©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
Western Slovenia & the Soča Valley
Includes Why Go? Soča Valley ...... 111 Rivers don’t come much more scenic than the Soča (pro- Bovec...... 111 nounced so-cha). This aquamarine-coloured watercourse Kobarid...... 114 threads through the Soča Valley (Dolina Soče) from its Nova Gorica...... 117 source in the Julian Alps and gives rise to a smorgasbord of sights like gorges and waterfalls. Loads of activities get Goriška Brda. . . . . 119 travellers up close to the natural splendour from busy cen- Vipava Valley. . . . .120 tres like Bovec and Kobarid, where tour operators help Central adrenaline-seek ers ride river rapids or paraglide from hill- Primorska...... 121 sides. But it doesn’t have to be all high action: cycling and Idrija...... 122 walking trails get you out among stunning panoramas. Cerkno...... 124 As ever in this pocket-sized country, there’s more to ex- plore behind the scenes. There’s rich history to delve into – particularly relating to WWI, when millions of troops fought on the mountainous battlefront here. Tucked away east of the Soča is a Unesco-recognised mercury-mining town, Best Places to and small regions like Goriška Brda and the Vipava Val- Stay ley enchant with idyllic landscapes and long wine-making traditions. ¨¨Dobra Vila (p113) ¨¨Adrenaline Check Eco Place (p112) When to Go ¨¨ Bovec Majerija (p120) inches/mm °C/°F Temp Rainfall ¨¨Nebesa (p115) 30/86 12/300 ¨¨Hotel Kendov Dvorec 20/68 (p124) 8/200 10/50
4/100 Best Places to 0/32 -10/14 0 Eat J FDNOSAJJMAM ¨¨Hiša Franko (p116) ¨¨Topli Val (p116) Feb–Mar See May–Jun Melt- Sep–Oct The Cerkno’s fascinat- water swells the grape harvest – ¨¨Majerija (p120) ing Laufarija Mardi Soča River for the ideal for wine and ¨¨Faladur (p121) Gras in the run-up most dramatic food touring in to Lent. white-water Goriška Brda and ¨¨Gostilna Pri Lojzetu (p121) rafting. the Vipava Valley. #\ #\ #\ #\ #\ #\ #\ #\ #\ #\ #\ #\ #\ #\ #\ #\ #\ #\ #\ R a d i j #\ e e k n t i p l #\ i #\ e e e v s c n B s
#\ l #\ r n
c o s e
z l i a i 1 t o a d a e
R j 6 n l Z l e a H . G V E )
l
e A e
#\ g o
š
a a ). I 0¸
B s a #\ k #\
Ž j o m
r o
k P #\ n
e i R
e 2 h o L 6 g 6 6
6 o 6
i
J R h #\ o k T
S e 6
a L r #\ l B žlikrofi 125 i l c 5 a
a
S a 1 B e a j na Most Ž
L a
( k f U b v B #\ (p
š #\ o
a l A n Franja Franja a k
a e
n a e S or Š k S a S a k s Poljans s r j o t a n a s R
k ) i j j
n n h o e m i ri l o ). z 0 #\ M o e B Id 3 r D o a 6 j o 117 n 1 r a #\ 6 #\ n ( P o #\ v # 7 #\ d a a a 6 a 6 102 a 6 6 # 6 j j a d (p R s i
e s r
k s S c l erk 0¸ u n r r Stretch your legs and and legs your Stretch l the human over Wonder i a l
o i t s l r #\ d j d S V
C i ) t
H I #\ S G o n o s
i H v m #\ i p a spirit at Cerkno’s spirit at Cerkno’s Hospital Partisan 8 at views the admire Soči n d of a plate by followed pockets) pasta (ravioli-like 7 h a a 4 a k a a B
k k l j S z #\ o r r r i v #\ s n g r j i e #\ a i a a
k o 86 B ) d a t r
ž C n P v 2 e p
I
z
j G n i ( T u S a a m l l i r l a r 1 V F a č u o g s ), R
L i j
0 t K i š
n z s #\ r e r 6 n v v
o k a a ) i #\ a i k T 2 e o P
t s R ( h
a 122 m č
s d a M o #\ č j 1 v L i e b R 1 B N i n d c š p A č o #\ (p 6 s r e z 6 6 6 6 Bovec 6 R n a e 1 #\ e r l i R t o V (
t n a g l o k ) l n a k r G r
A e s k e e ž o R m na U j g i
c v d r
T #\ r 2
r #\ o #\ n a G
e Idrija t o
T
Vipava Valley. Vipava r i 2 v
K n a V
i p s n e i P i n t 9
č R
i
v 1
o a V i c Š o (
a m ij l k m R r #\ a
i #\ l M S d
i o I
a č o n
) t ) č a
l T o r a T R o
8 #\
#\ r m a m S # ) S m ey c av 4 l
g u 9 B k e #\ m m 4 7
R r p n v ). n #\
e n al i 0 o 5
J 2 6 ). a o
r v t
e 2
l 4
2 i 2 V V d r s K ( Dine superbly and get and get Dine superbly Push your limits with limits your Push Check out World Heritage– World out Check 103 ( a M
6 R e 6 6 6 6 6 a o 4 m 444 J l 0¸ 120 111 2 i
g a 4 H p ( o R 0¸
č # d /· n m o K (p 5 or canyoning like activities from hydrospeeding (p 6 in history listed 4 wine in indigenous a lesson in the varieties g
a S
a r o l 0 #\ i
ari c 1 e M L c a a #\ i c t i b c n n a r #\ e i a #\ o a ž ) v r
o n p n l )
/ o e o o
K e e K o G l r k
m m i b p d N G i 8m #\ s ec D e 6 e r e e d R r #\ 0 2 #\ m r v 5 5 v e #\ Š p
L #
d 2 r 1 r # o I P
a
o e Kozjak 2 1 l #\ P
( R ( #\ v
B P i
1 r
#\
#\ e
R o
#
). a l Soča
203 v i i
o 6 a
6 6 e
6
6
0¸ z
R č i a n er
S
r
o t
a 119
v k
#\
r a č
S o o i ) in Kobarid. š o r
a
e G R S a 3 (p rd #\
ri n t m ) # o 114 a o o B S Š n n m i c č i ) while rafting or while rafting ) l G 7 u n
o #\ R (p a 8 f a o D ) 5 S
111 e v n K l i d 2 #\ o Y
( o a
h a r
4 L (p d c d M b our the idyllic, under-the- our the idyllic, i H
A n e Marvel over the exquisite exquisite the over Marvel /· T v o #\
Take one of the area’s the area’s one of Take
i
T 0 0 o C I D C (
R 6
6 6
6 6 #\ #\ Goriška Brda Goriška 3 of vineyards and villages radar 2 to walks short loveliest Waterfall River them. on kayaking 1 the of waters green Western Western Slovenia & the Soča Valley Highlights
# e
SSlovenialovenia & &the the Soča Soča Valley Valley Slov enia & the Soča Valley Highlights
Western 110 #\ #\ #\