Welcome to Soča Valley
One of the most pristine Alpine rivers, the emerald Soča has been writing its own stories for centuries: the Goldhorn fairy tale and legends of a miracle flower atop Slovenia’s highest peak, stories about shepherds on mountain pastures, narratives about remarkable natural wealth, family sagas of strong-willed and friendly people. The area is a lasting memorial to the cruelties of war, which left its distinctive mark on this natural paradise. Dominated by Alpine peaks and situated not far from the famous Triglav National Park with its Alpine Botanical Garden, the valley is a blend of distinctive cultural heritage and boasts a wide spectrum of protected natural resources. The Soča Valley, where nature meets culture, is a place of European importance.
Its intangible heritage belongs to mankind: It belongs to you! Experience it your own way: on the Walks of Peace with a guide who will make you feel like you are being escorted by a World War I soldier; meeting artists who turn river stones and sand into stunning shapes and forms; at tourist farms and ecofarms which pamper your senses with natural flavours and experiences; on adrenalinefilled runs down swirling rapids; on panoramic flights over mountains; at tastings of cheese delicacies; on your way along shepherds’ paths, affording views unlike anywhere else. Visit Slovenia’s first European Destination of Excellence, which—blending the past with the present, the natural with intangible heritage—lives hand in hand with principles of sustainable development. You will feel peaceful from head to toe to heart.
Today, alive with playful light and sounds of nature, the valley is a vessel for numerous memories from its chequered past. Listen to the stories of World War I and you will hear the thunder of battle and open your heart to peace. If you come to the Soča Valley at the right time, you can experience first-hand the very special Soča River Stories—a two-day event that links memories of the past, the very best of tradition and resolutions for the future. Put on a soldier’s uniform and become a guard in the spectacular Kluže Fortress. Soldiers from both sides will share their views on war over a cup of army tea. Here you can marvel at unique handicraft artists and enjoy local delicacies.
Soča River Stories vividly portrays the war, cultural, ethnological and natural heritage of the valley, which surprises at every step: with outdoor museums, mule trails running across mountain slopes to front-line positions, and historical remains linked by the Walks of Peace. Kobarid, with one of the leading European museums, features unique war stories of soldiers and civilians. An ossuary of Italian soldiers at St Anton, German ossuary near Tolmin, a medieval fortress with a tunnel at Kluže… Everywhere you turn there is cultural heritage that the locals have preserved thanks to their traditional lifestyles. Log pod Mangrtom Hike (The Walks of Peace Foundation)
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