The Soča Valley – Europe’s hidden gem for outdoor enthusiasts

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In Europe you can find multiple national parks that offer great outdoor adventures, beginning from mountaineering, water activities, cycling, and much more. In this blog post I will tell you all about a very special place nested in a small country in central Europe that’s often overlooked: Slovenia. This hidden gem in Europe should definitely be on your list.Slovenia boasts beautiful natural landscapes, from mountains to the sea. A 5-day itinerary allows you to explore the country in depth.

All you need to know about the Soca Valley

The Soca Valley is renowned for its crystal-clear river that runs through this magnificent mountain landscape of the Julian alps. Located at the very north-west of Slovenia. Right on the border to Italy and Austria. 

The Soca Valley is named after the river that flows through it: the Soca, which is especially well known in the European wild water kayaking community and is a playground for whitewater rafting. The 138-kilometer-long river starts in the northwest of Slovenia and flows into the Adriatic Sea. The Soca inspired a Slovenian poet to write a poem and Disney to shoot movie scenes for the film The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.

Besides its natural significance, the Soca Valley also holds a lot of historical content. That gives your European active holiday variety. After a full day of outdoor activities, you can enjoy an easy day by exploring the historical sites.

This is how I learned about the Soca Valley: In 2017, after returning from my gap year and adjusting to being back home, I started working at a rafting center near my hometown. Working with the rafting guides was incredibly fun. One day, a coworker showed me a picture of the Soca River in Slovenia, and I immediately wanted to visit. Two years later, I finally made it to the Soca Valley as the first stop on my Balkan trip. At first, I was uncertain, but the valley captivated me as the sun came out and I saw the river with its crystal blue waters, just as it appeared in the pictures. I extended my stay and hope to return one day.

If you’re an outdoor adventure enthusiast, you definitely shouldn’t miss the Soca Valley, a remarkable region in Europe. So let’s get to the most important question:

How to get to the Soca Valley – outdoor playground in Slovenia

Various options to travel to the Soca Valley. With your own car most comfortable and easiest. However a Green Destination that Slovenia is, there are great options for public transportation, especially during the peak season in summer.

To the Soca Valley from Austria

The most beautiful way to reach the Soca Valley is from the north via the Vrsic-Pass. It includes countless bends and incredible scenery. The only reason to miss it is if you are dealing with motion sickness.
Even a public bus runs across the pass in summer and brings visitors to the Soca Valley. It is a serpentine road and an excellent alternative to the Austrian Großglockner High Alpine Road (as you do not pay any toll). Be aware that during the high season and weekends, this road can get pretty busy. 

But you should not miss it. Either on your way into the Soca Valley or on your way out. The views are magnificent! The only downside to taking the bus is that you can’t get off wherever you want to take pictures. The bus only stops at the top of the pass (where you can get off and take the next bus).You can check the bus timetables here on the Nomago Website. Or check with the tourist office in Soca Valley or your accommodation provider in order to get the correct bus timetable. The journey starts at Kranjska Gora to Bovec or Kobarid. The bus ride takes around 2 hours.

To the Soca Valley from Ljubljana

Coming from Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, you can reach the Soca Valley via train and bus. You can take the train from Slovenia’s capital to Most na Soči. The fastest connection takes 2 hours 30 minutes. Most na Soči lies already at the Soca, but there Soca is an artificial lake because of the Doblar Hydro Plant. 

If you want to further up the Soca Valley you can change at the town to the bus. You can reach Tolmin, Kobarid and Bovec. The journey from Most na Soči to Kobarid takes around 40 minutes with a transfer in Tolmin. To Bovec it is a little longer than an hour.

If you are driving by car the journey to Tolmin takes 2 hours.

To the Soca Valley from Italy

Traveling to the Soca Valley from Italy is also possible. The best is to start this journey from Udine. By bus from Udine to Cividale del Friuli, you can take the Bohinj Railway, which goes through Slovenia’s longest railway tunnel and over a railway bridge with the world’s largest stone arch.

