ZAGREB, July 8, 2020 - Finance Minister Zdravko Maric said on Wednesday that tax cuts were not a guarantee of higher net wages but that efforts would be made to make that happen because of the idea behind tax cuts was higher wages and higher employment and investments.

Answering reporters' questions outside the government offices about the government's plans to reduce income tax rates from 36% to 30% and from 24% to 20%, Maric recalled that the HDZ party's platform envisaged certain tax changes, adding that the party stood behind that and that they would be an integral part of the government's programme as well.

He said that the government would continue with tax reliefs, but not this year since major legislative changes regarding the taxation system always took effect with the start of a calendar year.

Maric noted that lower taxes were not a guarantee that net wages would grow because that depended on employers, and in that context, he recalled that not everyone had lowered prices when the VAT rate was reduced.

"I will always do what is within my power but we cannot force anyone to do it," Maric said, adding that he expected the media to help create pressure so that lower taxes materialise as higher net wages.

He noted that around 1.8 million taxpayers, more than a half, were not subject to income tax so any change in that segment did not refer to them.

He added that the situation with the state budget was "not great" and that after four years of balanced budgets this year would see a rather large deficit, which, he noted, had been compensated for to a large extent with financing activities on the domestic and international markets.

"The situation is under control but challenges still lie ahead," said Maric, noting that the coronavirus crisis did not have to be only a problem and challenge but rather an opportunity to learn lessons and take steps that would put Croatia back on the right track, to be followed by higher growth rates.

ZAGREB, July 8, 2020 - Labour and Pension System Minister Josip Aladrovic confirmed on Wednesday that his ministry and the Ministry of Demography, Family Affairs, Youth, and Social Policy could be joined into a single ministry.

"... We have already announced that the number of ministries will be reduced and we will definitely do it. What is important about such plans is to keep functionality at the same level or increase it," Aladrovic said ahead of a meeting of the inner cabinet.

He noted that in Europe, a single ministry was frequently in charge of labour, the pension system, demography, and social affairs.

"... We want to show that our public administration and government can be equally functional or more functional with a small number of ministers," he said.

Asked if the joining of ministries meant reassignment of staff or layoffs, Aladrovic repeated that the main goal was to increase efficiency and reduce the number of executive posts.

"I would not rule out reductions either," he said.

Aladrovic, too, confirmed that there was a possibility representatives of ethnic minorities would have a ministerial post, noting that an agreement on which ministry they would get had not been reached yet.

State Assets Minister Mario Banozic, too, said today that he had nothing against the joining of his ministry and some other ministry.

ZAGREB, July 8, 2020 - Since March there have been no foreign cruise ships in the Croatian Adriatic because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 15 cruises recorded in the first five months of this year were realised from January through March, down 91.2% on the year.

Cruises resumed after epidemiological restrictions were relaxed but they have mainly been organised by smaller domestic ships, with only a few organised by foreign tour operators at the end of June and early this month.

However, there have been no big liners with thousands of passengers since March and given the increase in coronavirus cases around the world, they can hardly be expected this year, especially in any big numbers.

In the period from January to May 2020, six foreign vessels on cruise arrived in Croatian seaports, down 86% year on year, which realised 15 journeys. There were 3,737 passengers on board these vessels, (-98.5% y-o-y), who stayed for 47 days in Croatia (-86% y-o-y).

The highest number of cruises was realised by vessels under the flag of Malta (12 cruises), Belgium, Italy, and the Marshall Islands.

July 9, 2020 - Sunday's Croatian election was a convincing win for Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic. Political analyst Kresimir Macan on the elections and the new political landscape. (This article first appeared in the print edition of Glas Istre.)

