Tolmin sits at the meeting of two rivers, the Soča and the Tolminka, in a broad green bowl where the Julian Alps begin to soften toward the Friulian plain. It is the main town of the middle Soča valley, a place with three and a half thousand people, a handful of shops, a market and a cheerful, workaday air, and it makes a good base for riders in the region. Kobarid lies up the valley, Kanal further down, and the Italian town of Cividale del Friuli is beyond the hills to the west.
The big attraction is Tolmin Gorge, a short drive from the town. The Tolminka and the Zadlaščica have carved a deep, narrow canyon in the limestone, and a path with bridges and steps runs through it, past a spot called the Devil's Bridge, a natural stone arch high above the water. It is a half-day walk in beautiful, dripping, cool shade. The valley's cheese, Tolminc, is a hard, sweet, nutty cheese made in alpine dairies and protected by a designation of origin, and it is worth buying a wedge for the saddlebag.
Tolmin has a more dramatic history than its calm appearance suggests. In 1713 peasants of the district rose in rebellion against their feudal lords, and the revolt was bloodily put down. In the First World War the town lay close to the front line and was shelled repeatedly, and most of it was rebuilt afterward. Today the main street has a pleasant, unhurried feel.
The road along the Soča valley from here is superb. It winds north to Kobarid and Bovec through narrow gorges, wide meadows and little villages, and south toward the lake at Most na Soči. The curves are smooth and open, the surface excellent, and the views are dazzling. Early morning is best, before the cyclists and the heat. Fuel is available in Tolmin itself, and there are supermarkets, bakeries and cafes where you can sit with a coffee and a pastry. Be aware that summer afternoons can bring sudden storms, and the rivers rise quickly when the rain comes down.