Places of Interest - Slovenia

"bovec"

introduction

The small town "Bovec" is the capital of the "Soca" valley and is located in the centre of the “Julius” Alps and is visited by many tourists - in summer and winter. With many hiking- and biking trails (including to "Triglav" national park) through the valley but also in the mountains you won’t be bored. "Bovec" is also the center for kayak trips, canyoping and rafting on the wild azure "Soca" river. For years the region was ruled by the Habsburgs by small and short interruptions by Turkish attacks in the 15th century. Napoleon invaded from here (see Napoleon bridge) twice Austria in 1797 and 1809. Finally, the "Bovec" valley was under attack for months during WWI - on the so-called "Isonzo" or "Soca" front. Many remains of the battle can still be visited and seen until today. The city "Bovec" was shot to ruin and has been completely rebuilt. Numerous restaurants, cafés and hotels can be found in the center.

highlights

"Ravelnik":

At about 1.5 km outside the center on the road to the north you will find a kind of parking lot for cars. If you follow the forest path that starts here you end up at the “open” museum of "Ravelnik" - which means that you can visit it and do not have to pay an entrance fee. Here you will find an interesting information panel about the battle that took place here during WWI. This defense-complex was part of the first line of the Austrian-Hungarian front and is located on the hill "Ravelnik". You can take a self-guided tour of all the bunkers that have been built on the small hill. You walk under aluminum curved plates in restored trenches where steel plates, stones in iron trays and peepholes can be seen. There is still a small wooden house and you can take a look in the cave underneath the hill. Finally, machine gun nests and small bunkers can be seen.

"Celno":

You can visit this site by means of a small hike through the valley - from "Ravelnik" for example. This outside museum can be found on mountain "Svinjak" above the village "Kal Koritnica" via a narrow forest- and gravel path. It was due to WWI a fortified position occupied by the Hungarian-Austrian army. The stone trenches are laid out in a square and are still in a good condition. You can discover two large machine gun nests, a kitchen, an observation post and it also contains two houses and a shelter. You have a beautiful view over the "Bövec" valley, mountain "Rombon" and the other surrounding mountains and hills. So even when you’re not interested in war-sites this place can be enjoyable as well.

Fort "Kluze":

About 4 km from "Bovec" on the road to "Tarvisio" (Italy) lays fort "Kluze" built in the 15th century. Totally rebuilt under "Austro-Hungarian" rule in 1881-1882 it is now a museum which can be visited as a tourist. During WWI the fort was used as a commandcenter and as barracks for reserve army-units. Despite many attempts to bomb the fort, it remained unharmed. From here you can take a walk (30 minutes) to "Fort Hermann" which lies halfway up "Rombon".

Other attractions:

The war cemetery near the intersection of "Log Pod Mangartom" and "Soca".

history

During the Bronze- and Iron Age the region around "Bovec" was already inhabited. At the reinforcement "Ravelnik" (see “highlights” above) a number of utensils were found. In Roman times the "Bovec" valley was part of the province "Venetia et Histria". In the city itself you can still see a partially preserved Roman road that leads from "Aquilea" to "Tarvisio" (Italy). The Kluze fortress (see above) was built in the 15th century (1472) probably as a defense of "Friuli" against the Turks in the course of the next century under Austrian rule as a result of the wars between "Venice" and the "Habsburgs". In 1796 Napoleon's army passes through the valley and there was fighting around the fortress "Kluze". During WWI, the entire region (between Karst and mountain "Rombon") is largely razed to the ground - the area is located exactly on the border between the former double monarchy (Hungary and Austria) and Italy that began ten months after the actual war started. The Italians changed sides and decided to fight with the Allies.

In 1918 Italy occupied Western Slovenia and from 1922 “Fascisme de la Frontiera” came to flourish, an economic, political and cultural repression. After the collapse of Italy in 1943, the Germans occupied the valley. In May 1945 it was liberated by Slovenian partisans, soon followed by British allies. From 1945 to 1947, Bovec forms part of zone B (see also Trieste in Italy). From 1947, when the Free Zone Trieste is established, Bovec became part of Slovenia, in the period up to 1991 also as part of Yugoslavia.

tips & advice (2013)

Bovec - Kranjska Gora: there seem to be about 4 to 5 buses daily, but strangely enough I didn’t see one bus actually leaving. I hitchhiked again and went via "Tarvisio". Locals reminded me that the other route (via "Vrsic") takes much longer due to the rough terrain, besides the fact that only tourists drive there (and no locals).

Next to the campsite "Polovnik" (see accomodation) is a nice and cozy restaurant-café. It is not the cheapest I have seen in Slovenia but I had my best meal here - "Zlikrofi" (11 euros). Watch out because there is a tax of 10% on the price.

Name: Camping "Kamp Polovnik"

Address: Ledina 8

Price: 7 euro + 1 euro + 0.50 = 8.50 euro

Phone nr. : +386 (0) 5 3896007

Website: www.kamp-polovnik.com

Content:

This is the nearest campsite of "Bovec" located on a fairly busy road. There is a fenced area and an open area with only tents. Within the fence-area, what I can remember is only caravans and some "fixed" houses. The disadvantage here is that the reception is only present at certain hours and there is actually no public area to sit as a camper. There are no trash cans on the big field, benches, there is no lighting and you have to watch out for your stuff here if you are absent all day. The restaurant café brings solace but is not part of the campsite. From the center it is about 500 meters walking distance. On the corner of the street (direction "Kluze" for example) is also a café with terrace but also a handy supermarket. You have to pay 0.50 for the shower and the hot water period does not take long.

All villages here in the Alps look a bit like each other (which is not so strange) - many motorcyclists and cyclists and a lot of tourism come here to enjoy. There are many campsites and accommodation options. The area is a bit like Austria and northern Italy, which is not surprising because of the close proximity. If you are interested in WWI, you can get a leaflet at one of the many information agencies (TIC). The trail is called "Walk of Peace" and runs from the Alps to the Adriatic Sea.