Things to do
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Bovec
Over the Vršič pass and down into the Soča valley, a small town given over to rafting, kayaking and canyoning on water the colour of glacier milk. Paragliding from Kanin and the wartime tunnels of the Isonzo front add to it, and the Boka waterfall drops nearby. Snowmelt in May and June makes the river fast and cold; the pass road decides the season.
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Lake Jasna
Two artificial pools at the base of the Vršič road hold meltwater from the Pišnica, pale green over a bottom of white gravel with a bronze ibex on the bank. A short walk or cycle from the village centre gets there, and a flat path rings the water. Swimming is permitted, though the temperature stays alpine even in August.
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Planica
Ski flying hills fill a valley south of the village, including the Gorišek brothers' giant where distances beyond two hundred metres were first reached. The Nordic centre below runs a year round wind tunnel, a zip line down the outrun and cross country trails; the March world cup finals draw large crowds. A road and a cycle path lead in from Rateče.
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Vršič Pass
Fifty hairpins climb to 1611 metres over the highest paved pass in the country, built by Russian prisoners of war during the First World War and commemorated by the wooden chapel on the northern side. Cyclists, motorcyclists and hikers heading for Triglav share the road in summer. It is shut by snow from roughly November to May.
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Zelenci
Springs bubble up through white marl at the source of the Sava Dolinka, turning a shallow pool an intense turquoise that holds its colour through the year. A boardwalk and a hide cross the reserve, which is small enough to walk in twenty minutes and rich in dragonflies and marsh birds. Cloudless midday brings out the colour.