1. What was it that decided these elections, and what is the main takeaway from them?

Jim Messina, Obama's campaign strategist in 2012, once said that the voter chooses without fault the one who guarantees that they'll live better in four-years time, that this is the number one criterion according to which the voters decide, more important than the worldview or values. Plenković told them, in an extremely personalized campaign, to "Play safe" and vote for me because "in a crisis, you see the leaders," and that was a safer choice than the Restart coalition, with a purportedly broken engine during a storm, which is what Bernardić offered, without any guarantees. Croatia got the opportunity to remain firmly in the right-center and move forward, without being forced to be a slave to the extreme right. That's good for everyone - Plenković got a strong mandate with the new HDZ 2.0 in which he and his people can take the country out of the crisis, and he'll have the best and the most vigorous opposition yet. I often say that every government can be only as good as the opposition it has. I'm optimistic, and I believe most people in Croatia are today. Not only because of HDZ's success, but also because of the success of Možemo!, but also Stranka s imenom i prezimenom, Fokus and Pametno, even Most. They bring new names to the political arena, and I'm looking forward to the debates in the new Parliament.

2. Plenković is the absolute winner of these elections, which shows that, like some other nations, the Croatians have a permanent complex of authoritative leaders. It seems that the usual topics discussed before the elections in the countries with developed democracies, such as programs or the results, are entirely irrelevant to most of our voters. What does that say about the level of democracy in our society?

It says that we're becoming a developed society in which other questions have become a priority, primarily because of the economic crisis which is coming with the recession. That we're thinking primarily about our future and not a better past for ustaše and partizani. The voters could've chosen anyone, but they've decided to extend the Plenković's rule, as he's the first prime minister in a long time who left Croatia before the elections in a better situation then it was when he took power. And people felt that most in their wallets, in their paychecks, which grew significantly, both minimal and the average pay. The problem for Croatia is that our counterparts are also growing, some even faster, so to catch up, we need to change some things. That is the next task for the Croatian government, and that's what the Plenković has been given the mandate to do. Look, HDZ has never won before in I. election precinct, the center of Zagreb, and Plenković has won now - that tells you the best what those most demanding voters feel about Plenković. 

3. What are the main causes of the debacle by the Restart coalition? How can you describe such domination by the right-center party, only a few months after Milanović's victory in the presidential elections?

In the end, in addition to a bad campaign, the low turnout was the thing that decided. HDZ and somewhat IDS proved that they have the organization to get the voters out to vote, despite corona. Even Možemo! and Most did that, and SDP doesn't have that ability anymore. So, Restart wasn't able to insert their topics as critical topics in the campaign, create the atmosphere of change, and in the end, their voters stayed home. There was some potential, the polls showed that and IPSOS poll was the best, as usual, but on the election day, you need to turn that potential into votes, you have got to score, get the opponents net. It doesn't count if you played the game well, but end up getting three goals during the added time. 

4. What do the new players bring to the Croatian politics: Domovinski pokret, Možemo! and SSIP, and what does the resurrection of Most mean? 

The final consolidation on the right - HDZ went totally to the right-center, where most of their voters are. Domovinski pokret and Most take the far right, which has its limitations - in seats, it's 50:25 for the center, and then they fight for the same voters, which is not a good position. Most had a good campaign, some new faces, and gave the voters the new motivation to elect them and not Škoro, who somehow lost his footing right before the elections. This is a more natural situation than the one we had in 2015 when Karamarko and the Homeland coalition took HDZ to the far right, and then Most had to fill the position in the center, although they belong in the far right. 

Možemo! is the new, pure left clean, healthy option, built on the protest against how slow Zagreb is being rebuilt after the election, and the anticorruption movement against Milan Bandić, started by Dario Juričan when he ran for the President. Možemo, Fokus, and SSIP created pragmatic coalitions, and that resulted in having known people from the center and left of the political spectrum, which will raise the quality of the Parliament. 

5. The VIII election precinct remains the bastion for the left, but the results here are also indicative of the debacle of the leadership od SDP. What do the results of Grbin and Fabijanić, but also of Jovanić and Obersnel, former heavyweights, mean in that context?

