Soča Valley

Introducing Soča Valley

The region of the Soča Valley (Posočje) stretches from Triglav National Park to Nova Gorica. Its most dominant feature is the 136km Soča River, which can widen to 500m and narrow to less than a metre but always stays a deep, almost unreal aquamarine colour. The valley has more than its share of historical sights, but most people come here for rafting, hiking and skiing.

The Soča Valley has been an important trade route between the Friulian Plain and the alpine valleys since the earliest times. It was the site of several Hallstatt settlements, evidenced by the rich archaeological finds unearthed at Most na Soči, Tolmin and Kobarid. Under the Romans the valley was on the important road between Noricum and the province of Histria.

The proximity of Venice and the Napoleonic wars of the late 18th and early 19th centuries restored the valley’s strategic role. The railway to Bohinj brought modern transport between the Sava Valley and Gorica for the first time in 1906, and during WWI millions of troops were brought here to fight on the battle front stretching from the Karst to Mt Rombon. Between the wars, Primorska and the Soča Valley fell under Italian jurisdiction. Many Italians were expelled or left the province voluntarily after WWII.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009