Soca Valley, Slovenia

Crossing the border into Slovenia we noticed two things immediately. One, the beautiful Julian Alps and two, the old bombed out shelters and abandoned tanks on the sides of the road. It was alot to take in. When we pushed further into Slovenia, we started descending into the Soca valley from 8,000 feet up on a narrow two lane road with tons of twists and turns. It was breathtaking to say the least. 

 

How often do you get to climb on a Soviet era tank?!

This valley is an outdoor enthusiast's paradise. Paragliding, river rafting, kayaking, hiking and spelunking are many of the activities offered and people come from all over the world to experience. 

The river is an inviting shade of aquamarine which is why its nickname is "the emerald river". 

The hiking trails were full of dense, lush, green forest with an abundance of waterfalls. It was nice because it moderated the canyons and kept them cool.  

To be honest, the real reason we went to this valley was because we watched the docuseries Chef's Table on Anna Ros who was awarded best female chef in the world. So like a homing pigeon finding its way home, we had to find our way to Hisa Franko. We opted for the tasting menu which provided a variety of food from the local forest and streams. This was the first time we had ever tried bear. The texture was coarse and a bit off for me, but always a pleasure to try new things. Bogi of course liked it!! Which by the way they were super dog friendly, even offering a blanket for Bogi to lay on. 

Anas' husband runs the cheese and wine program. He has taken Tolmin
cheese and become the first person to age it. It was very interesting to do a vertical cheese tasting and taste the different stages of aging. 

This little valley has a lot going on and Hisa Franko will continue to lure travelers (and food critics) to discover this beautiful region of Slovenia. It is only a matter of time before direct flights will begin from the States, so best visit soon while it is still peaceful and not overrun with tourists.