Karst gmajna festival

Come and join us in an informative and relaxing walk in the surroundings of Basovizza to discover the emerging Kras-Carso Geopark. We will walk through the Igouca forest, where one of the deepest and largest underground cave systems of the Trieste Karst is located: the geological attraction of the Claudio Skilan Cave. The cave is only accessible to expert speleologists, but the experienced guides of the geopark will give you an insight into its interior through descriptions and pictures, and an understanding of its special geological, geomorphological and hydrogeological features. We will continue along the gmajna grassland at the foot of Kokoš Hill, towards Jezero, all the way to another geological point, the Črbenjak doline. You will learn how and why surface karst phenomena are formed and what their significance is, and explore many natural and cultural attractions and curiosities.

During the walk we will observe a forest, an abandoned coal mine shaft, and the cultural heritage of the karst landscape with its dry-stone walls, pastures and gmajna grasslands wrapped in the warm colours of the first autumn day. The hike is easy; the route is about 6 km long, circular and follows forest paths and trails with minimal difference in altitude. Walking shoes, long trousers, a hat, water and snacks are recommended.

The guided tour will be in Slovenian, Italian and English. 
Meeting point: by the pond in Basovizza/Bazovica (Gruden Street, on provincial road 10 towards Lipica, bus no. 51 runs from Trieste)

The event is free of charge. The number of places is limited, registration is required by 20 September or until the places are filled by e-mail to curiosidinatura@gmail.com or phone +39 340 556 9374 (Barbara Bassi).

Organised by: Geological Service of the Autonomous Region of the Friuli Venezia Giulia in cooperation with the Curiosi di natura soc. coop. and ORA Krasa in Brkinov

The karst underground world is one of the most stunning natural phenomena. It boasts countless caves, tunnels and chasms, which are not only a geological feature but also an important part of the natural and cultural heritage, revealing the mysterious world beneath the surface of the earth. Caves, in particular, have played an important role in military conflicts throughout history, and will be the subject of a lecture by Marko Simić, MSc. Due to their natural protection and difficult accessibility, caves have served as hiding places, shelters and military stores during wars, and some of them have been permanently damaged as a result.

The lecture will be held in Slovenian and Italian.
Meeting point: “Pr Nanetovh” Promotion and Congress Centre (Matavun 8, 6215 Divača)

The event is free of charge. The number of places is limited, registration is required by e-mail to petra.iskra@psj.si or phone +386 5 7082 143 (Ms Petra Vičič Iskra).

Organised by: Škocjan Caves Park

You are invited to discover Grotta Gigante (the Giant Cave) and its extraordinary beauty. The central hall is 107 m high and the visit offers the opportunity to see the extraordinarily beautiful dripstones. The stalagmites in the cave have a very peculiar saucer shape. Curious to know why? In addition to answering the question, a visit to the cave is sure to provide you with a wealth of interesting information. 

Guided tours will be given in Slovenian, Italian and English. 
Meeting point: Grotta Gigante entrance (Borgo Grotta Gigante, 42 / A, 34010 Sgonico TS, Italy)

The event is free of charge. Registration is required by e-mail to gruppi@grottagigante.it or +39 040 327 312 (9.00–17.00, Ms Barbara Radini).

Organised by: Grotta Gigante in cooperation with the Geological Service of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia.

In this lecture, Dr Franci Gabrovšek will focus on the underground flow of the Reka River. Accompanied by representatives of the Sežana Caving Club and the Karst Research Institute of the ZRC SAZU, you will learn about the many curiosities and secrets of the river underground.

The lecture will be held in Slovenian.
Meeting point: Jamarski dom Jožeta Gustinčiča (cavers’ cabin; Lokev 4v, 6219 Lokev)

The event is free of charge. For further information, please contact info@vilenica.com or +386 51 648 711 (Mr Jordan Guštin).

