past times is the restored stone trough or fontana, with drinking water. Not far from the village, anglers have converted the former drinking water reservoir for the brewery into a fishpond, where it is not only anglers who gather, but also anyone who just loves nature and tranquillity. Through the wooded surroundings leading out of Senožeče extends the three kilometres-long Djestence forest interpretive trail. Here you can familiarise yourself with tree varieties and with the importance of the forests for the local people, who would sell charcoal and firewood in Trieste. Hidden along the margins of the valley system are the villages of Gabrče, where it is worth stopping to look at the church of St. Anthony of Padua, Potoče and Dolenja vas. This last village can be seen from afar owing to its church tower. The church of St. Mary was fortified during the period of the Turkish incursions, and thus is preserved the defensive tower with its four storeys of embrasures for firing on the enemy. Dolenja vas is a village of sheep and goat farmers, who graze their herds on the extensive, dry karstic meadows. A tasting in the village will convince you that the Karst ewe s cheeses are something special.

Brkini Deep below it, Brkini is geologically composed of flysch, but on the surface it is mainly a forested ridge, which runs from the south bordering the Karst plateau and valley of the Reka. In its western part, the ridge rises over 800 metres, more than 300 metres higher than Divaški prag. Along the main and side ridges, from which numerous streams flow, huddle tiny villages whose surroundings in spring are turned white by the flowering fruit trees. The fame of Brkini fruit, especially its exceptional flavour, has been created by the mixture of Mediterranean and continental influences that do battle right over Brkini. The bracing climate, with large temperature differences between day and night, adequate precipitation, sufficient sun and favourable soil composition contribute to the supreme quality of the fruit. Here the conditions are right for apples, plums, pears and cherries. It is not just that nature offers people delicious fruits, but also that the locals are skilled at using them to prepare health-giving vinegar, flavoursome juices and dried fruits. A true speciality is Brkini slivovec, a local fruit brandy of excellent flavour and aroma, which is distilled in specially designed copper Brkini cauldrons with a lid for water. The best-known and one of the oldest villages in the Divača part of Brkini is Barka, which lies on a broad side ridge above the Vreme Valley. In the past, local crafts were well developed, the oldest of which was spinning wool and linen yarn. The village was also famous for its black-smiths, cobblers, tailors, carters and carpenters. Some of the homes here still preserve old objects and machines testifying to the former way of life, a feature of which is the open fireplace. On a neighbouring ridge are the villages of Misliče and Vatovlje, and in a commanding position between them is the church of St. George. Along the road running to the top of the Brkini ridge are also the hamlets of Vareje and Ostrovica. At the top actually in the neighbouring municipality is the village of Artviže with its church of St. Socerb (Servolo), which offers a wonderful view of Divaški prag, the Karst and the Alps on the horizon. Less common are the settlements in the side valleys that furrow the Brkini slopes. Along the Sušica stream, which rises under the highest hilltop and along which a nice walking trail is laid out, huddle Potok and Podgrad pri Vremah, where the ruins of Švarcenek Castle lie hidden. It is first mentioned in the 11th century, when its masters were the Aquileia patriarchs. More than 600 years later, under the stewardship of the Pettazzi barons, the castle burned down, and then it was torn apart by rebellious peasants. The side valley of Padež is a world of its own, and at one time along the stream, which was lined with mills, sawmills and blacksmiths shops, it buzzed with life. Today this is a place of tranquillity, unspoilt nature and clean water. CULTURAL EVENTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Village festival Saint s Day celebration at Barka last weekend in August On village patron St. Kocijan s (Canziano) day, the locals hold a diverse cultural, sports and entertainment event.

