Slovenia's So?a Valley Has Hiking, River Rafting, Skiing, and One of the Best Tasting Menus in the World

Hi?a Franko, chef Ana Ro?’ serene farmhouse restaurant in Kobarid, Slovenia, is a major incentive for travelers to venture outside the capital city of Ljubljana. Dinner here is well worth the trek. But how do you actually get there? And what else is there to do?

Turns out, the celebrated restaurant is far from the only draw in the rugged So?a Valley, which follows the So?a River as it runs from the Julian Alps to the Adriatic Sea. And getting there is easier than you might think — giving you plenty of reason to linger after your meal.

Hi?a Franko is just a few miles from the Italian border, reachable from both Ljubljana and Venice in about two hours by car. The restaurant team can arrange a taxi transfer, but it’s cheaper and more convenient to go with a rental car for maximum exploring.

Once you’re there, you can stay at one of the 10 rooms attached to the restaurant, a former countryside inn where Ro? and her family live and work. You might also want to make your base at one of the area’s many mountain lodges, like the design-forward Nebesa Chalets. The four exclusive-use villas have floor-to-ceiling windows with views of Triglav National Park, plus a furnished patio and access to both the wine cellar and the Finnish sauna.

These stunning landscapes offer plenty of ways to work off your 20-course tasting menu. Ramble through the stunning alpine terrain, perhaps tackling the 15-mile So?a Trail, which starts at the river’s source and takes you through the Mlinarica Gorge and across a hanging bridge with the bright, blue-green pools of Kr?ovec below you.

You can also do a river-rafting expedition or take to the mountains by zipline, via ferrata, or cable car. Visiting in the winter? Kanin-Sella Nevea Ski Resort is one of the best in Slovenia.

Read about Hi?a Franko and the rest of the World’s Best Restaurants here.