Organised by: Sežana Caving Club

Join us for our autumn challenge – a 20-kilometre hike along Stage 35 of the Alpe Adria Trail from Prosecco/Prosek (ITA) to Lipica (SLO). 
Stage 35 from Prosecco to Lipica will bring us to the heart of the spectacularly beautiful Karst plateau. In Gropada, we will cross the border with Slovenia and enter the Karst Living Museum, where we will discover the many karst phenomena. We will then pass through Equestrian Park Lipica and follow the beautiful southern avenue of trees to the Lipica border crossing. There, after a long walk, refreshments will be waiting for us.

Guided tours will be given in Slovenian and Italian. 
Meeting point: parking lot at the Lipica border crossing (Lipica 23, 6210 Sežana)

The event is free of charge. For further information, please contact tic.sezana@visitkras.info or +386 5 731 01 28 (Mr Edi Fabjan).

Organised by: ORA Krasa in Brkinov

Come and join us on a short autumn hike between Lipica (SLO) and Gropada (ITA). In addition to the Lipizzan horses, we will see some interesting sights in the Karst Living Museum, the mighty Napoleon Oak and the picturesque karren at Gropada. We will also visit the entrance to the mighty Claudio Skilan Cave (Grotta Claudio Skilan) and hear what is hidden underground. It is the deepest cave in the Kras-Carso Geopark, at 378 m deep! 
Then we will walk to the Lipica border crossing, where refreshments and a small but useful gift await us!

Guided tours will be given in Slovenian and Italian. 
Meeting point: parking lot at the Lipica border crossing (Lipica 23, 6210 Sežana)

The event is free of charge. For further information, please contact tic.sezana@visitkras.info or +386 5 731 01 28 (Mr Edi Fabjan).

Organised by: ORA Krasa in Brkinov

Come and join us at the Honey Festival, which will fill the village of Štanjel with the enticing sweet scent of honey delicacies. The festival will include lectures, tastings of honey goodies, basic honey analyses and a presentation of beekeepers and schools, as well as a honey market.

The lecture will be held in Slovenian.
Meeting point: Štanjel (Štanjel 1a, 6222 Štanjel)

The event is free of charge. For further information, please contact ales.rodman@gmail.com (Mr Aleš Rodman).

Organised by: Kras Brkini Beekeeping Society

Accompanied by a cycling and nature guide, we will cycle between the geopoints of the emerging Kras-Carso Geopark. Between pleasant wooded hills, vineyards and sea views, quarries of precious karst stone, caves and castles, we will discover the geological heritage of the Karst, its history, culture and traditions.

Guided tours will be given in Slovenian and Italian. 
Meeting point: Brje pri Komnu

The event is free of charge. Registration is required. For registration and further information contact curiosidinatura@gmail.com or +39 34 05 569 375 (Ms Barbara Bassi).

Organised by: Geological Service of the Autonomous Region of the Friuli Venezia Giulia in cooperation with the Curiosi di natura soc. coop. and ORA Krasa in Brkinov

Dry-stone wall construction is an integral part of the cultural landscape of the Karst and one of the most important skills passed down from one generation to another. As part of the International Geodiversity Day, experienced dry-stone wall construction masters, united in the Karst Dry-Wall Construction Partnership, will be passing on their knowledge and wealth of experience to pupils from a primary school in Divača (SLO) and a primary school in Col (IT). The pupils will be able to practice dry-stone wall construction in the field, under the watchful eye of the masters. The workshop is also an opportunity to make new cross-border friendships.

The workshop will be held in Slovenian and Italian. 

The event is a closed event for pupils of the Dr Bogomir Magajna Divača Primary School (SLO) and the Alojz Gradnik Primary School in Col (ITA).

Organised by: ORA Krasa in Brkinov and Karst Dry-Wall Construction Partnership

You are invited to discover Grotta Gigante (the Giant Cave) and its extraordinary beauty. The central hall is 107 m high and the visit offers the opportunity to see the extraordinarily beautiful dripstones. The stalagmites in the cave have a very peculiar saucer shape. Curious to know why? In addition to answering the question, a visit to the cave is sure to provide you with a wealth of interesting information. 