After 104,500 votes in 2016 (if you combine SDP and IDS votes), 68,778 in 2020 is a disastrous result. Strategically and tactically wrong decision to force a coalition with IDS and PGS at any cost resulted in the lowest number of seats for Restart - 8 (they had 6+3 in 2016), and the highest for HDZ (4, compared to 3 in 2016), and even Katarina Peović from Možemo and Marin Miletić from Most managed to get a seat. The results say a lot about how appreciated certain politicians are, even the head of the slate, and how important they are in the field, compared to Peđa Grbin and Vojko Obersnel. When you have preferential voting, there's no hiding behind the party; it's just you and your name. 

6. Can these results direct Grbin towards the SDP leadership? 

This is the significant return of the person nobody counted on anymore, and he will play a major role in the revival of SDP. It's a good thing for Istria to have such a political figure in the Parliament. 

7. IDS got what they counted on, but also is a part of a losing coalition. Will that harm them, would it be better for the party to have won the three seats on their own. 

IDS always knows what to do, and it's essential they got the same result as they would, had they gone independently because the only thing that matters after the elections are your own seats. They can make a difference, and they always use those votes in the Parliament to advance Istria and IDS's agenda. That approach helped complete the Istrian Ypsilon in the full profile, which is something the voters must've rewarded, as well as Oleg Butković, who got the impressive 12,576 preferential votes in a red-and-green district. IDS has been investing smartly for years, and they even scored a bit here because Bernardić damaged the Istrian SDP and basically gifted the victory in the local elections in 2021 to IDS. 

8. Some voters showed that they're bored with years of empty left-wing rhetoric by SDP when they voted for Katarina Peović and that they want someone who holds those positions more strongly. Can this platform become a more important political factor here? Do they have the potential and the people to do so? 

Možemo has the potential to turn into a health green left option, which has been missing from the political arena for years. I believe they're here to stay. I am looking forward to Katarina Peović's interventions in the Parliament - flames will go up, and the voters will have their voice. SDP lost contact with that section of their voters a long time ago, unlike IDS, who's been nurturing it for years because there are no results without the base. 

9. Anton Kliman is not a favorite in the HDZ headquarters, but he managed to get into the Parliament for the second time "from the bench." The former tourism minister got much more votes than the current one, can his result mean his full rehabilitation within HDZ. 

Plenković was smart to throw all of his trump cards on the list, and Kliman was one of the strong ones. He qualified himself for the upcoming local party elections as one of the favorites. Local organizations need to be run by the people who've proven themselves in their work and the campaigns, and Anton is one of them. I wouldn't be surprised if he were offered a position in the executive branch. 

For more on the Croatian elections, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

July 8, 2020 -  The latest news from around Croatia’s airports for flights to Croatia with updates from Zagreb.

Croatian Aviation reports that Croatia Airlines and KLM currently operate on the Zagreb - Amsterdam route, and both companies offer an adequate number of flights between the two capital cities. 

Croatia Airlines operates on this route every day, departing from Zagreb to the capital of the Netherlands in the morning, which allows passengers numerous connections via the airport in Amsterdam.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

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Earlier this month, the Dutch airline KLM also re-established traffic on the line from Amsterdam to Zagreb, which flies only three times a week in July, in the afternoon, on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

As of Tuesday, July 14, Croatia Airlines will offer another additional flight per week in the reservation calendar, every Tuesday, departing from Zagreb in the afternoon. A total of 11 flights are available between Zagreb and Amsterdam daily, in the morning, and the second flight on Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

It is to be expected that KLM will increase the number of flights on this route from the beginning of August. As of the beginning of next month, as many as 15 daily flights should be available on this route.

Furthermore, Croatian Aviation previously reported that due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and reduced demand, SAS does not plan to launch numerous seasonal routes to Croatia from Scandinavia in this year's summer flight schedule.

SAS already operates on several lines to Croatia, from Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm to Split, and from Copenhagen to Pula.