Along Velika voda The Reka River, which has carved out a gorge, collapsed dolines and the Škocjan caves at the point where impermeable rock comes up against the limestone plateau of the Karst, rises under the plateau of Snežnik. Along its path it collects water from numerous tributaries, and after flowing more than 50 km along the surface it disappears into the mysterious world below ground at the biggest sinkhole in Slovenia. It reappears from springs along the coastline, even in the 40 kilometredistant springs of the Timavo, near Duino/Devin in Italy. With heavy precipitation it can grow quickly and strongly, and this has given it the name Velika voda [lit. Big Water]. In the past the Reka basin was known as a valley of mills and sawmills. Owing to the frequent floods, which inundated mills and destroyed dams, and owing to the appearance of industrial mills, those on the river started to fall into decline in the first half of the last century. Of all the mills, the best preserved was the Dujčev mlin in Škoflje, where up until 20 years ago they still milled grain for the local farmers. The 1960 s saw the demise of another interesting activity in the Vreme Valley. In Vremski Britof and the surrounding villages, anthracite, the black coal, was dug up for a century and a half. Before it disappears into the Škocjan caves, the Reka flows through the three-kilometre-long picturesque gorge that it created, which begins between Škoflje and Vremski Britof. It begins with the shallow valley plunging into the narrow gorge with its nearly hundred-metre sheer walls. The gorge is presumed to have been formed with the collapse of the ceilings of cave passages. In the middle of the 18th century the Škoflje bridge was built across the river, and this marks the beginning of a marked footpath along the gorge. On the edge of the gorge, above the steep cliffs stand the ruins of the castle of Školj, which was first mentioned in the 15th century. It was possibly built prior to that as a medieval manor house. The most prominent owners were the Rossettis, who converted the castle in the 17th century into a comfortable residence. The footpath along the Reka also passes these ruins. Strolling through the villages of Vremska dolina, you cannot avoid the Dekleva House in Vremski Britof, where the Makselnov portal testifies to the former wealth of the family. In Famlje, the former Roman station of Famuli, you can find a nice spot to rest in front of the church of St. Thomas. In Gornje Vreme, in the birth house of the brothers Bogomir and France Magajne there is a memorial room dedicated to the two writers. Children are especially fond of recalling younger brother Bogomir s story of Brkonja Čeljustnik, a goodhearted wild man who lived in the Škocjan caves. In an isolated spot on the river, by the edge of the fertile Vremsko polje, stands the one-time pilgrimage church of the Assumption, with its two bell towers and three naves. The church contains preserved frescoes from the 15th century. On the path to the church, a high plague sign with the motif of St. George recalls the plague that ravaged Europe in the 17th century. CULTURAL EVENTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Cultural and sports festival in Vremski Britof last Saturday in June One-day event, with the daytime devoted to sports and culture, and the evening hours to partying and dancing. Village festival (Saint s Day) in Vremski Britof 15 August Every year on the Feast of the Assumption, Vremski Britof celebrates its village festival, in this way preserving its cultural tradition.

The hidden face of the Karst At Gornje Vreme the Reka flows from impermeable flysch onto hard, but permeable limestone, which over millions of years the water has dissolved and in this way altered both the surface and underground environs. Over the years, the river has even changed its course underground. The older, higher parts of its subterranean course are now dry caves, such as Divaška jama, while in some caverns the ceilings have fallen in to produce picturesque collapsed dolines or sinkholes, and through the youngest part of the cave system (Škocjanske jame, Kačna jama) the Velika Voda still runs today. Škocjanske jame occupy a special place among the more than 7,000 caves in Slovenia, owing to the size of their chambers and the underground gorge. They comprise a network of 11 caves, sinkholes, swallow holes and natural bridges. The exceptionally ramified system of galleries is almost 6 km long. The beauty of the caves is enhanced by multi-coloured stalactites and stalagmites of various shapes, including curtains and exquisite rimstone