Guided tours will be given in Slovenian, Italian and English. 
Meeting point: Grotta Gigante entrance (Borgo Grotta Gigante, 42 / A, 34010 Sgonico TS, Italy)

The event is free of charge. Registration is required by e-mail to gruppi@grottagigante.it or +39 040 327 312 (9.00–17.00, Ms Barbara Radini).

Organised by: Grotta Gigante in cooperation with the Geological Service of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia.

Have you ever visited a quarry? Take a guided tour of the Petrovica Quarry, a historically important quarry where marble is extracted. The quarry, also known as “java” by the locals, is located between the municipalities of Monrupino/Repentabor and Sgonico/Zgonik. After decades of closure, new managers restarted the extraction of the karst stone in 2022 and the successful revitalisation of the quarry has once again taken the stone from Petrovica all over the world.

Guided tours will be given in Slovenian, Italian and English.
Meeting point: quarry entrance (Monrupino/Repentabor)

The event is free of charge. Information and registration to e-mail info@estplore.it or +39 340 763 4805 (Ms Sara Famiani - Estplore).

Organised by: Geological Service of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia

Join us and learn all about herbs in the Karst garden and in the natural environment, about herbalism and folk tradition in using plants in everyday life. You will also discover new ways of using herbs and edible wild plants. The herbal workshop will take place in Pepa's Garden, where we will explore the herbs of the gardens with all our senses. Then we will go to the nearby meadows to learn about the diversity and edibility of the plants of the typical Karst grassland, called gmajna. We will pick some plants and use them to prepare delicious snacks at the end of the workshop.

The workshop will be delivered in Slovenian.
Meeting point: Bunčetova Homestead (Dutovlje 65, 6221 Dutovlje)

The event is free of charge. The number of places is limited, registration is required by e-mail to sezana@visitkras.info or phone +386 5 731 01 28.

Organised by: ORA Krasa in Brkinov

The Karst and Brkini are areas with an exceptionally rich diversity of fungal species. Accompanied by experienced mushroom experts, we will set off at 9.00 to the wider area of the park to pick mushrooms and enjoy the beauty of the autumn landscape. We will learn about the best places for mushrooms to thrive, how to identify certain mushroom species, the correct way to pick mushrooms and the legal restrictions that must be observed when doing so. The mushrooms found during our hike will be identified and included in the exhibition, which will also be open on Sunday, 6 October (11.00–18.00) and Monday, 7 October (8.00–16.00).

The guided tour will be given in Slovenian.
Meeting point: “Pr Nanetovh” Promotion and Congress Centre (Matavun 8, 6215 Divača)

The event is free of charge. The number of places is limited, registration is required by e-mail to borut.kokalj@psj.si or phone +386 5 7082 128 (Mr Borut Kokalj).

Organised by: Škocjan Caves Park

On the occasion of Planet Earth Week and International Geodiversity Day, you are invited to a fun exploration of the geodiversity of the emerging Kras-Carso Geopark. Children and young people, accompanied by their parents, will explore the Karst in an adventurous way with geocaching around Col, a village at the foot of the hill on which an ancient shrine is located. On the approximately 3 km long route, young geoexplorers will use a map to discover the geology hidden in the typical Karst architecture, houses with stone roofs, fountains, portals with ancient inscriptions, stone towers and wide views of the sea and the hills of Slovenia.
With the help of guides and experts from the geopark, they will learn about fossils and special rocks, use a compass, take measurements and solve puzzles. The geocaching is easy, suitable for all visitors, especially families with children. Walking shoes, long trousers, water and snacks are recommended.

