March 8, 2023 - Big news for everyone who has been waiting for a convenient way to travel to the Croatian east! The Ryanair Osijek to London line is back after a long hiatus. 

As SiB initially wrote, the aviation analyst Sean M, who regularly publishes news from the world of aviation on his Twitter, published important information for Osijek Airport, that starting from the summer season of 2023, the Irish airline Ryanair will once again fly to London. The flights will be on Fridays and Mondays, which will mean a new international link between Osijek and Europe.

Currently, you can fly from Osijek to Munich, Germany, and this line will certainly bring a lot to everyone who wants to visit London and the surrounding cities. It will potentially attract tourists from these countries to Osijek and the surrounding area as well.

On June 2, Ryanair will introduce a line between Osijek and London (Stansted Airport), thus returning to Klisa after a multi-year break, SiB confirmed.

Flights from Osijek to London shall fly on Mondays and Fridays, and flights are planned in the afternoon and evening.

Flights can already be booked through Ryanair's website.

The current price for the first flight on June 2 from Osijek to London is €30.99, and the return flight on Monday, June 5, will cost €48.99.

If you want to fly to London on Monday, June 5, you will pay €77.99 one way, but again on Friday,, the price from Osijek to London is €30. As for all other Ryanair flights, prices vary by date, and occupancy and change dynamically. The cheapest one-way ticket is €30, and the most expensive one in July was €103.99.

The good thing about Ryanair is that there are often promotional flight prices and various discounts with which you can get a much better price.

You should, however, keep in mind that the price does not include luggage, i.e. you can only take a small cabin bag. If you need more, you will have to pay extra.

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

March 3, 2023 - The Adriatic is undeniably beautiful; Istria is a fragrant, colourful heaven on Earth, but trust us, and head on east to Slavonia and Baranja for the Croatian holiday you didn't know you needed. The food, the wine, the rivers and forests, the cycling and adventuring, the tradition and culture - it's got it all. And that is recognised in various ways, most recently in the form of the Sunflower Award of the Croatian Association for Tourism and Rural Development of the "Selo" Members Club.

As SiB writes, the awards ceremony was dominated by winners from the Osijek-Baranja county. For example, the Municipality of Kneževi Vinogradi won the Grand Golden Sunflower championship title as the best Croatian wine destination.

"This truly honorable award is the result of many years of joint work of winemakers and winegrowers from our area, associations that organise events, and the support provided by the Municipality of Kneževi Vinogradi. This is an incentive for us to continue working on the quality of our wine destination, which is recognised not only by the profession but also by an increasing number of visitors," said the head of the Municipality of Kneževi Vinogradi, Vedran Kramarić.

Steve Tsentserensky

In addition to the championship title of the Great Golden Sunflower of the Municipality of Kneževi Vinogradi, there were five other winners from Osijek-Baranja County. The Tourist Board of Osijek-Baranja County received the gold award in the category of rural tourism projects for the wine tourism development project Land of Wine. The gold award in the category of traditional (rural) gastronomy was awarded to the restaurant Čingi Lingi Čarda in Bilje. With good reason, the gold award in the category of rural tourism projects was awarded to the Presentation and Education Centre Tikveš in Kopački Rit. The gold award in the category of projects/holders of protected and marketing trademarks was awarded to the House of the Baranja Kulen in Beli Manastir, while the bronze award in the category of traditional (modern) households went to Villa Edl Elegant in Aljmaš.

Aljmaš - Steve Tsentserensky

The Sunflower Awards for rural tourism in Croatia is a project that once a year evaluates and presents traditional content, preserves authenticity, and connects participants in rural tourism. It is awarded in eight categories.

"I am proud that from the very beginnings and creation of rural tourism in our country, I have been supporting and advising people who are just starting in this segment of tourism," said the president of the Croatian Association for Tourism and Rural Development of the "Selo" Members Club, Dijana Katica, who has been organising the largest and most significant event in rural tourism for the last ten years.

