“Bovec, ‘capital’ of the upper Soca Valley has a great deal to offer adventure-sport enthusiasts. With the Julian Alps above, the Soca river below and Triglav National Park at the back door, you would spend a week hiking, kayaking, mountain biking and in winter, skiing at Slovenia’s highest ski station without ever doing the same thing twice.”
Lonely Planet – Slovenia
A vast range of activities take place locally on the most unspoilt river in Europe, the turquoise Soca River in the majestic Julien Alps. They can all be organised in Bovec by a number of different outdoor specialists. It is a mecca for adrenalin junkies, outdoor and white water enthusiasts as well as nature lovers. Visit www.bovec.si for information and further links.
www.bovec.si/eng
www.socarafting.si/company/mission_statement/
www.top.si/?lng=eng
www.avantura.org – check out speleology or sledding
www.socarafting.si/company/mission_statement/
www.top.si/?lng=eng
www.avantura.org – check out speleology or sledding
In the Snow
The cable car up Mount Kanin to the ski area is within walking distance (1km) from the house though not advisable with all your ski gear. The car park at the cable car is free of charge. There is also a bus that runs from above our house to the cable car. There are a selection of ski runs ranging from green to black linked by cable cars, chair lifts and drag lifts. See more details on winter activities on the TIC website and see it live on the webcam. There is a restaurant at the top and ski/snowboard rental places at the top as well as down in Bovec town centre. Skiing lessons are available from Kanin Ski School. There are also cross country skiing routes and trails for tobogganing. At no extra charge (depending on the length of your ski pass), you can also enjoy pistes at the Italian ski resort of Sella Nevei just 30km away, or venture over to Tarvisio or Arnoldstein in Austria.
As Mount Kanin is the highest ski area in Slovenia (2220m), it has a long ski season running from December to April/May. Due to the altitude, the pistes seldom freeze allowing you to enjoy skiing on powder during most of the winter and enabling skiing into May. Kanin also offers breathtaking views across the Alps and towards the Mediterranean. On exceptional days you can count the ships in the Gulf of Trieste or see the famous outline of Venice! In fact in April Rob was snow boarding in the morning and kayaking on the river in glorious sunshine in the afternoon!
Water sports
Rafting, kayaking, hydrospeeding and canoeing on the Soca River attract visitors worldwide. There is a 10% to 40% gradient which provides rapids Grades I to IV – which we are told accommodates all levels. The season lasts from April to October. There are plenty of courses that you can go on or just enjoy a day trip or hire the equipment and go on your own provided you know what you‟re doing! Rob has also enjoyed canyoning in which you descend through gorges and jump down water falls up to 13m high.
Mountain Biking
www.outdoorfreaks.si/?mod=Content&sub=202
www.outdoorfreaks.si/?mod=Content&sub=202
Bovec is crisscrossed with trails, paths and roads that are great for mountain bikers. The mountain bike season starts in late March and continues until November. There are a number of well marked bike tracks of varying difficulty including Kanin Mountain Bike Park. The cable car runs throughout the year so that you can take your bikes up and enjoy a free run down! Buy a tourist map of Bovec at the Tourist Information Centre which shows all biking routes. You can also hire a guide to save your map reading!
Walking/Hiking/Climbing
There are plenty of walks from the house across meadows perfect for picnics. It is well worth a walk to the pretty village of Czesoca from Bovec (about 45 mins). There is an exhilarating walk up to Boka Waterfall. Sunflower Guides does some fantastic walks ranging in difficulty (and car tours) around Slovenia (there is a copy at the house for you to use). There are plenty of marked walks in and around Bovec, along rivers, through forests and in the mountains. Take the easy way up the mountain in the cable car and then enjoy walks to some amazing natural features such as the Prestreljenik window and the high mountain lake basins. In Bovec, you are near to the Trenta Valley where you can enjoy a guided walk from the source of the river Soca. Triglav National Park is of course also wonderful for walking.
www.trenta-soca.si/EN/default.asp?id=74
There are plenty of walks from the house across meadows perfect for picnics. It is well worth a walk to the pretty village of Czesoca from Bovec (about 45 mins). There is an exhilarating walk up to Boka Waterfall. Sunflower Guides does some fantastic walks ranging in difficulty (and car tours) around Slovenia (there is a copy at the house for you to use). There are plenty of marked walks in and around Bovec, along rivers, through forests and in the mountains. Take the easy way up the mountain in the cable car and then enjoy walks to some amazing natural features such as the Prestreljenik window and the high mountain lake basins. In Bovec, you are near to the Trenta Valley where you can enjoy a guided walk from the source of the river Soca. Triglav National Park is of course also wonderful for walking.
www.trenta-soca.si/EN/default.asp?id=74
For the more adventurous, you can go hiking in the mountains and climbing up frozen waterfalls. There are a number of mountain huts that you can use if you enjoy staying in the mountains overnight. You can arrange guided hikes.