Guided tours will be given in Slovenian and Italian. 
Meeting point: in front of the Monrupino Municipality building, Monrupino/Repentabor, ITA 

The event is free of charge. Registration is required by 5 October or until places are filled by e-mail to curiosidinatura@gmail.com or tel. no. +39 340 556 9374.

Organised by: Geological Service of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia in cooperation with the Curiosi di natura soc. coop.

You are invited to discover Grotta Gigante (the Giant Cave) and its extraordinary beauty. The central hall is 107 m high and the visit offers the opportunity to see the extraordinarily beautiful dripstones. The stalagmites in the cave have a very peculiar saucer shape. Curious to know why? In addition to answering the question, a visit to the cave is sure to provide you with a wealth of interesting information. 

Guided tours will be given in Slovenian, Italian and English. 
Meeting point: Grotta Gigante entrance (Borgo Grotta Gigante, 42 / A, 34010 Sgonico TS, Italy)

The event is free of charge. Registration is required by e-mail to gruppi@grottagigante.it or +39 040 327 312 (9.00–17.00, Ms Barbara Radini).

Organised by: Grotta Gigante in cooperation with the Geological Service of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia.

You are invited to an excursion to the Trieste Karst, from the Sella di Bane hill to the Valico di Trebiciano saddle, as part of Planet Earth Week. The panoramic walk through the Classical Karst on the eve of the Barcolana event, above the sea dotted with white sails, is about 5 km long, with short ascents and descents along the karst edge, with magnificent views of the hills on the Slovenian border, the karst peaks, the Gulf of Trieste and the city of Trieste.
Along the way, we will observe the plateau and learn about its origins during Planet Earth Week. We will compare the different morphologies of the rock formations: the more rugged and sharp limestone relief of the Karst and the milder and smoother flysch relief of the Istrian hills. We will walk through areas with different types of vegetation, conditioned by the rocky base, the exposure of the slopes to the Bora wind and the impact of man. We will walk along the path that, for centuries, the peasant women of the surrounding Karst villages used to walk every day, carrying milk to sell to the families of Trieste; we will learn about their lives and stories.
The circular route is easy, ascending and descending on forest paths and gravel tracks. Walking shoes, long trousers, water and snacks are recommended.

Guided tours will be given in Slovenian and Italian. 
Meeting point: bus stop at Conconello/Ferlugi (Trieste), bus no. 3 runs to the meeting point. 

The event is free of charge. Registration is required by 11 October or until places are filled by e-mail to curiosidinatura@gmail.com or tel. no. +39 340 556 9374.

Organised by: Geological Service of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia in cooperation with the Curiosi di natura soc. coop.

Join us for a fun event for children and families! We will be creating small shepherd's huts where the youngest ones, with the help of their parents, will exercise their creativity and learn a lot about the history of shepherd's corbelled huts. Then we will make colourful flowers out of paper tubes to bring our Karst gmajna to life. We will finish the event with family games, where we will test our skills and enjoy fun and laughter together.
Join us for a day of creativity, fun and family togetherness!

Guided tours will be given in Slovenian, Italian and English. 
Meeting point: Karst Living Museum 

The event is free of charge. For registration please contact info@poskokec.si or +386 41 262 753 (Ms Lara Primc).

Organised by: Hoopsy 4 d.o.o. – poSKOKec

A visit to the stud farm is a special experience. Discover the entire history of the Lipica Stud Farm, from its foundation to the present day. Explore everything you wanted to know about the Lipizzan horses and make friends with their dark-furred foals. You will be enthralled by the departure of the herd of mares with foals on pastures in the morning and its return to the stud farm in the evening.

Guided tours will be given in Slovenian and Italian. 
Meeting point: entrance to the Lipica Stud Farm (Lipica 5, 6210 Sežana)

The event is free of charge. The number of places is limited, registration is required by e-mail to events@lipica.org, more information on phone +386 5 73 91 646 (Ms Minka Dolič). 