The company has no plans to launch flights to Dubrovnik in July, and it is almost certain that many other routes will also not be in this year's summer flight schedule.

Numerous lines to Split have been canceled

In the summer flight schedule, SAS operated from as many as 9 destinations to Split, while this year only 3 previously mentioned lines will be in traffic.

The company does not plan to launch lines from Tromso, Harstad, Alesund, Trondheim, Bergen, Stavanger, Kristiansand, Aarhus and Gothenburg to Split this year. However, from most of the mentioned destinations, it is possible to travel with one transfer via Copenhagen, Oslo or Stockholm, also with SAS.

Lines from Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm to Dubrovnik are also not on sale and will most likely not be available this year.

Pula Airport and SAS

Pula has been connected to Bergen, Oslo, Stavanger, Gothenburg and Copenhagen in previous summer seasons, but SAS operates only on the line from Copenhagen to Pula and does not plan to launch other lines this summer.

Zadar - a newly planned destination

This summer, the company planned to introduce the Copenhagen - Zadar route and thus add another Croatian airport to its destination network. The flights were originally planned twice a week, but have been completely withdrawn from sale for this year.

Minister Bozinovic has gone from 'just' being the Minister of the Interior to a true household name ever since the coronavirus pandemic broke out earlier this year and the staff members of the National Civil Protection Headquarters began with their daily briefings to the press.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 8th of July, 2020, HDZ is close to forming a new government, but they don't have an easy path ahead of them. This summer's economic forecasts, the first after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, have seen the European Commission additionally increase its estimate of the decline of the Croatian economy to 10.8 percent this year, predicting a partial recovery and growth of 7.5 percent next year.

Let us not forget, just because we seem to have a better handle on the situation now, the coronavirus epidemic is still going on. Minister Bozinovic spoke on RTL Danas (Today) about everything that awaits Croatia, but also about HDZ's agreements behind closed doors.

"All minority representatives said they'd support Andrej Plenkovic as the prime minister-designate of the new government. Of course, our partners from the previous government, HNS and Mr. Cacic, have 76 'hands', and signatures are being collected, I think it's all a technical matter," said Minister Bozinovic, adding that he will visit the President of the Republic as soon as the conditions for that are created: ''Very soon, I think it's realistic for it to happen next week. Maybe this one too,''

Two questions now arise:

Is there a possibility for making sure there are a smaller number of participants at weddings given the current 'boom' in newly infected people having attended them and coronavirus' apparent love of spreading indoors and in close quarters? On top of that, the elections are now over, will there be stricter anti-epidemic measures introduced?

"They [measures] have nothing to do with the elections, we can see that there are hotspots that are local and we're extinguishing them locally. On the one hand, the battle with the virus can be won easily if we adhere to the measures, especially during the summer,'' Minister Bozinovic replied.

The Minister of Health, Vili Beros, mentioned that the possibility of banning weddings is also an option which remains "on the table".

''It's possible that we'll need to reduce the number of participants in wedding ceremonies in some phases. It isn't easy to achieve a balance of joy on the one hand and prevent the spread of the virus on the other. All we're doing now is trying to influence people to avoid situations where the virus is spreading.

It would be too radical to start again with the measures that were in place back in March and April. There will be some intermediate measures like the ones we introduced at nightclubs. There are constant inspections and we see that there are no new appearances [of the new coronavirus] coming from nightclubs. As for weddings, we may be forced to make sure there are a smaller number of participants,'' the pair concluded.

For more, follow our lifestyle page.

July 8, 2020 - There have been no large cruisers carrying thousands of passengers in the Croatian Adriatic since March this year, and there are none even now, in the first days of July, nor can they be found in other nearby seas.

Novi List reports that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there have been no foreign cruise ships on the Croatian Adriatic since March this year, and all 15 realized in the first five months on the Adriatic were from January to the end of March, which is 91.2 percent less than in 2019, announced CBS.

