Sports and recreation
In Solkan, sport has always played an important role. Jure Franko, the first Yugoslav Olympic medallist at the Winter Olympics, and Klement Jug, one of the most important Slovenian mountaineers, are from Solkan, for example. Solkan is also home to good cyclists, athletes and especially kayakers.
We can pretty much say that Solkan is the home of kayaking. There is an artificial kayak track where kayakers can train and compete. There are also races at the international level. The line is located, as locals say, “at the dam”.
Adrenaline sports have also found their place in Solkan. Thus, the Valley of Adrenaline, as some like to call the Soča Valley, begins in Solkan. The best example is bungee-jumping off the Solkan road bridge, which takes you to Goriška brda.
Žogica Sports Centre
Žogica offers two tennis courts, a basketball court, table tennis tables, a volleyball court, a beach volleyball court, kayaking on the Soča River and children’s playgrounds. Not least, Ošterija Žogica can provide you with the most delicious international and local dishes right next to the Soča River. It is located in the northernmost part of Solkan by the famous Solkan bridges.
Hiking
Through the trenches and tunnels of World War I
Solkan – Preval – Sveta Gora – Vodice (Monument) – Preški Vrh – Preval
Starting point: Solkan
Difficulty: helmet use required
Duration: 4h – 4h 30 min
Distance: 9.5 km
Mark: Knafelc blaze
Route description: The starting point of the route is the first Station of the Cross of the pilgrimage route between Preval and Sveta Gora. After 60 m, we turn right into the first tunnel. Then, the trail rises to the left along a round slope, squeezes into a trench and approaches the road to Sveta Gora, under which it winds further to the penultimate road bend (520 m above sea level). You must put on a helmet and headlamp before the 260-metre tunnel. We climb the tunnel with the help of a steel cable. The exit on the north side of the Skalnica Hill is at a height of 545 m above sea level. To the east, past the former military facilities, we climb to the eastern part of the ridge of Skalnica. Only 700 m of walking path remains to the top. Following a 1300-metre descent along a wide gravel road to the intersection on the Preški vrh saddle (503 m), choose the middle path and after 60 m, step onto the path leading to the Vodice monument (652 m). From here, return to Preški vrh, turn right towards Plave and after 450 m, step left onto a gentle path. Following this path, you come to the road curve below Preval and from here, return to the starting point along the tarmac road.
(Source: Pešpoti na Goriškem – Footpaths in the Goriška region, TIC Nova Gorica Tourist Association)
Hiking to Sveta Gora
Solkan – Preval – Sveta Gora
Starting point: Solkan
Duration: 1h 30 min – 2h
Distance: 4 km
Mark: Knafelc blaze
Route description: The starting point of the route is the first Station of the Cross on the pilgrimage route between Preval and Sveta Gora. From there, walk along a wide forest path. After 650 m, turn right onto a steep path and up towards the top of the hill. After an hour of hiking, cross the tarmac road and join the path leading to Sveta Gora from the eastern part of the rocky ridge, along the stairs in two curves below the cemetery.
(Source: Pešpoti na Goriškem – Footpaths in the Goriška region, TIC Nova Gorica Tourist Association)
From Kekec to Škabrijel
Kekec mountain lodge (Sveta Katarina) – Škabrijel – (Vratca) – Guesthouse Kekec
Starting point: Solkan
Duration: 2 h or 3 h 30 min
Distance: 5 km or 8 km
Mark: Knafelc blaze
Route description: Leave your vehicle at the Kekec mountain lodge. Then turn towards Bonetovšče and just before the water intake, turn left along the cart track. At the intersection above it, the cart track turns steeply to the right and passes in front of a fenced property along the bend to the left. There, the path becomes steep and often muddy. The footpath widens just below the peak and then narrows again into between the pine trees. At the top of Škabrijel (646 m), known as one of the cruellest battlefields in World War I, the cut down trees offer a splendid view. The descent to the starting point is along the same route, but you can extend the route by 3 km by descending from the top along the winding path and along the trenches to the east to Vratca. From there, pass the secluded Carli homestead with a beautiful view of the lower Vipava Valley and the Friulian Plain. Follow the footpath which will take you back to the starting point.
Two starting points are also possible from the valley. The first is in the northern part of the Ulica Borisa Kalina Street in Solkan, and the second one is from the end of Sedejeva Street in Nova Gorica. In both cases, the walking time to the top is extended by a maximum of one hour.
(Source: Pešpoti na Goriškem – Footpaths in the Goriška region, TIC Nova Gorica Tourist Association)
Pilgrimage
The most famous pilgrimage route in the Goriška region is to Sveta Gora to Our Lady of Sveta Gora.
The route begins at the car park next to the former Skalnica restaurant just before the roundabout. Along this path, the Stations of the Cross are arranged. They take slightly more than half an hour to complete. The path begins at the first Station of the Cross and leads all the way to the basilica at the top. You can leave your vehicle at the beginning of the road on the extended part or in the parking lot. The route is marked with a Knafelc blaze.
