Tolmin and the Soča Valley

“Where is Tolmin?” is a question many people ask, even some Slovenes.

You might find it hard to believe that anyone in Slovenia wouldn’t know where Tolmin is located, but it can happen – in fact, quite often. You’d think people would learn this in elementary school, but we’re not too upset about it.

Tolmin is a tiny dot on the back of our chicken-shaped country. It’s a small town, but a town nevertheless. It has a single set of traffic lights – well, there are several, if you count those on road sections that are being repaired or upgraded. However, this means that Tolmin is now much better connected to other parts of the country and thus recognised by those who once wondered about its whereabouts.

Tolmin is so much more than a small town in the upper Posočje region. It sits on the banks of one of the world’s the most beautiful rivers – the Soča River. The town lives and breathes with the river, which dictates a large part of the lives of its people.

Tolmin is a site of history and culture: Count Coronini and the great peasant uprising of 1713, the German Ossuary, the Tolmin Gorges, Javorca, and other reminders of World War I..

Tolmin is tourism and unspoilt nature: cycling, rafting, kayaking – with a guide or on your own. From up high or down by the water, you just have to love Tolmin and its surroundings. In every season, you’ll find hidden spots in this beautiful and vibrant landscape where you can nourish your soul, find new ideas and solutions, or simply enjoy life.

Tolmin is also home to many sports: football, kayaking and canoeing, with successful athletes and teams proving that anything is possible if you have the will to do it.

Last but not least, Tolmin stands for solidarity, represented by dedicated mountain rescuers who are probably the most busy in the country, as well as volunteer firefighters, always ready to help anyone in need. The natural surroundings give Tolmin a touch of wilderness. Occasionally, you’ll get a glimpse of bears or wolves, although various game, sheep, goats and cattle are much more common. And, of course, there’s the much-prized marble trout, hiding from prying eyes and drawing fishermen from near and far.

We’re quite far away – or is it perhaps you who is far away from Tolmin? Once you visit Tolmin, you’ll want to keep coming back. You might even decide to stay here for good – and never again ask where Tolmin is.