Soca Valley travel guide

Places to visit in the Soca Valley

Bovec - for adventure sports

Bovec, 35km (22 miles) southwest of Kranjska Gora, marks the beginning of the rocky gorges and dense pine forests of the remote Soca Valley. The town started out as a ski resort, but now caters for adventure sports from May to September. 6km (4 miles) southwest of Bovec, the Boka Waterfall (Slap Boka), in two stages of 38m (125ft) and 106m (348ft), is impressive. 

Tranquil Kobarid

The peaceful Alpine town of Kobarid, 21km (13 miles) south of Bovec, lies in the shadow of Mount Krn (2,244m/7,360ft). Its cultural attraction is Kobarid Museum (Kobariški muzej) in the 18th-century Mašer House. This anti-war collection gives a thought-provoking account of the fighting that took place along the banks of the River Soca during World War I. Exhibits include photos, maps, scale models, flags, military uniforms and arms. 

Kobarid’s other big pull for visitors is its river-based sports activities. There are a number of agencies based here that can arrange rafting, canyoning, kayaking and canoeing trips from May to September. Trout-fishing enthusiasts can pick up a permit from Hotel Hvala on the main square. The season runs from April to October. 

The casinos of Nova Gorica

The main attraction here are the numerous 24-hour casinos, popular with Italians who hop over the border in busloads daily. Slovenia’s largest casino, and reputedly one of the biggest in Europe, occupies the ground floor of Hotel Casino Perla. Open all day every day, it has 48 gaming tables for roulette and blackjack, and 800 slot machines.

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