Kolpa River

The Kolpa runs along the whole southern edge of White Carniola as the border with Croatia, and it is reckoned the warmest river in Slovenia, reaching the high twenties in summer, which has made its banks a swimming and canoeing region rather than a scenic one. It is shallow, clear and slow over gravel, with willows and small beaches, and villages along it rent boats and run campsites. A landscape park protects a long stretch of the Slovenian bank.

History

The river, called Colapis in Roman times, is 297 kilometres long, and 118 km of it forms the border between Croatia and Slovenia. In 1899 the notary of Brod, M. Pavelić, set out to dig an easier path down to its source (Wikipedia, Kupa).

The landscape

• The swimming reaches - shallow, clear, slow water over gravel with small beaches.
• The canoe stretches - easy paddling with rentals in the riverside villages.
• The landscape park - a protected stretch of the Slovenian bank and its meadows.
• The border villages - old settlements along the water on both sides.

When to go

June to September for swimming, with July and August warmest and busiest. Spring brings higher water and better paddling. Winter is quiet and the villages largely close.

Good to know

It is a border river and both banks are watched; crossing to the Croatian side casually is not legal. Summer weekends fill the campsites. The water level drops in dry Augusts and some stretches become too shallow to paddle.

Nearby

Crnomelj is north, and Metlika is northeast.

Key facts