pools. And they are distinguished especially by the subterranean gorge of the Reka River. In summer and winter the tranquil water reflects fascinating cave images, which never cease to surprise the visitor. In spring and autumn the thundering river shows its might, noisily drawing attention to its latent capacity to shape the subterranean realm. sources of Timavo Adriatic Sea jama Lazaro Jerko jama Labodnica Lipiška jama jama Vilenica Divaška jama In 1884 this cave, which opens out by the road from Divača to Lokev, was discovered by the local Gregor Žiberna, called Tentava, and just three years later it was opened to visitors. This cave is one of the oldest preserved passages of the once aquatically active cave system formed by the Reka. It is 700 m long, and within it there are one and a half kilometres of organised trails. Over its long geological history a large amount of calcareous deposit has built up, which adorns the interior with fabulous creations in the form of stacks, cypress-like stalagmites, countless curtains and candlelike stalactites. Among the numerous visitors to discover the treasures of the cave was the famous psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. The cave can also be visited by those arriving in Divača by train. The karstological interpretive nature trail leads from the railway station through the karstic forest, past the large sunken doline valleys to the cave. Divaška jama Kačna jama Škocjanske jame permeable rock contact sources of Reka impermeable rock contact Snežnik

Vremščica Vremščica is the highest point on the edge of the Karst. On those bright days when the burja wind gets going and the air clears, a wonderful view opens up from the top, reaching all the way to the azure Adriatic in the south and to the snowcapped peaks of the Julian Alps in the north. Sunning itself on the bright slopes of the extended backbone of Vremščica is a range of flora dekked in every possible colour, and amongst this can be found some unusual examples of Karst fauna. Such is a short-winged meadow insect (Dimorphocoris Saulii) that cannot be found anywhere else but in the meadows of Vremščica. The northern side is covered in thick beech forests. The extensive grassland once provided pasture for numerous flocks of sheep. On the summit stood the chapel of St. Urban, patron of shepherds. Today the sheep are returning to the slopes of Gora, as Vremščica is also known; below the summit a Centre for Natural Recultivation has been set up, and here experts from the Ljubljana Veterinary Faculty are attempting, through the grazing of small cattle, to halt the overgrowth of the karstic meadows, which are a true treasure trove of animal and plant varieties. Here you can also try ewe s cheese and cottage cheese, by hiking up Vremščica along one of the mountain trails leading from Senožeče, from Škocjanske jame or from the Vreme Valley. The fact that this is home territory for the bora (burja), the cold, gusting north wind, which gets whipped up owing to the difference in air pressure over the continent and the sea, and can reach speeds of 200 km/h and more, needs no special indication, since the wind-shaped tree crowns testify to its power. On the southern slopes of Vremščica, cut by the Southern Railway, not far from the railway station at Gornje Ležeče can be found some sizeable water tanks (tajhi). An aqueduct was run from these tanks along the track and across the Karst plateau all the way to Aurisina/Nabrežina in neighbouring Italy, and served for the supply of steam locomotives and also for the local population. The expanse of the Karst plateau and the hilly surrounding slopes can also be experienced from the air. Not far from Divača, in the middle of the grassy Ležeški Gabrk under Vremščica, lies one of Slovenia s oldest airfields, which is still operational. It was laid out during the First World War for the needs of the Austro-Hungarian Air Force, which tested new aircraft here for the conflict on the Soča (Isonzo) Front. Today the Divača Airfield is an attractive location for recreational and sports flying and for gliding, and it is also visited by model aircraft enthusiasts, paragliders and hang-gliders flying down from Vremščica. Although this is not an international airport, an appointment can be made with the customs service, or formalities can be conducted at the nearby (19 nm) international airport of Portorož (LJPZ). The airfield is used at one s own risk, and advance notice is appreciated. By prior arrangement, the Karst Aviation Centre offers panoramic flights across the whole of Slovenia and in Europe.

