Top 14 Caves in Goriška

🪨 Resting place at the caverns A short detour from the wide path to Slap Kozjak leads a few meters up the slope to a small resting place in front of several caverns. The tunnels driven into the rock date back to the First World War: here, above the Soča, were Italian positions of the 3rd defense line, and the caverns served as shelters and ammunition depots. Today, one sits here quietly in the shade of the forest, while below on the main path the streams of visitors head towards the waterfall – a good place for a break with a view of the river through the trees. 🪑 Seating and information board – ideal stop before or after the waterfall 🔦 The caverns are accessible, but dark and damp: bring a lamp, don't go far inside 🤫 Significantly quieter than at the waterfall itself – a particular advantage on weekends 🪜 Access from the main path is short, but stony and slippery when wet 🧭 The detour can be easily combined with the trenches (Jarki) on the east bank

🕳️ World War I Caverns Between the suspension bridge and Slap Kozjak, a dark entrance opens up on the rocky slope next to the path: a cavern of the Italian army from the time of the Isonzo Front. From 1915 to 1917, the Italians built their 3rd line of defense around Kobarid – trenches, positions, and shelters blasted into the rock, intended to provide protection from artillery fire. The structures are part of the Kobariška zgodovinska pot and the cross-border "Path of Peace" (Pot miru). During the breakthrough in October 1917, they were overrun within a few hours. 🔦 Bring a headlamp – a few meters inside it becomes pitch dark, the ground is uneven and damp ⛑️ Don't go too deep: loose rock, no safety measures 🪖 Further restored trenches (Jarki) and shelters are located downstream on the east bank and on the slope below Tonocov grad 📖 Information boards along the path explain the course of the line; the context is presented in detail in the Kobariški muzej 📸 The entrance, with a view of the green forest, makes for an atmospheric photo

The Duga baba is a figure from the folk tales of Posočje: a “wild woman” with long, disheveled green hair, a crooked nose, and black claws, who according to legend lived in the Zadlaška jama above the gorge. From there, she guarded the path to the confluence – she demanded that every stranger carry her piggyback over the bridge. Those who passed were allowed to continue into the gorge; those who failed were served her infamous bread with snot. A wooden sculpture on the Klammweg trail commemorates the legend. ▪️ Sculpture directly on the circular trail, short photo stop ▪️ Information board on site, legend also known in Slovenian as “Duga baba se da nositi čez brv” ▪️ Nice story for children – the bridge at the confluence is “her” bridge

Note the opening hours. The cave will be closed in September 2026. :)

During my visit in August '26, the water level was very low. Months with more water are recommended for a visit!

One of the three ice caves in the Tarnova forest, certainly the most evocative and best to visit. The last section of descent is a path that is sometimes steep and with numerous wooden steps. I recommend descending with appropriate shoes, you can reach the entrance of the cave which we can admire from the terrace equipped with railings (one section is broken).

The Sabotin connects two countries and impresses with wide views of the Adriatic Sea and the Alps. Once the scene of turbulent history, the mountain today delights with its extraordinary biodiversity.

Divje jezero is a karst siphon lake (Vaucluse spring), located approximately 2 km south of Idrija. The type of karst spring - Vaucluse spring is named after the Fontaine-de-Vaucluse spring in the Vaucluse region of Provence in southern France, east of Avignon. Springs of this type are characterized by the fact that water flows to the surface from great depths under pressure through steep channels. The lake lies in a stone cauldron under the hundred-meter cliffs that border this northern edge of the Črnovrška plateau. Divje jezero is also a karst spring, as water flows into the lake from a steeply descending trench, which has been explored to a depth of 160 m so far. Although the lake surface is usually calm, after heavy rains there can be strong eruptions of water, up to 60 m³/s. The Jezernica River flows from Divje Jezero, which is the shortest surface-flowing river in Slovenia and flows into the Idrijca River after 55 meters. The water temperature in the lake fluctuates only between 7 and 10 °C throughout the year. The lake was protected as a natural monument in 1967 and since 1972 has been arranged for visitors as the first Slovenian open-air museum.