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Besides its natural significant’s, the Soca Valley holds also a lot of historical content. Whether you are a nature or history buff, the Soca Valley in Slovenia is not to be missed when visiting the country.
How Soca Valley made it onto my European bucket list
The first time I saw pictures of the Soca was during the summer of 2017. It was the year I returned from my gap year, the first time I had a massive reverse culture shock, and then I started this job near my hometown, in a rafting center. And it turned out better than I imagined. It was so much fun working with a bunch of rafting guides!
So, one of my coworkers showed me the picture of the Soca and told me it is in Slovenia. I immediately knew I need to go there. Fast forward two years and the Soca Valley was still on my bucket list. The optimal first stop for my Balkan trip. Normally if I’m so hyped about a place, I’m getting disappointed (that’s what happened in Dubrovnik). Although the arriving in the Alpin Valley was adventurous and fun. The first few days, I was not really convinced of the Soca Valley. But then the sun came out and turned this mountain stream into the crystal blue water, as I knew from the picture. I extended my stay in the Soca Valley and I know that I will come back one day.
How to get to the Soca Valley?
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 Hochalpenstraße (as you do not pay any toll, and the experience is comparable). If you aren’t used to narrowing and curvy mountain roads, you better hop on the bus or drive on less busy days (weekdays, after high season). The views are magnificent. The only downside of taking the bus is that you can’t get out wherever you want to take pictures. The bus only stops at the top of the pass.
You can look up 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. Another option to reach the Soca Valley is from Ljubljana by bus.
When I travel to the Soca Valley, I accidentally took the bus via Vrsic-Pass and couldn’t be happier about it.
Vesna, a local guide, foodie and herbalist, has a blog with a lot of information regarding the Soca Valley. Here, you can also find the different transportation options to reach the Soca Valley.
Do you need a car? – No, not necessarily. You can travel to the Slovenian valley easily without a car, especially in summer, late spring or early autumn when the bus is operating. If you stay outside of the town center, you need to check the bus stops. There might be one right outside your holiday rental home.
Bovec, Kobarid or Tomin – where to stay?
The towns that lay along the Soca river are Bovec, Kobarid and Tomin. Each of these towns offers tourist accommodation and has a different vibe.
Bovec is the first town when you come down from Vrsic Pass and is surrounded by higher mountains and is the 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 adventurous sports Bovec offers are rafting, hydrospeeding, kayaking, canyoning, paragliding, hiking, mountain biking and caving. Also offers 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. 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. From Kobarid, you can start hikes to explore the beautiful outdoors and see some waterfalls.
Tolmin is the biggest town further south of the Vrisic Pass and closer to Ljubljana. The town has more infrastructure, such as bigger supermarkets. Here the river Tolminka flows into the Soca. Also, Tolmin offers a variety of holiday accommodations, camping, glamping, apartments, hotels and hostels. Tolmin has its famous Tolmin Gorge. From Tolmin on, the Soca is not as wild anymore, further south the riverbed is very wide due to 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!?
Activities in Slovenia’s most beautiful valley
History & Culture
The Sova 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.
Sports & Adrenaline
They start with water activities like whitewater rafting, kayaking, stand-up paddling, and cannoning. Tour operators are in every town and their prominent banners can’t be missed. You can also 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.
Additional outdoor adventures offered in the region are paragliding, skydiving, climbing, caving and ziplining. The list goes on. There are plenty of things to do in the region.
Hiking
Of course, hiking is one of the significant activities in this Slovenian valley. In the Julian Alps, you can find multiple hiking trails from long-distance paths to leisurely walks and alpine day hikes. Slovenian highest mountain, the Triglav (2,864 masl) is located in this region. This demanding hike is doable in two days.
The walk of peace trail leads from the Alps to the Adriatic Sea, 220 kilometers along the World War I frontline.
No panic if you aren’t one of the adventure travelers. Easy walks along the river and hills are suitable for people who want to take it easy. There are many waterfalls around that can be reached by an easy-moderate hike. For instance, the Kobarid Historical Trail takes you to unique historical sites in the middle of nature. Another option from Bovec is the hike to Virje waterfall or the Globoski potok waterfall a bit outside of Bovec. Near Kobarid, the Slap Kozjak waterfall attracts hikers. Here you can find a huge selection of tours and at this website are all the waterfalls and gorges of the region listed.
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Rafting on the Soca in Slovenia
From all the towns, you can go for water activities. The tour operator will bring you to the right entrance spot of the Soca. Most tours start between Bovec and Kobarid. Here is a map to see the entrance points and the difficulty levels of each section of the river. If you never went rafting on a wild water river and you are a bit afraid, don’t worry, I was the same. But working in a rafting center in Austria, I had a chance to go for free. It was so much fun!
Depending on the guide and the group you are with, it can be rough. So, the guide always senses which kind of group it is and if the group is up for an overturn. Of course, those experienced guides wouldn’t do anything to put the guests dangerous.
In case you travel solo, you can join a group, which the tour operator is organizing for you. 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 when it comes to sustainable tourism practices.
[…] for the restless souls there are also some options: For instance, Slovenia’s Soca Valley, where you can go wild water rafting, mountain biking and hiking. Or digital detoxing while on […]