Cruisers or cruise ships have partially continued to operate after the epidemiological measures eased in Croatia, but these are mostly domestic, smaller ships and shorter cruises organized by some domestic agencies and companies, in addition to some other ships of foreign tour operators who started sailing with guests in late June and early July.

However, there have been no large cruisers carrying thousands of passengers in the Adriatic since March this year, and there are none in the first days of July. Given the increase in positive coronavirus cases around the world, it is difficult to expect them this year, especially not in large numbers, since they are now labeled as cradles of the virus. Recall, many of them could not dock in ports during the pandemic but sailed for weeks, and some even months and more waiting for the opportunity to enter and disembark passengers.

Experts, therefore, predict that this immensely growing global industry in the last ten years, although often attacked for polluting the sea, oceans, ports and 'overtourism', will recover the slowest and have the most difficult time from the pandemic.

A significant decline in the number of cruises for international cruises is therefore visible in the Croatian Adriatic, as a total of 15 of these trips in the first five months recorded a decline of 91.2 percent, which means that compared to the same period in 2019, there were 156 less.

All 15 were actually realized in the first three months, after which there were no such trips on the Adriatic in April and May, unlike the same two months in 2019, when there were 49 in April and 88 such trips in May.

These 15 cruises on the Adriatic were made by six foreign ships, which is a decrease in their number by 86 percent or 37 cruisers less than in the first five months of 2019. These ships spent a total of 47 days in Croatia, compared to 386 days in five months of 2019.

On all these trips, just over 3,700 tourists came to Croatia, of which there are so many, and even more, only on one cruise ship at a time. That number is 98.5 percent less than in the first five months of 2019.

Therefore, foreign cruisers arrived in Croatia this year under the flags of only four countries - Malta (which made 12 out of 15 trips), and Belgium, Italy and the Marshall Islands.

To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

July 8, 2020 - TCN travel series The Croatian Road Less Travelled with Marc Rowlands. In this edition, we visit Osijek in eastern Croatia, on the banks of the Drava river and look at things to do in Osijek 

Situated in the far east of Croatia, the city of Osijek is a sizeable distance from the regular coastal or capital city footfall of visiting tourists. Indeed, considering its history, importance and its vast, unique appeal, its surprising just how many Croatians you meet who have also never been to Osijek. Sitting on the banks of the Drava river, the city is the de facto capital of Slavonia and the administrative centre for Osijek-Baranja county and served as a strategically important outpost in the Roman, Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires. Osijek was the first city in Croatia to have a tramway and, after Rijeka, the first Croatian city to be serviced by an international train route (running to Pécs in Hungary via Beli Manastir, this very line was re-opened in 2018).


Osijek's Old Town, Tvrđa, is the largest and best-preserved ensemble of Baroque buildings in Croatia. It sits spectacularly by the Drava river, separated by the defensive walls of its Hapsburg-era fort © Romulić & Stojčić

Why visit Osijek?

Osijek is an incredibly beautiful place and perhaps Croatia's only option which simultaneously offers all the thrills of a genuine city coupled with incredible nature. It's possible to walk from one end of the city to the other passing only through statue-littered parks, the air is constantly fresh and, being Slavonia, the ground is entirely flat, making it a great place for bicycle enthusiasts. It's also a great place for swimming and other water activities such as fishing, rowing and boating. Osijek has a range of great nightlife options; three catering to fans of turbo-folk, two for those who prefer tamburica and Croatian folk music, one for students, one for the alternative crowd and several bars which host live music including jazz. Specialist monthly club nights offer drum n' bass, hip hop, house music and the techno night, Traum, is well known across Croatia and fronted by two of the country's finest DJs in the genre - Insolate and Volster.