In recent years, Osijek-Baranja county has seen continuous growth in the number of visitors and overnight stays, thus becoming one of the most attractive continental destinations. Through the HeadOnEast project, which brands the County as a tourist destination, and the event of the same name, which last year became the most significant event in Osijek-Baranja County due to the number of visitors, additional preconditions have been created for an even stronger development of the tourist offer. This is supported by this year's prestigious title of the global travel platform Booking.com, which declared Osijek-Baranja County the most welcoming region.

"The friendliness and hospitality of the Osijek-Baranja County will also be shown at the next Sunflower rural tourism award ceremony, which we will host in our county at the end of this year. It will be an opportunity to show all our tourist potential, natural beauties, rivers, the Kopački Rit nature park, castles, endless vineyards, and a rich local wine and gastronomic offer," said prefect Ivan Anušić.

Kopački Rit Nature Park

The Vukovar-Srijem County received several awards as well. 

Adrenaline park Bosut Rokovci-Andrijaševc won the gold award in the category of active tourist facilities in rural areas. It is a precious reward for dedicated work and development of outdoor activities, but also teamwork to solidify Andrijaševci and the Vukovar-Srijem County as a top destination of Croatian continental tourism, writes Vinkulja.hr.

The silver award in the category of traditional (rural) households went to the Šokačka Lady Holiday House in Županja, while another silver award in the category rural tourism projects went to Županja for the event Šokačko Sijelo. The bronze award in the category of rural tourism projects was awarded to Stanarski Susreti event of the Association "Šokadija Babina Greda".

Steve Tsentserensky

"We are also extremely proud of the winners from the area of Vukovar-Srijem County and send our most sincere congratulations to all winners in all categories. Special thanks to Mrs. Dijana Katica for years of work in recognising, motivating, educating, and promoting all stakeholders in the development of rural tourism in Croatia. Let's continue to be loyal to all the tourist values of Croatia and persistent in their development for the permanent benefit of our valuable citizens and our irresistibly beautiful and immeasurably rich homeland", said Majda Jakša, director of the Tourist Board of Vukovar-Srijem County.

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

February 17, 2023 – One of the most rewarding parts of writing on TCN is the people we meet and the stories we hear. It’s all that much better when they come from eastern Croatia and are living proof that Slavonia really is full of life, 365. We are excited to finally publish one of our favourite interviews, featuring one man, one bicycle, and two dogs. Hrvoje Juric has cycled the world, written a book, and helped trace cycling and hiking trails in Croatia. He has done many other amazing things, and now he is on a 2,300-kilometre journey to reach Europe’s most northerly point. On an electric bicycle. In the winter.

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Hrvoje Juric, I am 36 years old, and I come from Vrbica, a small village between Đakovo, Vinkovci, and Osijek. I am a wasn’t-meant-to-be economist, and I have been travelling since 2011. Then, completely inexperienced and with very few funds, I set out on my first trip, from Vrbica to Pula and back. I traveled by bicycle, and it all happened quite spontaneously. The bike was the only means of transportation I had, and it was also the cheapest way to travel. I liked this way of travelling, and I felt like I was living life to the fullest, so I kept doing it. The following year, I went on a trip around Europe, about which I wrote the travel novel "Marijanov put" (Marijan’s Journey). After that came the first journey to Nordkapp, a journey of 5,000 kilometres to the northernmost point of Europe. It was followed by a trip through the Alps, then one from London to Istanbul, and then one around Croatia. Later I realised that all these trips and experiences led to one thing - a trip around the world.

Tell us about the area where you come from.

Vrbica is a small village in the Đakovo area, in the municipality of Semeljci, and it is a plain. I often jokingly say that the overpass over the highway is the highest mountain we have. I grew up there, my friends and family are there, and I lived there until recently. As a lot has happened in the last couple of years, and now only on paper am I still in Vrbica.

Tell us about your lifestyle, what you do, and what inspired it.

This year I changed my life drastically when I sold the house where I grew up and lived for 36 years. I didn't do it out of necessity, in the sense that I needed the money. I did it because everything simply led to that. Since I started travelling, with my first trip, I realised that this way of life would not be easy, but compared to everything else, it is ideal for me. There is a lot that I had to adapt to, and yet somehow, I remained myself. Of course, this shaped me, but I think I kept the direction I wanted my life to go.

What did it require to take the plunge and pursue your passion?