Food & accomodation Risnik restaurant and Malovec Valter lodging, Divača Kraška cesta 34, 6215 Divača Tel.: +386 (0)5 763 00 08 malovec.andreja@volja.net Open: every day from 7.00 to 22.00 Offering: morning snacks, lunches, typical Slovenian dishes Specialities: Risnik platter, game and horse dishes Accommodation: 10 rooms with 26 beds Also offering: bowls, private garage Pri jami, Matavun Matavun 12, 6215 Divača Tel.: +386 (0)5 763 29 61 http://www.sloveniaholidays.com/gostilna-pri-jami/ Open: every day from 9.00 to 20.00 (winter); from 9.00 to 22.00 (summer) Offering: typical Karst dishes Specialities: fuži po kraško (typical Karst pasta dish), tarragon dumplings Also offering: multipurpose room for 100 people Orient Express pizzeria and bar, Divača Kraška cesta 67, 6215 Divača Tel.: +386 (0)5 763 30 10, faks: +386 (0)5 763 30 11 krastour@siol.net, http://www.krastour.si Open: every day from 11.00 to 23.00 Offering: pizzas from the bread oven, all kinds of meat dishes Speciality: Orient Express meat platter Also available: home-brewed beer, short excursions and parties organised Malovec restaurant and butchers, Divača Kraška cesta 30a, 6215 Divača Tel.: +386 (0)5 763 12 25, +386 (0)5 763 02 00 malovec.andreja@volja.net Open: every day from 8.00 to 22.00 Offering: typical Slovenian dishes Specialities: game, cured game and salami Accommodation: 28 rooms with 66 beds, 1 apartment with 3 beds Also offering: butcher s shop with fresh meat (game) and meat products Pri Čotniku restaurant, Dolnje Ležeče Dolnje Ležeče 22, 6215 Divača Tel.: +386 (0)5 763 80 43 Open: from 9.30 to 22.00; Monday and Tuesday closed Offering: local Karst dishes Specialities: Čotnik platter, local pastries Also offering: viewing horses Pr Vncki, Matavun TGT Jame d.o.o, Matavun 10, 6215 Divača Tel.: +386 (0)5 763 30 73, faks: +386 (0)5 763 30 74 Accommodation: 10 beds in 4 rooms Also offering: refreshments, a look at a Karst open-fire kitchen extension (spahnjenca) Godina restaurant, Kačiče Kačiče Pared 6, 6215 Divača Tel.: +386 (0)5 763 01 09 damjan.cernigoj1@siol.net Open: from 11.00 to 23.00; closed Thursday Offering: fish specialities Specialities: baked fish with cep, gnocchi with prawns and asparagus Also offering: children s play area Pr Betanci, Betanja Andrej Cerkvenik, Betanja 2, 6215 Divača Tel.: +386 (0)5 680 12 58 Accommodation: 13 beds in 1 apartment and 4 rooms Also offering: fruit for sale Žnidarčič Apartments, Matavun Slavko Žnidarčič, Matavun 8a Tel.: +386 (0)5 763 81 01, +386 (0)41 818 582 Accommodation: 7 beds in 2 apartments Divača Divača

Food & accomodation Pri Bzku pizzeria, Dolnje Ležeče Dolnje Ležeče 51, 6215 Divača, tel.: +386 0(5) 763 11 90 Open: every day, closed Wednesday Offering: pizzas from the bread oven, dishes to order Speciality: Ljubljana steak for 2 persons Stari Grad restaurant and lodging, Senožeče Senožeče 5, 6224 Senožeče Tel.: +386 (0)5 765 53 40, +386 (0)5 765 53 48 info@4m-senozece.si http://www.4m-senozece.si Open: from 11.00 to 22.00; closed Monday and Tuesday Offering: local Karst dishes Speciality: game and mushroom dishes Accommodation: 6 rooms with 14 beds Also offering: picnics, catering Na ravni restaurant, Senožeče Senožeče 2, 6224 Senožeče, tel.: +386 (0)5 765 61 30 Open: from 9.00 to 22.00, closed Thursday and Friday From the kitchen: typical Slovenian dishes, Speciality: Karst cured ham Also offering: tennis court, bowls Pri mlinu restaurant, Dolenja vas Dolenja vas 5, 6224 Senožeče Tel.: +386 (0)5 765 61 20 gostilna.primlinu@siol.net Open: from 12.00 to 23.00, closed Tuesday and Wednesday Offering: local Karst dishes Specialities: lamb prepared in various ways, mushroom soup en croute Also offering: local flour for sale, tour of the mill, children s play area Pri Pinotu restaurant, Dolenja vas Dolenja vas 50, 6224 Senožeče, tel.: +386 (0)5 765 55 10 Open: Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11.00 to 22.00, other days by arrangement From the kitchen: local Karst dishes. Speciality: game dishes Accommodation: 12 beds in 6 apartments Gerželj farmhouse, Dolenja vas Dolenja vas 46, 6224 Senožeče, tel.: +386 (0)5 765 54 74, dragica.gerzelj@guest.arnes.si Offering: tasting and sale of ewe s milk products (cheese, cottage cheese), sale of dried meat products, Also offering: organised tour of farm and village Info Ambrožič restaurant, Barka Barka 28, 6217 Vremski Britof Tel.: +386 (0)5 762 00 14 denis.ambrozic@volja.net Open: Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 09.00 to 22.00, other days by arrangement Offering: local Slovenian dishes Speciality: cep mushrooms in various ways, home-made yeast beer Also offering: fruit and local products