Cooling off in the Drava river, right in the heart of the city - just one of Osijek's great swimming options © Romulić & Stojčić

Osijek has, by far, the longest waterfront promenade in Croatia. Both banks of the Drava are pedestrianised. On the side of the city, the prom is lined with parks, cafes, bars and restaurants built within converted river-cruising boats. This side also holds the impressive Osijek city walls, behind which lies the Old Town centre, Tvrđa. On the opposite banks, you'll be walking alongside wild nature, with the vast open-air swimming complex Copacabana at one end and Osijek Zoo at the other. Osijek's pedestrianised bridge links both sides in the middle; it's is one of the city's most iconic sights and looks particularly special at night when colourfully lit.


Osijek pedestrian bridge by night © Romulić & Stojčić

Osijek and wider Slavonia are Croatia's least-heralded gastronomic powerhouses. The cuisine here is as unforgettable as the warm Slavonian welcome. Paprika-rich stews such as čobanac (made with locally caught wild boar and deer), fish paprikaš and perklet are a clear influence of nearby Hungary and most attempts to faithfully reproduce them outside the region fall extremely short. Although all you'll ever hear about is pršut from Dalmatia and Istria, Slavonians are masters of curing pork and even have their own high-quality breed, Slavonian black. Authentic kulen from Baranja is unquestionably the highest quality sausage from Croatia and you'd have to look hard to top Slavonia's paprika or garlic-flavoured kobasice too. In Osijek, as in its wider region, you can go to a restaurant and order one of the best pizzas you'll ever try and pay the same as you would for a starter course on the coast.


A selection of Slavonian meats. Kulen is a speciality of Slavonia and Baranja, the best quality sausage made in Croatia. It is preserved, made from top cuts of pork, richly red from paprika and versions from both Slavonia and Baranja are protected at an EU level. You can spot the one from Baranja by its irregular shape © Romulić & Stojčić

If you're a fishing or hunting enthusiast, this is also the place for you – days floating down the Drava along the 15 kilometre stretch before its confluence with the Danube can be as unforgettable as the monster-sized fish you can catch here. Osijek also makes a great permanent base for travel in the wider region, with trips across the nearby Serbian and Hungarian border offering different cuisines and culture again. The Slavonian white wine industry can also be explored from here. Equidistant between Zagreb, Budapest and Zagreb international airports, it's conveniently placed on the intrepid backpacker's route too.


Rowing on the Drava river in Osijek. The city has produced several champions in the sport © Romulić & Stojčić

How to get to Osijek

Osijek has its own airport. With established internal and international routes, this holds huge potential for the city. However, it is not without its problems. That no public transport service runs between the airport and the city is shameful. Unless you know a local, your only option is a taxi, whose fixed rates are substantially higher than the 25 kuna maximum it will cost you to travel between any two points in the city itself. Conflict between budget airlines and authorities has resulted in some international routes being cancelled. Bargaining budget airlines demand lower landing fees in return for the tourists they can deliver into the local economy. But, largely, those using the routes are not tourists; they are locals from Croatia, Hungary, Bosnia and, in particular, Serbs from Vojvodina, for whom Osijek is the most convenient airport to fly to on their way back from work in Germany or Ireland. Why should Osijek subsidise their travel? One solution may be to implement a passenger landing fee which can be fully recouped by tourists via vouchers for any accommodation they take in the city or wider Slavonia.


Osijek train station, one way to arrive when you visit Osijek © Romulić & Stojčić

Osijek is well connected by bus; you can travel there from Belgrade and Novi Sad in Serbia, from Zagreb, direct from coastal regions Istria, Kvarner and Dalmatia and even from Montenegro, via Dubrovnik and Imotski. It is accessible by train from all of northern Croatia and Zagreb although the lines and stock have not been updated in so long that, shamefully, it's actually quicker to take the fast train from Zagreb to Vinkovci, disembark and take a local bus to Osijek than it is to travel on the direct train there from the Croatian capital.

