September 26, 2022 - Without a doubt, the biggest outdoor festival in Croatia last weekend was the two-day 17^th Vinski Bor Wine Marathon in Zmajevac, for which more than two thousand "marathoners" signed up from Croatia, Hungary, Serbia, Germany...

Dubravka Petric / PIXSELL

As Glas Slavonije writes, the first day, according to the tried-and-tested recipe, was reserved for the "Premium Marathon", where visitors had the opportunity to taste the best of the best, top-quality wines from Baranja winemakers. The guests of the premium wine marathon were the singer Tijana Dapčević, who represented North Macedonia at the Eurovision Song Contest, the Hungarian violin virtuoso, Bernadett Nyári, and The Frajle. One of the "Frajle", Jelena Buča, presented her first book before the concert in the Zajec wine cellar. The premium wine marathon was opened by MP Robert Jankovics, accompanied by two presenters - special guests of this year's marathon, Renata Sopek and Monika Molnar.

Dubravka Petric / PIXSELL

Some of the guests at the opening were led by the consul of the Consulate General of Hungary in Osijek, Zoltán Császár, the director of the Economica Hungarika foundation Hajnalka Palizs-Tóth, and the executive president and vice presidents of DZMH Oliver Matijević, Erik Munk, Janoš Andoči, Kristian Palinkaš and Zoltan Čerepeš. On the second day of the event, on Saturday, thousands of people, with glasses in their hands, "ran" through the surduks of Zmajevac. This year, the marathon runners could also choose where to start their wine adventure, on the red, green or yellow wine road, that is, in Katolički or Reformatorski Surduk, or in Ružina Street.

Dubravka Petric / PIXSELL

For those who could not resist the competitive spirit, a formal winner of the marathon was presented - the one who first visited all the cellars and returned to the start, i.e. reached the finish line with all the stamps. But this is the least talked about, because almost no one goes to Zmajevac to compete, but to have a good time. The wine marathon is, in fact, as if created for the well-known sports saying "it is important to participate". Anyone who has visited the wine capital of Baranja during the Marathon returns again and again. Because every new marathon is a new experience, the excellence of which is guaranteed by top winemakers (this year 22 winemakers offered their wines), breathtaking landscapes, plenty of music and good vibes offered in the surduks of Zmajevac.

Dubravka Petric / PIXSELL

The Wine Marathon is a festival through which the people of Zmajevac simultaneously promote the culture and customs of the Hungarian community, the economic interests of local winemakers, but also the unequivocal interests of promoting tourism in Baranja. And that this is indeed the case, proof is the busy accommodation facilities in Baranja last weekend. According to the estimates of the organisers, during the two-day event, more than 10,000 visitors passed through Zmajevac surduks. The partner countries of this year's marathon were Hungary and North Macedonia.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Lifestyle section.

July the 13th, 2022 - The Baranja village Zmajevac is the Croatian candidate for the Best Tourism Villages, which will shine a spotlight on Croatia's enormous rural tourism potential away from the glitz and glam of the Adriatic coastline.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the Baranja village Zmajevac is a Croatian candidate for the aforementioned Best Tourism Villages, a designation under the auspices of the UN World Tourism Organisation that is awarded to a village that is an outstanding example of a rural tourist destination, writes Dnevnik.hr

Zmajevac is a village deep in the heart of the Eastern Croatian region of Baranja which is very well known for its sourdough, is surrounded by vineyards and wine roads, and which boasts a rich offer of local specialties.

Caslav Kostov, head of a tasting room there, spoke about some of the most popular products the Bsranja village Zmajevac can boast of: "Tourists most often choose local fish specialties. Of course, there's also duck meat, not to mention loin, Slavonian black pig cheeks, black pig neck... As for the desserts, the most common are local pastries with jam and poppy seed noodles," he said.

Almost every single house in the village has a wine cellar, but the Gerstmajer family is the forerunner in Zmajevac, as well as in the whole of Baranja. Ivan is the fourth generation in his family to be doing this: "We currently own thirteen hectares of vineyards. Our primary activity is the production of grapes and wine, and we also offer some homemade food that my father and I prepare ourselves," said Ivan Gerstmajer, a winegrower and winemaker.

In addition to the rich gastronomic offer and the famous ''wine marathon'' to be enjoyed in this Eastern Croatian destination, the local nature offers visitors to the Baranja village Zmajevac a true oasis of peace.

"I also gave the rooms I let out local names from this area,'' said restaurateur Blazenka Nadj. "My guests are mostly from the City of Zagreb, but we also have a lot of foreign guests, as well as a lot of hunters, fishermen and companies that come for team building," she said.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.