Organised by: Lipica Stud Farm

A guided mountain biking tour through the unspoilt nature of Brkini, through forests and meadows, away from the traffic – suitable for conventional and electric mountain bikes with front suspension – awaits you!
The route will take us from Rodik through the gmajna grassland and a part of the Mythical Park to the lookout offering a view of the blind valley of Brezovica. We will continue to the picturesque villages of Slivje, Ritomeče and Gradišče, where we will cross the main road and cycle along the Matarsko podolje valley back to Rodik. Refreshments await us on the way, and in Rodik we will continue our fun day at the traditional Chestnut Festival.

The cycling will be guided in Slovenian and English.
Meeting point: Rodik (at the centre of the village)

The event is free of charge. The number of places is limited, registration is required by e-mail to valerija@visitkras.info or phone +386 70 569 882 (Ms Valerija Pučko).

Organised by: Rodik Tourist Society

You are invited to a typical Karst courtyard, called a borjač, of a 17th-century house that used to be a tavern, where you will discover the simplicity and magic of stone. The workshop will be led by Ms Petra Pika Može, a Karst local and designer who has dedicated the last few years to stone design.
The workshop starts with a short presentation of stone (its geological origin, its integration into the environment, its use and processing, identification of typical architectural elements on objects), after which you will work a small stone semi-finished piece with hand tools. You will use proper stonemason's tools and keep the finished product as a souvenir.

The workshop will be held in Slovenian and Italian.
Meeting point: Lipa (Lipa 21, 5296 Kostanjevica)

The event is free of charge. The number of places is limited, registration is required by e-mail to 5rapikamoze@gmail.com.

Organised by: Petra Pika Može

You are invited to discover Grotta Gigante (the Giant Cave) and its extraordinary beauty. The central hall is 107 m high and the visit offers the opportunity to see the extraordinarily beautiful dripstones. The stalagmites in the cave have a very peculiar saucer shape. Curious to know why? In addition to answering the question, a visit to the cave is sure to provide you with a wealth of interesting information. 

Guided tours will be given in Slovenian, Italian and English. 
Meeting point: Grotta Gigante entrance (Borgo Grotta Gigante, 42 / A, 34010 Sgonico TS, Italy)

The event is free of charge. Registration is required by e-mail to gruppi@grottagigante.it or +39 040 327 312 (9.00–17.00, Ms Barbara Radini).

Organised by: Grotta Gigante in cooperation with the Geological Service of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia.

From the starting point at Cerje, we will cycle down to Nova vas and continue via the Kremenjak and Špik lookouts to the villages of Sela na Krasu and Kostanjevica na Krasu. We will return to the starting point past the village of Lokvica. We will visit the “co-creators” of the Karst gmajna – local providers of agricultural products. We will admire the golden-red tinted Karst gmajna.

The guided tour will be given in Slovenian and English.
Meeting point: Cerje Peace Memorial (Lokvica, 5291 Miren)

The event is free of charge. The number of places is limited, registration is required by e-mail to info@gremozeleno.eu or phone +386 40 264 433 (Ms Irena Hlede).

Organised by: GremoZeleno | TakeGreenway Agency

Join members of the Pliska Development Society on a hike along the Pliska Trail! The day on the typical grassland, called gmajna, will be brought to life by Mr Jernej Bortolato, village guide and master stonemason, Mr Miha Zobec, historian, Mr Dušan Luin, MSc, main promoter of the Karst dry-stone wall restoration, and David Medica who will provide an expert interpretation of the geological aspects of the Karst gmajna. At the end of the hike, refreshments will be served for the participants at the Pliskovica Youth Hotel.

The guided tour will be given in Slovenian.
Meeting point: Trellis of European Friendship (at the centre of Pliskovica)

The event is free of charge. The number of places is limited, registration is required by e-mail to rd.pliska@gmail.com or phone +386 41 633 645 or +386 5 764 02 50 (Ms Majda Ščuka).

Organised by: Pliska Development Society