for sale Vremščica refreshments Gabrče 30, 6224 Senožeče Tel.: +386 (0)41 360 794 Offering: local dishes Also offering: ewe s milk products (cheese, cottage cheese) for sale Info Razvojni center Divača, razvojni.center@divaca.si Občina Divača, Kolodvorska 3/A, 6215 Divača, tel.:+386 (0)5 731 09 30, www.divaca.si Police, tel. 113 Emergency medical assistance, tel. 112 Divača Health Centre, Ulica 1. maja, tel.: +386 (0)5 7311480 Kraške lekarne Ilirska Bistrica, Divača Pharmacy, Ulica 1. maja, tel.: +386 (0)5 731 17 80 Divača Railway Station, tel.: +386 (0)5 296 36 34 Kraški turist: information on bicycle rental at Divača Railway Station, tel.: +386 (0)41 573768 Divača Airfield Information: Klub Kraški letalski center, Kraška cesta 67, Divača tel.: +386 (0)5 762 00 57, +386 (0)41 681 050 klcdivaca@yahoo.com http://users.volja.net/klc-divaca Senožeče Brkini Vremščica Municipality of Divača

Info Panoramic flights: tel.: +386 (0)41 681 050, cerarmarjan@yahoo.com Data for pilots: AIRPORT DIVACA (ZZZZ) INFO (123.50 MHZ) Loc: N45.41 E014.03, 10NM rad 315 ILB (VOR DME) RWY 31/13 TODA 800m grass RWY 30/12 TODA 800m grass Elev. 1421 ft Divača petrol station, tel.: +386 (0)5 731 86 00 Senožeče petrol station, tel.: +386 (0)5 731 86 20 AMZS national roadside assistance, tel. 1987 Breakdown towing and repairs AVTO KRAS d.n.o, AMZS pogodbenik, Lokavska cesta 14, Divača, tel.: +386 (0)5 763 02 05, +386 (0)41 612 320 Rent a car - HERTZ reservation centre, tel.: 080 1980 Divača office, tel.: +386 (0)5 763 02 05, +386 (0)41 612 320 Banka Koper, Divača agency, Ulica Albina Dujca 2, tel.: +386 (0)5 734 37 50 Cash machines (ATM): Divača, Senožeče Divača Post Office, Kraška cesta 77, tel.: +386 (0)5 731 81 50 Senožeče Post Office, Senožeče 143, tel.: +386 (0)5 731 82 40 Vremski Britof Post Office, Vremski Britof 24 a, tel.: +386 (0)5 731 81 70 Kosovelova knjižnica Sežana library, Divača branch, Kraška cesta 67, tel. +386 (0)5 763 28 70, open Tuesday and Friday from 11.00 to 18.00, Internet access The Škocjan Caves Regional Park, Info centre, tel.: +386 (0)5 708 21 10, psj.info@psj.gov.si, www.park-skocjanske-jame.si, www.gov.si/parkskj TOUR TIMETABLE ŠKOCJANSKE JAME January 10h 13h *15h February 10h 13h *15h March 10h 13h *15h April 10h 13h 15.30h May 10h 13h 15.30h June 10h 11h 12h 13h 14h 15h 16h 17h July 10h 11h 12h 13h 14h 15h 16h 17h August 10h 11h 12h 13h 14h 15h 16h 17h Sept. 10h 11h 12h 13h 14h 15h 16h 17h October 10h 13h 15.30h Nov. 10h 13h *15h Dec. 10h 13h *15h * On Sundays and holidays Cave tours: Info centre, tel: +386 (0)5 708 21 10 Tours led by experienced guides take an hour and a half. Divaška Jama cave Information: Jamarsko društvo Gregor Žiberna, tel.: +386 (0)31 522 785, +386 (0)41 573 181, divaska.jama@divaca.net, www.divaska-jama.info Tour timetable: from May to October on Sundays and holidays at 15.00, otherwise by appointment. Divaški Kras karstological interpretive nature trail, information Monday to Friday: Municipality of Divača, tel. +386 (0)5 731 09 30, obcina@divaca.si. Škocjan Education Trail, Info: The Regional Park Škocjan Caves Authority, tel.:+386(0)5 708 21 00 Djestence forest interpretive trail, information: Forest Institute of Slovenia, Senožeče section, tel. +386 (0)5 765 55 06 Škrateljnova House and exhibition on actress Ita Rina; open: Saturday 10-12, 15-17; Sunday 10-13; otherwise by appointment. Information Monday to Friday: Municipality of Divača, tel. +386 (0)5 731 09 30, obcina@divaca.si. Zdravko Čuk Ethnological Collection, Senožeče 83, open to visitors every Saturday, but you must call ahead on tel. +386 (0)5 765 50 34. Tour of the Vnckova Homestead, Matavun, tel. +386 (0)5 763 30 73. Chapel of St. Helen in Gradišče, viewing by arrangement with Ivan Bernetič, Gradišče 1. Permits for freshwater angling on the Reka River: - Trgovina Rak shop, Škoflje 25, tel: +386 (0)5 762 52 11 - Ribiška koča angling lodge in Famlje, tel: +386 (0)5 762 52 57 Senožeški bajer fishpond, Ribiška družina Senožeče, tel. +386 (0)31 512508, (0)41 279742 Vremščica Centre for Conatural Recultivation, Gabrče 30, tel. +386 (0)41 658 948, andrej.skibin@vf.uni-lj.si. Municipality of Divača Municipality of Divača

Published by: Razvojni center Divača, Zavod za razvoj podeželja, Občina Divača, 2005 Concept: Andrejka Cerkvenik Text: Andrejka Cerkvenik, Igor Maher Author of Divača cycle circuit: Igor Maher Photography: Janez Skok, Mirko Bijuklič, Andrej Gogala, Borut Lozej, Bogdan Macarol, Igor Maher, Jože Požrl, Simon Strnad, archive of Škocjanske jame Regional Park Illustration: Polona Lovšin Translation: Amidas Design: Sidarta Printed by: Tiskarna Hren Copies: 10.000