Paragliding / Gliding
www.bovecsport.com
www.bovecsport.com
You can enjoy solo or tandem paragliding in the winter and summer. You can paraglide from the top of the Kanin cable car, 2000m above the valley floor. Paragliding is best from the Mangrt Saddle (2072m) between June and September. You can also go gliding from the airfield in Bovec often seeing mountain birds of prey above the ever-present turquoise Soca and the green forests on sheer mountainsides.
Horse Riding
www.bovec.si/en/default.asp?id=484
www.bovec.si/en/default.asp?id=484
This would be a lovely way to enjoy the Soca River, Trenta Valley and Bovec surroundings, dipping into the river and being close to nature.
Fishing
www.flyfishing.si
www.flyfishing.si
You‟ll need a permit to try your hand at catching the famous Soca trout. The season lasts from April to October.
Golf
A few minutes drive outside of Bovec there is a beautiful 9-hole golf course. For more information contact the tourist information or see their website
http://www.slovenia.info/?golf_igrisca=139&lng=2
Cultural activities
Just wandering and driving around Bovec, you will see traditional Slovenia with the hay and wheat drying over wooden hayracks (kozolec). You will also see the kranji bee hives with their colourfully painted panels and drawers, where the local honey is made. About 10 mins up the road is Kluze Fort and a short drive from here you can see a typical bee hive with the painted panels. There is a great deal of military history in this area regarding the World Wars and the Soca Front. The Kobarid Museum is meant to be excellent with a multi-vision presentation as well as photos, diaries, military charts etc. There is also a 5km historical walk around Kobarid. You can pick up a free pamphlet from the museum.
Just wandering and driving around Bovec, you will see traditional Slovenia with the hay and wheat drying over wooden hayracks (kozolec). You will also see the kranji bee hives with their colourfully painted panels and drawers, where the local honey is made. About 10 mins up the road is Kluze Fort and a short drive from here you can see a typical bee hive with the painted panels. There is a great deal of military history in this area regarding the World Wars and the Soca Front. The Kobarid Museum is meant to be excellent with a multi-vision presentation as well as photos, diaries, military charts etc. There is also a 5km historical walk around Kobarid. You can pick up a free pamphlet from the museum.
Eating and Drinking
Of course there is a fully functioning kitchen in the house. Mercator is the supermarket where you will get most things. However if you fancy a night off there are lots of restaurants in town. Prices are very reasonable and the food is tasty with an Italian influence. Our favourite is Letni Vrt which has a huge selection of food including “Bear Paw‟. They will also provide anything on the menu as a take away – great if you haven’t got a babysitter! Stari Kovac is a great pizzeria but only takes cash.
Half an hour away in Kobarid is a restaurant called Topli Val at the Hotel Hvala. It is renowned for its seafood and is “probably Slovenia‟s finest restaurant‟. Apparently it is hoping to be the first restaurant in Slovenia to get a Michelin star! A good wine to try here is the Goriska Chardonnay Sauvignon. www.topli-val-sp.si. Fish from the rivers and coast is excellent, accompanied by delicious local wines, which like most things in Slovenia is excellent value. Beer, wine and coffee is not to be missed. It is all superb quality and a fraction of UK prices. Our favourite beer is “Lasko” (green label). The large word on the front of the bottle “Zlatorog” means ‘goat’ (but is not the name of the beer). The Pink Panter is a pub worth mentioning.
Of course there is a fully functioning kitchen in the house. Mercator is the supermarket where you will get most things. However if you fancy a night off there are lots of restaurants in town. Prices are very reasonable and the food is tasty with an Italian influence. Our favourite is Letni Vrt which has a huge selection of food including “Bear Paw‟. They will also provide anything on the menu as a take away – great if you haven’t got a babysitter! Stari Kovac is a great pizzeria but only takes cash.
Half an hour away in Kobarid is a restaurant called Topli Val at the Hotel Hvala. It is renowned for its seafood and is “probably Slovenia‟s finest restaurant‟. Apparently it is hoping to be the first restaurant in Slovenia to get a Michelin star! A good wine to try here is the Goriska Chardonnay Sauvignon. www.topli-val-sp.si. Fish from the rivers and coast is excellent, accompanied by delicious local wines, which like most things in Slovenia is excellent value. Beer, wine and coffee is not to be missed. It is all superb quality and a fraction of UK prices. Our favourite beer is “Lasko” (green label). The large word on the front of the bottle “Zlatorog” means ‘goat’ (but is not the name of the beer). The Pink Panter is a pub worth mentioning.
For young children
In Bovec there is a children‟s playground, swimming pool at Hotel Kanin, short walks past farm animals in fields, meadows for playing and picnicking, cable car up Mt Kanin for mountain trips, airstrip to watch small planes and paragliders fly.
In Bovec there is a children‟s playground, swimming pool at Hotel Kanin, short walks past farm animals in fields, meadows for playing and picnicking, cable car up Mt Kanin for mountain trips, airstrip to watch small planes and paragliders fly.
Tourist information
The Tourist Information centre in Bovec is extremely good and all of the staff speak English well
info@bovec.si
www.bovec.si
www.bovec.net
info@bovec.si
www.bovec.si
www.bovec.net