I think the main reason was dissatisfaction with the direction my life was going. When you know that you are not made for what you do and work takes up a large part of your time in this world, it is necessary to change things. By chance, it was my job; it could have been something else. I would dare to say that if you want to change yourself, if you want to follow your passion, or even just figure out what the hell you want in life, you will encounter a very unpredictable time full of trials and difficult moments. Emotional, financial, it doesn't matter in what sense. For me, that included spending more time travelling hungry than on a full stomach, but I knew that I must not give up on my dreams. Along the way, I lost some people, some literally, in the sense that they passed away (parents, which was a big and heavy burden for me), and some simply distanced themselves from me. It doesn't even matter if it's my fault, theirs, or both. Such situations build a person and often what we become is not a beautiful picture, but I think that everyone deserves a second chance if they are honest and if they learn from their (mis)deeds.

What keeps you going?

Desire for research, learning, progress. Every time I come to a new place or return to a place I haven't been in years, I absorb everything like a little child. It’s all new to me: new smells, new sights, new people and their characteristics. This desire to explore others to get to know myself, I think is one of the main motives.

What were your favorite projects?

The trip around the world was unique, and the preparations for that lasted about three years. I can hardly compare that trip to anything else, but I had a great experience and a lesson out of it. The Slavonia hiking trail, where Ena, Max, and I hiked all 300 kilometres and visited all 35 checkpoints, was another one of my favourite projects. It is also the first project we did together. The Slavonia hiking trail offers a lot, especially to hikers who are beginners on long routes.

What is your current project?

I am currently on the "Giant World Tour: Norway" project, which is a continuation of the "Giant World Tour", a trip around the world by electric bicycle that I did in 2019 and thus became the first person to travel around the world on an electric bicycle. The idea with this series is to test Giant electric bikes in different, dare I say, extreme conditions. To prepare for the project, I found an apartment in Gorski Kotar and spent two months preparing for the conditions in the north. Hiking, cycling, and spending time in the fresh air and in the rain were all part of the preparations. We travelled to Oslo in a Dacia Duster, which had my bicycle and all the equipment needed for the trip, including a trailer for Ena and Max. I departed from Oslo in early February. I don't have a specific time in which I plan to finish the 2,300 kilometres to Nordkapp, but roughly 35 days should be enough. After the trip, Tin Borovšćak and I will work on a documentary film (filming has already started). Along with the film, a photo book will be released that I will promote around Europe, with an emphasis on Croatia and Norway.

Favourite moments and hardest moments of your travels.

I would put it this way - my favourite part of travelling is when I meet people, specifically people with whom I can share my thoughts. Regardless of whether they agree with me, or if we have the same or different views on life. When we "click". Be they in Russia, Norway, or Australia. It is because of people that a certain country is the way it is; they directed their country towards exactly where it is right now by living and working there. Through other stories, I learned a lot, mostly about myself. How to remove prejudices and embrace differences.

The most difficult moments, and there were some, were mostly related to lack of money and the inability to afford a decent meal or a meal at all. As I have already stated, the first couple of years were really difficult, had a couple of friends not helped me, I might have given up. Then, just as things were starting to get better, family tragedies happened. First my father died, and then a couple of years later, my mother. They had just turned 53 years old. It left a big mark on me, and at some moments, I didn't know what would happen to me. All those difficult life moments shook me up but also forced me to sort out my life and move on.

Tell us about your furry sidekicks.

Ena and Max, or as Twitter nicknamed them, Niprije (long story...) are a very important part of this slightly different family. I often like to say we are a pack because, frankly, we're not far from it. I adopted Ena a little over five years ago when she was 10 months old. She was quite scared, especially of new people. My friend Adela took her off the street, an association that takes care of abandoned border collies cleaned her of parasites and sterilised her, and then I showed up. At first, of course, she didn’t trust me, but very quickly, she stretched out on her back and seemed to want to say - ok, let's go! I didn't have much experience with dogs, and thanks to friends who have dogs, as well as daily walks, Ena and I learned about each other. So much so, that after travelling around the world, I decided that I no longer wanted to do projects without her.

