Karstrip: A Comic-Style Tourist Guide to the Borderless Karst
As part of the European project BORDERLESS OKUS, a comic-style tourist guide titled Karstrip has been published, offering an engaging and imaginative introduction to the natural, cultural and gastronomic heritage of the cross-border Karst. Released in four languages, the publication connects Gorizia, Nova Gorica and the wider Karst region while conveying a powerful message: the border exists only on the map.
Co-financed by the European Union, the project BORDERLESS OKUS presents Karstrip as an original and story-driven guide to the shared Karst landscape. Through the expressive language of comics, the publication invites readers on a vivid journey across the area between Slovenia and Italy, revealing its remarkable landscapes, cultural heritage and distinctive culinary traditions.
The story symbolically begins at the border between Nova Gorica and Gorizia, on the square in front of the Nova Gorica railway station, establishing the central idea that borders are merely lines on a map rather than barriers in people’s everyday lives. From there, the route unfolds across the wider Karst region – from the Gorizia Karst towards the sea, passing through Štivan, Križ, Trieste and Muggia, before turning inland towards Lipica, Sežana and back to Gorizia.
Along the way, the comic reveals the defining characteristics of the Karst landscape, its geology and mysterious underground world, the legacy of the First World War and the literary traces of notable writers who were inspired by the region. Karst gastronomy also takes centre stage, highlighting traditional dishes and products such as šelinka soup, štruklji dumplings, honey from reseljika, olive oil from the belica variety, the dessert Rigojanči, and the renowned wines Teran and Vitovska. In this way, the guide weaves together landscape, history, literature and the authentic flavours of the Karst.
Karstrip represents a contemporary approach to interpreting place and heritage. By using the visual storytelling of comics, it makes complex cultural narratives accessible to a wider audience, particularly younger generations, while encouraging visitors to explore the cross-border region in a fresh and curious way. The guide is available in Slovenian, Italian, English and German and can also be accessed online free of charge.
The publication was conceived by Aleš Pernarčič, while the texts, illustrations, editorial preparation and cover artwork were created by Jakob Klemenčič. The Italian translation was prepared by Robi Jakomin, the English version by Nives Mahne Čehovin, and the German edition by the Julija Translation Agency.
The BORDERLESS OKUS project promotes enogastronomy as a gateway to discovering the cross-border Karst and raises awareness of the importance of cultural heritage and the sustainable stewardship of the landscape. The project is funded by the GO! 2025 Small Projects Fund within the Interreg VI-A Italy–Slovenia Programme 2021–2027, managed by the EGTC GO. The main project partners are LAS Kras and the ORA Kras and Brkini Development Agency.
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