From Italy coming by car you can also take the scenic route over the Mangart pass. There you can make a detour and see the Mangart saddle. It is an absolutely amazing mountain route with gorgeous views. The ascending route starts at the lake Lago del Predil in Italy and brings you into the heart of the Soca Valley to Bovec. The drive is according to Google Maps 30 minutes but it’s a bit longer, especially if you take photo stops. And if you go the the saddle you also have to calculate more time.

Additionally, there are bus services within the towns. So you can comfortably leave your car at home and explore this outdoor destination sustainable by public transportation.

The only thing you need to be aware of is that the frequency of the buses is higher in the high season. So if you are traveling before June or after August, keep that in mind.

Bovec, Kobarid or Tolmin – where to stay in the Soca Valley?

The Soca Valley in Slovenia stretches pretty extensively through the mountains. You can either stay in the beginning of Soca near the town of Trenta. Or further along the river. There are many campgrounds. The biggest towns along the way are Bovec, Kobarid and Tomin. Each of these towns offers tourist accommodation and has a different vibe.

Bovec is the first bigger town when you come down from Vrsic Pass. It is surrounded by high mountains and the perfect starting point for the most adventurous sports activities. It has a very sporty atmosphere. In Bovec, you can find various camping grounds, glamping sites, apartments, hotels, hostels, and the Ravelnik and Čelo outdoor museum. The town center is lovely and is for sure worth a stop if you are passing by. 

Adventurous sports that Bovec offers are rafting, hydro speeding, kayaking, canyoning, paragliding, hiking, mountain biking and caving. Of course you can also enjoy winter activities like skiing, ice climbing and sledding.

Kobarid has a less sporty vibe, it seems calmer. Still, the center is adorned with a few sports shops. The town itself has beautiful corners but nothing like Bovec. Outside of town, a huge campsite lies, and additional accommodations are hotels, hostels, and apartments. The most significant sights are the Italian Charnel House, the Napoleon Bridge and the Kobarid Historical Walk. All of them, especially the Charnel House up the hill, are worth a visit. From Kobarid, you can start hikes to explore the beautiful outdoors and see some waterfalls.

I’ve stayed in Kobarid for two nights in a lovely cabin up the hill (airbnb) and two more nights in a beautiful hostel in the center. 

If you want to go cycling and avoid the main roads, I would recommend staying in Kobarid. From there, you can cycle to Tolmin via a quieter side road. Or you can go up to Drežnica.

Tolmin is the biggest town further south of the Vrisic Pass and closer to Ljubljana. The town has more infrastructure, such as bigger supermarkets, more restaurants and tourist accommodations. Tolmin has a lovely town center, a museum, a castle and the Tolmin Gorge. From Tolmin on, Soca is not as wild anymore. Further south, the riverbed is very wide because of a dam.

Staying in Soca Valley is a beautiful experience and everyone who’s looking for true tranquility is going to find it here. It might be the perfect destination for a digital detox!

In the Soca Valley you can find lots of campgrounds. Be aware that wild camping is not allowed in Slovenia and can be fine with up to 500 euros.

Activities in Slovenia’s most beautiful valley  

History & Culture

The Soca Valley also has a sad history. The Soca River was once the border to Austria. In World War I, this region was one of the bloodiest frontlines. There are numerous memorials in the valley, such as the Italian Charnel House on the hill of Kobarid, the Priznica memorial park and the military cemetery in Bovec. 

At the Tonocov grad, an archaeological site and Napoleon’s Bridge are also highlights of the Sova Valley. In addition, you can find multiple museums such as the WW1 outdoor museum in Kolovrat, the Tolmin Museum and the Kobarid Museum.

Kobarid has a Cheese Museum at the Planika Dairy Plant, you can learn more about the tradition of cheese making.From Kobarid you can take a historical walk. This small walk is perfect for exploring nature and historical sights. It will take you to the Italian Charnel House and the Tonocov grad archaeological site and many of the places mentioned above. It’s a beautiful little hike, you can overlook Kobarid. When you start from the Charnel House, you first walk up the hill but then mainly along the mountains, with points where you have amazing views of the surrounding mountains.