So, we set off on "Via Adriatica Bike", where I traced the cycling version of the "Via Adriatica Trail", a long hiking trail that connects the two most distant land points in Croatia - Prevlaka and Cape Kamenjak. It was on that wonderful trip, which was the first project after the round-the-world trip and my, i.e., our new beginning, that we met Max. On the penultimate day of the trip, we went down to Plomin harbor and literally recorded their first meeting with my camera. That moment, the way they jumped around each other, you can still see happening daily. It's as if they just met. It's fascinating to me how everything came together, how the two of them bonded. Max was the cherry on top and the last piece of the puzzle of the whole picture that you can see today.

We know that you are a promoter of Slavonia. What is life like there, what is the situation in tourism, and why should everyone visit at least once?

Slavonia is still an unspoiled pearl of continental Croatia, and in the last few years, I must say that tourism is starting to happen to us. Especially during and just after the pandemic, people turned to nature a lot more. Of course, not all of them kept that lifestyle, but still, many of them realised that life offers more than shopping malls and that it is smarter and healthier for them and their children to stay in the mountains, hills, in nature in general on the weekends and every other free moment. That's how the Jankovac trail became super popular, but Slavonia has a lot more to offer. I think that the Slavonia Hiking Trail, the first mountain ring trail in Croatia (from 1957), is not sufficiently "used" and that it should be the flagship of tourism and the development of outdoor activities in Slavonia.

I am also thankful to the Slavonia cluster, the association of county tourist boards, with whom I laid out a cycling route that connects all five counties, and largely follows the Slavonia Hiking Trail. This means that outdoor enthusiasts can use the "bike and hike" activity – cycle a part of the trail, then store their bicycle in a lodging, hike, for example, the Ivačka Glava peak (one of the most beautiful viewpoints on Papuk), then reward themselves with an excellent lunch in the mountain lodge before finishing the trail. This is just the foundation, but an important and healthy foundation on which other activities can be built on.

Many thanks to Hrvoje for sharing his inspiring story, and we wish him the best of luck in all his endeavors! Check out TCN's Instagram for updates, and stay tuned for part 2 coming somewhere in the middle of Hrvoje’s northern journey.

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

February 9, 2023 - The world's leading online travel company, Booking.com, declared Osijek-Baranja county the most welcoming tourist region in Croatia, the county administration reported on Wednesday.

As Poslovni writes, traditionally, Booking.com hands out the "Traveller Review Awards" at the beginning of the year. Even though it found itself among the most prestigious destinations for the first time, the users of the online platform have declared Osijek-Baranja County the most welcoming region in Croatia, according to the office of Prefect Ivan Anušić.

They emphasize that this is a confirmation of the hospitality of Slavonia and Baranja and that the county contributes to the development of the continental tourist destination through a series of development grants and the organization of numerous events, which raise the level of the offer.

The director of the Osijek-Baranja county tourist board, Ivana Jurić, said that she sees the recognition of one of the largest platforms for booking tourist services, Booking.com, as praise for the efforts made so far in the development of continental tourism.

The most important thing in tourism is people, and tourism is made up of those who create products and provide services and thus testify to the authenticity of the places they live in and their products, Jurić assessed.

She reminds that last year the county achieved 2.6 percent more overnight stays compared to the record year 2019, which is an indicator of the tourist offer of the Croatian east becoming more recognizable.

She reported that at the recent tourist fair "Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show," which took place from February 2 to 5, 2023, in London, the offer of destinations from the tourist boards of five Slavonian counties was jointly presented.

We presented the offer of Slavonia to the British market. With culture and enogastronomy as the main motives of the trip, information was sought on the offer related to natural heritage, walking, cycling, and accommodation, said Jurić.

Deputy Mayor Mato Lukić said that it is known that tourists who come to Slavonia and Baranja often emphasize warmth and hospitality and that the recognition of the Booking.com platform is another confirmation that local tourism workers are doing a good job.

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

January 30, 2023 - Two years ago - 19 babies, last year 39. The location of the baby boom - Stari Jankovci, not far from Vinkovci. A small municipality all the way in the east of Croatia. Full of life. How come young families are building their future there?

"I grew up here and will continue my life here with my two children. So I think we actually have all that we need, even though we are a small community," Tena Draženović from Stari Jankovci told RTL / SiB.

