Soča River is 138 kilometers long and is known for its emerald green water. It is beautiful from the beginning to the end offering many beautiful sights to every visitor. For the first part river flows through Slovenia and near nova Gorica crosses the border with Italy all the way to Adriatic sea where it ends.
What to Do Near Soča River
If you like water sports, stunning nature and hiking this is definitely the place for you. Soča River is a popular destination for water sports and every year many visitors come to Slovenia just to have some river fun.
1. Soča Trail
Soča Trail is 25 km long hiking trail along the Soča River. On your way you will find many information points specific to the area. You can learn about natural, historical and hydrological facts about the specific part. You can decide and walk just a part of the trail according to your time and interests.
2. Soča River Source
The source of Soča river is beautiful natural phenomenon and a first part of Soča Trail but it is hard-to-access. You can park your car at the hut Koča Pri Izviru Soče and follow the marked trail to the first viewpoint. This is where the trail starts to be demanding and protected with wedges and wire ropes all the way to the source. Make sure to bring suitable footwear.
3. The Great Soča Gorge
Soča River flows through the Triglav National Park and the Great Soča Gorge is probably the most beautiful part of Soča trail. The gorge is very narrow, 15 meters deep and 750 meters long. You can hike the trail all the way along the gorge looking down on the amazing view of the river.
4. Bovec Town
Bovec is a mountain town south of Triglav National Park. It is a starting point for many activities and tours on and nearby Soča river. You have endless possibility of spending your time there, such as rafting, hiking, zip-line, adrenalin park, etc.
5. Tolmin Gorge
Tolmin Gorge is located in the southern end of Triglav National Park, few minutes away from town Tolmin. It was shaped by the rivers Tolminka and Zadlašica and the trail is easy-to-walk. Not far away from Tolmin Gorge Tolminka River is flowing into the Soča River.
6. Čezsoča
Čezsoča is a small town where Soča River is the warmest in the summer. It reaches up to 15°C and is popular location for summer bathing. However you should always be cautious when bathing in Soča Rives as it is a fast and in some places a rushing cold river.
7. Kobarid Town
Kobarid is another small town Soča River is passing by. Kobarid is known for the 1917 Battle of Caporetto between the Austrians and Italians. If you want to learn more you should read a novel by Ernest Hemingway ‘A Farewell to Arms’, describing a sad history of Soča Valley. In Kobarid you can visit a museum of Word War I and a Word War I memorial on the hill just above the town.
8. Kanal ob Soči
Kanal ob Soči or shorter Kanal is a town in the Central Soča Valley. Every year Kanal hosts the traditional bridge-jumping event bringing many visitors to Kanal. Participants jump from a 17 meters high bridge into the Soča River. Of course you won’t be doing that. Instead you can refresh in the river from the beach with a view on the very same bridge.
9. Pilgrimage Site Sveta Gora
Holly Mount or Sveta Gora is the most important pilgrimage site in western Slovenia. Above the Soča Valley on top of the Mount Skalnica (681 meters or 2,234 feet) is a Franciscan monastery and church. Due to many trees the river is not visible from top of the hill. But it is a nice viewpoint for the surrounding villages.
10. Solkan Bridge
The Solkan Bridge is the longest stone arch railroad bridge in the world built in 1905. It is 220 meters long with an arch span of 85 meters. Solkan is a town near Gorizia and is considered to be one of the oldest settlements in the Soča River Valley.