Introducing The Soca River
The Soca River or Isonzo as it is called in Italian a 138-kilometre long river that flows through western Slovenia and northeastern Italy. The river runs past the towns of Bovec, Kobarid, Tolmin, Kanal ob Soci, Nova Gorica, and Gorizia, entering the Adriatic Sea near the town of Monfalcone.
Due to its incredible emerald water, the river was nicknamed The Emerald Beauty and is one of the rare rivers in the world that retain such an amazing colour. The river is a very popular with water sports enthusiasts.
Soca River Review
Soca is the most picturesque river in Slovenia. Starting in the Trenta valley in the heart of the Triglav National Park, it flows by the towns of Bovec, Kobarid, Tolmin, Most Na Soci and Nova Gorica, where it crosses the border into Italy and then continuous its journey through northeastern Italy to the Adriatic Sea. It is known for its gorges and its amazing emerald green color, which is why it was nicknamed ‘the emerald beauty’. Many consider Soca to be one of the most beautiful rivers not only in Slovenia but in the whole of Europe and beyond. It looks so beautiful, almost unreal, that the Disney company chose to film the epic fantasy adventure film Prince Caspian by its banks. The pristine beauty of this emerald river has inspired famous poets from Italy and Slovenia, and continues to attracts and wow nature lovers, photographers and water sports enthusiasts from all around the world to this day.
With the extraordinary surroundings of the Triglav National Park, Soca truly is a nature’s paradise. It is chillingly cold (even at the peak of summer), crystal-clear, and looks like it comes from a children’s storybook. In places where it is slow enough (like near the town of Most Na Soci) is great for boating and SUPing. In faster moving spots (like near the town of Bovec) it is fantastic for rafting, kayaking, and canoeing. In more recent years, canyoning (swimming in river pools, conquering waterfalls and canyons), and hydrospeeding (river descents with hydrospeed boards) have also become very popular activities on the river. The Soca River’s riverside towns, most notably Bovec, are packed with travel agencies offering a large variety of water activities.
Soca is also one of the premier fishing destinations in Slovenia. It is not just the abundance of fish and the beauty of the crystal clear emerald green water, but also its setting in the Triglav National Park that attracts fishermen from all over the world. Plus, Soca is known for a rare species of fish that lives in its waters – the marble trout, known in Slovenia as the Soca trout. Endemic to the Adriatic watershed, the species is only found in a few rivers that flow into the Adriatic Sea, and Soca is one of its most important habitats.
Besides being a haven for water sports enthusiasts, the river also attracts photographers and nature lovers who can just sit on the banks and marvel at the remarkably eye-catching waters in a shade a sparkling emerald. The most spectacular spot of the Soca river is the Great Gorge or Velika Korita as it is called in Slovene, located next to the road from Bovec to Trenta immediately before the Soca village. It’s 750 meters long, 15 meters deep and at its narrowest section only two meters wide. What makes this gorge so remarkable is its precisely smoothed and sometimes overhanging rock walls, its narrowness, and the beautiful emerald green shade of the water. Another great spot for photographing the river is the Napoleon Bridge near the town of Kobarid. The bridge is attractive itself but the dramatic setting over the emerald Soca below makes it even more incredible.
There are also numerous hiking trails leading alongside the river and steeply upward into wild rugged land of the Julian Alps. It’s difficult to believe that a landscape so gorgeous could be a source of great carnage. But a century ago (1914-1918), a series of important battles took place along the Soca valley during the World War I. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians died. There is a remarkable, internationally acclaimed WWI museum in the town of Kobarid which tells this story.
The most popular yearly event on the Soca River is a bridge diving competition that takes place every August in a lovely little village of Kanal Ob Soci and features divers from Slovenia and abroad jumping into the emerald water from a wooden construction mounted on this picturesque bridge over the Soca river.
There is no doubt that the Soca River is one of the most incredible natural wonders in Slovenia. One needs to visit it and experience its beauty and everything that it has to offer.
Soca River Pictures
View our image gallery with 14 high-resolution photos that prove you absolutely have to visit the Soca River!
Two photos below by Gregor Kacin
The Soca river at the town of Most Na Soci.
The Soca river flowing under a twin-arch bridge at the town of Kanal Ob Soci.
Next 2 photos below by Miroslav Asanin
The Great Gorge of the Soca River.
The beautiful Soca at its beginnings.
Photo by Denis Sodrznik
Another photo of the Great Gorge of the Soca River.
Photo by Daniel Tomanovic
the Great Gorge of the Soca River can easily be accessed by the road leading from the town of Bovec to the Trenta valley, immediately before the village of Soca.
Next 2 photos below by Bojan Kolman
The river has more then 20 suspension footbridges to walk over to the other side.
Soca offers fantastic possibilities for kayaking, canoeing, rafting, canyoning, hydrospeeding and more.
Photo by Erich Reisinger
One of many suspension footbridges over the Soca river.
Photo by Masa Vodenik
Every year between April and October, the river draws water sports enthusiasts from all over Europe.
Next 3 photos below by (photo: Domen Dolenc)
This is how beautiful the Soca river looks from the Napoleon Bridge near the town of Kobarid.
The untamed Soca River is one of the few unspoiled rivers in the entire European Alps.
Kanal Ob Soci is a little medieval town that straddles both banks of the Soca River.
Photo by Blaz Gvajc
The crystal-clear Soca River at its beginnings.
River Soca location on the map
The friendly and relaxed town of Bovec is the adventure tourism capital of Slovenia. Situated in one of the most beautiful and unspoiled valleys in Europe, the River Soca valley, Bovec is packed with travel agencies offering a large variety of water activities, including white-water rafting, kayaking, canoeing, canyoning and hydrospeeding. Besides being a haven for water-sports enthusiasts, Bovec also attracts nature lovers and those seeking rest and relaxation. |
| The accommodation options in Bovec can be divided into five main categories: hotels, guesthouses, apartments, hostels and campsites. |
The town of Bovec is known as the adventure tourism capital of Slovenia and there are quite a few hotels in the area, so you won't have any trouble finding a place to stay. We have reviewed five of them which we think are the best and worth staying at. Read on and find out which one best suits your needs and budget. |
Many local residents in Bovec offer apartments for rent in their houses. It's an extremely popular wallet-friendly option when you are staying in the Bovec area. But be careful, the rates and quality vary seriously, so always do a good research before you book an apartment for your stay! We have handpicked ten of the most popular ones and reviewed them for you. |
Guesthouses are a very popular inexpensive form of lodging in Slovenia and have been in use for many decades, but at the moment we can recommend only one guesthouse in Bovec. |
There are three very popular hostels in Bovec. We have reviewed all three of them, so read on and find out which one best suits your needs and style. |
Camping and glamping sites are an increasingly popular option for travelers who want to experience Mother Nature without surrendering their creature. We stayed at four different camping and glamping sites in the Bovec area and would like to recommend two of them. |