Pazin Cave

Pazin Cave, known in Croatian as Pazinska jama, is a deep karst chasm at the foot of the old castle in Pazin, the small town in the middle of Istria. It is the place where the Pazinčica stream, which collects water from the surrounding flysch hills, disappears underground into a limestone cave, after a short stretch of gorge beneath the cliff on which Pazin Castle stands. The sudden drop of the stream into the rock is dramatic enough that it has given rise to local legends, and it inspired the French writer Jules Verne, who set a scene of his novel Mathias Sandorf at this spot.

Today the cave is not only a viewpoint but also an adventure destination. An organised tour called the Speleo Adventure lets visitors go down into the canyon and then into the cave itself, with helmets, lamps and equipment provided by the operator. The route follows a trail of about 200 metres through the underground, with scrambling over rock and some narrow sections, before reaching a large hall with an underground lake. Two short zip lines carry participants across the water, which brings an element of play to what is also a geology lesson. Guides explain how the stream shaped the cave, how limestone is dissolved, and what life lives in such an environment.

The tour is aimed at people aged eight and older who are reasonably fit and comfortable with enclosed, damp spaces. Expect to get wet and muddy, so wear sports shoes you do not mind getting dirty and bring a change of clothes. The temperature in the cave stays cool all year round, so a warm layer is useful even in summer. The whole activity takes a couple of hours, and group sizes are small, which means that advance booking is usually required. Check the operator's current schedule and prices before you come, since they change between seasons.

Pazin itself is worth exploring around the cave. The castle above, one of the largest and best-preserved medieval fortresses in Istria, houses the town museum and an ethnographic collection, and the edge of the gorge offers a view down into the chasm. The town is the administrative centre of inland Istria and a good base for visiting hill towns such as Motovun and Grožnjan. Local wineries and farms, including those listed in this guide, offer tastings of Istrian wine and food.

The cave suits families with older children, school groups and active visitors who want something different from a typical museum visit. If you do not want to go underground, you can still look into the gorge from the viewing area by the castle at no cost. Allow half a day with the castle.