Where to eat: Slavonska Kuća, Kod Ruže, Vrata Baranje or Čarda kod Baranjca are brilliant, informal places to try traditional Slavonian cuisine, including all dishes mentioned previously. Further out of the city, Ugostiteljski Obrt Varga in Bilje, Citadela and Darócz in Vardarac and Didin Konak in Kopačevo are really special versions of the same. Rustika is the best sit-down pizza restaurant in the city, has a lovely summer courtyard for dining and is extremely affordable.


The courtyard at Rustika, a great, casual place to dine and try Slavonska pizza when you visit Osijek © Grill pizzeria Rustika

Food to go / home delivery: Lipov Hlad and Pizzeria Novi Saloon do the best home delivery pizza in the city (Rustika deliver too). Other choices are thin on the ground, save for the standard fast-food chains and pekara (the El Pan bakery on the edge of Sjenjak hood does the best burek with meat).


Get to know Slavonian wine when you visit Osijek © Vinoteka Vinita

Where to drink: The simple but extremely passionate Vinoteka Vinita is one of the best places to try Slavonian and Croatian wines, with many top and rarer titles sold by the glass. If you're more into beer, Beertija in the modern city centre has a great range. General Von Beckers on Tvrđa is the best place to try the leading local craft ale, Beckers, but all of the bars on Tvrđa are worth investigating and during the summer their terraces stretch far into the historic square creating a unique atmosphere.

What's new? Osijek's football club is undergoing a renaissance following its purchase by new investors. An impressive new stadium is reaching completion and you shouldn't be surprised to see this team challenging for the top domestic titles, or reaching European competitions, in the near future.


Fiš paprikaš is a Slavonian speciality. Spicy from paprika, it is made from river fish and can often be seen being cooked in a large pot over a blazing open fire if you visit Osijek in warmer months © Romulić & Stojčić

What not to miss: The protected nature park Kopački rit is wonderful to visit at any time of year, a sanctuary for all manner of wildlife, particularly rare species of birds. On Tvrđa, Slama Land Art hosts workshops, art and music events and you'll meet great creative types there. There's an extreme sports event, Pannonian Challenge, which sees international competitors visit Osijek and an annual Osijek Beer Festival which feels more like a street party. There's also a music festival called UFO. Osijek Wine Days and the celebrations celebrating the end of term at the city's sizeable university are each year accompanied by great partying and music performances. Look up the art deco Cinema Urania. At over 100 years old, it's Croatia's best independent cinema outside Zagreb. If you're looking for something a little more upmarket than the aforementioned Copacabana outdoor pools, or if you're visiting in cooler months, the renowned Bizovac Toplice is close by and there are free bus shuttle services from the city. It's a sprawling spa complex with multiple pools, offering fun and wellness therapies. But, whatever you do, don't miss the extraordinary and varied architecture of Tvrđa or Slavonian cuisine.


Kopački rit. The nature reserve is a must all year round when you visit Osijek © Misalalic

What to buy: If you're heading somewhere else in Croatia after you visit Osijek, take some Baranja kulen with you for posh sandwiches. Slavonia is famous for its honey, which is protected at an EU level. Take some back home with you. Local designers Lega Lega make cool t-shirts and accessories emblazoned with words exclusively used in the local dialect. Pick up some Slavonian white wine when you visit Osijek. Graševina is the most commonly made white wine in Croatia and the most popular. They make the best Graševina in Slavonia, but also look out for Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc and Traminac too. There are countless excellent wine producers in Slavonia to look out for, including Kutjevo Graševina, Krauthaker, Galić, Trs, Adžić, Kolar, Enjingi, Antunović, Erdut and Iločki Podrumi.


'Lega' in local dialect is short for colleague. It is a term affectionately (and exclusively) used when speaking to someone from Osijek. Try using it when you visit Osijek © Lega-Lega

On these links you can read about the other destinations in our The Croatian Road Less Travelled series:

Ludbreg - a site of Holy pilgrimage where the historic meets the contemporary

Donji Miholjac - a hidden gem in the heart of the Pannonian basin

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

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