Sports & Adrenaline

The Soca Valley is a haven for the European whitewater kayaking community. But you don’t need to be a professional to kayak on the Soca river. The Soca is long and there are passages that are also doable for beginners. Nevertheless, the great outdoors of Slovenia offer various other water activities like whitewater rafting, kayaking, snorkeling and canyoning. What I personally can recommend is a whitewater SUP excursion, I haven’t done it at the Soca Valley but in Austria. If you like SUPing, it’s so much on rivers. But don’t worry if you aren’t into water outdoor activities, you can go do zip lining or rent a bicycle. You can find bike rental shops in every town. The cycling activities in the Soca Valley go from extensive road tours to guided tours and mountain bike trails.

In Tolmin you can visit the Tolminski grad or the Tolmin Gorges (you need to pay an entrance fee there). Other outdoor adventures in the region include paragliding, skydiving, rock climbing and caving. The list goes on. The Soca Valley is certainly a hidden gem for outdoor adventure enthusiasts. There are many things to do in the region.

Hiking

Of course hiking is also on top of the list of activities. The Julian Alps are just stunning. The mountain range stretches from Italy into Slovenia. With the highest peak, the Triglav with 2.864 masl (9,396 ft). You can hike the Triglav mountain. This demanding hike is doable in two days.

Also long distance hiking trails pass through the Soca Valley, such as the Alpe Adria Trail or Walk of Peace. The Walk of Peace trail leads from the Alps to the Adriatic Sea, 220 kilometers along the World War I frontline.

Don’t panic, this European outdoor gem also has easy hikes for quiet days. Easy walks along the river and hills are suitable for people who want to take it easy. There are many waterfalls in the area that you can reach on an easy to moderate hike. For example, the Kobarid Historical Trail takes you to unique historical sites in the middle of nature. Another option from Bovec is to hike to the Virje waterfall or to the Globoski potok waterfall just outside Bovec. Near Kobarid, the Slap Kozjak waterfall attracts hikers. There is a wide range of tours available. Especially for waterfall and canyon lovers.

For an moderate tour you can hike up the Krn Lake, the hike starts at Lepena and takes around 4 hours (here and return). Please note due to environmental protection it is not allowed to swim in the lake.

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Rafting on the Soca in Slovenia

The probably most popular activity in the Soca Valley is rafting. It’s a great way to have some adventure on your holidays. You can do rafting at the Soca river from all the towns, because the tour operator will bring you to the right entrance spot of the Soca. Most tours start between Bovec and Kobarid. The river has various difficulty levels/sections that the tour operators are aware of and go easier paths with tourists. If you’ve never rafted a whitewater river before and are a little scared, don’t worry, it’s fun and the rafting guides know what to do. 

If you are traveling alone, you can join a group organized by the operator. Sometimes private groups have their own raft and then there are boats where people are thrown together.

When to visit the most beautiful valley in Europe?  

Soca Valley isn’t only a summer destination. You can also enjoy winter activities such as skiing, ice climbing and snowshoe hiking. The summer season in Soca Valley starts in May and ends in September, the peaks of the season are July and August. If you want to avoid crowds, the best is to visit in May or September.

I visited Soca Valley at the beginning of September, and it was not crowded. Very pleasant weather and atmosphere, I could see that the valley can be busier.

Soca Valley – European Destination of Excellence

The Soca Valley is known for its summer tourism. It is well-known in the wild-water kayak community and hosts events and competitions in this area. Additionally, the Soca Valley received the title European Destination of Excellence. Short EDEN is a reward that small tourism destinations promote sustainable tourism practices. No wonder Slovenia itself is known for early sustainable tourism practices.

The Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism got launched in 2014 it encourages tourism service providers to adopt sustainable practices. This clearly shows the values and philosophy of Slovenian’s Tourism Board. It is for sure Europe’s role model for sustainable tourism practices.