Its name derives from the Latin Aesontium, or perhaps Sontium, hence the Slovenian name Soča, It flows through ravines and caves, and encountering and shaping history since ancient times.

The Isonzo is a spectacular river, with its rapids, the emerald hue of its waters, the nature that surrounds it, and the history that permeates it. Today, it is an oasis of peace, friendship, environment, and brotherhood among the peoples, cemented by the nomination of Gorizia/Nova Gorica as the European City of Culture 2025. At its mouth lies one of the most interesting natural parks in the Mediterranean, Isola della Cona, on the Italian stretch of the river where it flows into the sea.