Visiting the Soča valley

What to see in the Soča valley

After the fifty hairpin bends of the Vršič pass, we followed the course of the Soča, from its source to the town of Tolmin where we were staying. So we devoted two days to discovering this famous valley with its clear, turquoise waters. Even though it is considered touristy, we didn’t have to put up with crowds and were sometimes alone at certain sites: a real joy in the middle of August!
We would have needed more days to visit all the must-sees of the Soča valley. That gives us a reason to go back and explore it more thoroughly. Among the sites we didn’t see, there is the town of Bovec where you can go rafting or canyoning, the Boka waterfall or the Kozjak waterfall.

Izvir Soče

Before exploring the Soča valley, we wanted to see the place where it rises, on the road to the Vršič pass. You have to take a secondary road and from there walk about twenty minutes to reach the cave from which the Soča gushes out. The place is very calm and restful because the flow of the water is not yet very strong. We recommend going to this lovely spot before starting along the road through the valley.

Grand Canyon of the Soča

The road between Trenta and Bovec is truly sublime because it follows the river as closely as possible. So you can stop on the roadside to take wooden bridges that give lovely perspectives over the Soča. Shortly after the town of Soča is the Slovenian Grand Canyon, through which the emerald river flows. This is where the locals swim (and they don’t hesitate to jump off the high rock faces either!).

Fort Kluže

A break from the natural landscapes with the Kluže fortress, which served as a base for Austria-Hungary during the First World War. A place steeped in history that is worth a look, even from the outside. The fort looks out over a 70 metre ravine… enough to make you dizzy!

Slap Virje

The Virje waterfall is worth the detour from Bovec. From the car park, it takes about twenty minutes to walk down and admire the waterfall below. We went at the end of the day so there was almost no one at the foot of the waterfall. Although the waterfall itself isn’t very tall, what gives it its charm is the emerald green lake right in front of it.

Kobarid

We devoted our last half day in the Soča valley to discovering Kobarid and its surroundings thanks to its historical trail. Despite crushing heat, we climbed up to the Italian Ossuary (Italijanska Kostnica) topped by the church of Saint Anthony. The site overlooks the mountains and the town of Kobarid and offers a lovely viewpoint. We then took the road to the Napoleon bridge (Napoleonov Most) then followed the Soča. Even though the sky was starting to turn stormy, we were still able to enjoy this sublime landscape between river and mountains.

Tolmin Gorges National Park

Located not far from our accommodation, the Tolmin gorges national park was the perfect place to discover the surroundings of Tolmin and the canyons formed by the Soča river. Entry to the park with parking cost us 10.50€ each. Unlike the Vintgar gorge near Bled, the Tolmin gorges are not saturated with tourists. We were there in the morning at opening time and there were only a few people with us. The map provided at the entrance lets you follow a signposted route and not miss any site of interest.

Our accommodation in the Soča valley

In our initial itinerary, our first idea was to take the car train at Bohinj to Tolmin to avoid driving up the Vršič pass. So we had booked a whole place on Airbnb (117€ for the 2 nights) in Tolmin so we could also explore the region. The little house was quiet, located on the banks of a river: we recommend it!

Our favourite spot in Kobarid

• Hisa Polonka: a good restaurant in the centre of Kobarid which offers a short menu with local produce at decent prices (30€ for two).

What we thought of the Soča valley

We loved this part of our road trip which introduced us to the clear waters of the Soča. The road from the Vršič pass is truly worth it and gives you a first impression of this landscape that is emblematic of Slovenia. We would happily have stayed longer to visit other waterfalls and, why not, do some activities on the river.
So we recommend including this sublime region in your itinerary (two or three days for example), particularly the Tolmin gorges national park and the Soča and Bovec area.

Planning a trip to Slovenia? Read all our articles about our road trip!