A director of a kindergarten from Zadar also decided to move to this intimate environment.

"We are happy with our decision and have no regrets, on the contrary. It is a lot more peaceful here since it is a smaller place, there is less hustle and bustle, and that suits us best," said Ivana Jurčević, director of the Krijesnica Jankovci Kindergarten.

The fact that young people have started arriving to live in Jankovci also helps the locals.

"It's good because young people get married, buy their houses or build them and stay in the village, and that's good for us," said Marijan Boroz.

There are no overnight results in demography, but there is progress. For them, the most important thing is not incentive allowances for children but an encouraging climate for a quality life for young families.
"In the past ten years, the many measures we have implemented have resulted in 39 babies," said Dragan Sudarević, head of the Stari Jankovci Municipality.

Incentives in agriculture and economy, investments in infrastructure, social life, and young families. 5,000 kuna for the first child, 6,000 for the second, 7,000 for the third, and 10,000 for the fourth child.

"We co-finance nurseries; we gift 1,000 kunas for all primary school children; we co-finance high school transport, give out scholarships. There are also many free schools in our municipality, such as a dance school, a football school, a music school, a painting school," he added.

In the municipality of Stari Jankovci, they even financially encourage the adoption of dogs. Their budget is around one million euros, but with careful management and successful acquisition of European funds, they say, all that is necessary for a quality life and future can be provided.

"I have five children with six grandchildren so far; the seventh is on the way. So now I hope my daughter will also return to Jankovci; if she does, even better, and she is likely to do so," Marijan added.

To both new and old residents of Stari Jankovci, congratulations and wishes that their dreams come true. As SiB quotes a popular children's song - children full of imagination, children decorate the world! And Slavonia is full of life indeed.

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

December 18, 2022 - The New Year is approaching, and with it, a real treat for true hedonists - WineOS. The eighth edition of the fair of wine, delicacies, and pleasant living will once again offer its visitors exciting content and the best wines and delicacies from eastern Croatia, as well as guests from other parts of Croatia and abroad. It is happening at the traditional Gradski Vrt venue in Osijek.

As SiB writes, one of the biggest lures for many wine lovers will be the wine workshops organised by the famous wine author Željko Garmaz. Speaking of popular wine stories, which regularly attract guests to WineOS, the biggest novelty is that starting next year, there will be even more workshops, and they will take place over three days, January 12, 13, and 14. Therefore, eleven excellent workshops await on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, featuring interesting, exclusive, and attractive topics, winemakers, and wines.

Three different topics will be explored on the first day, Thursday, January 12. At 3 p.m., representatives of Belje, one of the largest and most important wineries in eastern Croatia, will go on a journey through time into the wine past. That is, of course, tasting archival wines with interesting stories around their creation. From 4:30 p.m., sommelier Klaudio Jurčić, who has ventured into the wine industry, will talk about his friendships with winemakers while the guests are tasting his wines. The last workshop of the day, which starts at 6 p.m., is also a treat and will lure all true wine lovers. The famous Hungarian winemaker from Villany, Attila Gera, will present a vertical of his black coupage from the Kopar location.

On Friday, January 13, four workshops are scheduled, and the program will be opened at 1 p.m. by Gianfranco Kozlović with a vertical of his malvasia. At 2:30 p.m., all visitors will have the opportunity to meet another Istrian, Bruno Trapan, and his Uroboros, or aged malvasia. From Istria, at 4 p.m., the visitors can move to Fruška Gora and the Erdevik winery, which will present a vertical of its award-winning Omnibus Lector chardonnay. From 5.30 p.m., the story of the village of Umčani from the Vrgorac region and the Gašpar brothers will round it all up.

On Saturday, January 14, four unique workshops will take place as well. At 1:00 p.m., the visitors will have the opportunity to get to know the top-quality wines from the Croatian winery of the famous Mike Grgich. An hour and a half later, the story about the expansion of the Galić winery in Dalmatia and getting to know the "sea ego" of Jozo Galić is on the schedule. At 4:00 p.m., another treat for lovers of unique and different wines – a workshop of kadarka from Oszkár Maurer's cellar. The end of the programme is dedicated to the Herzegovinian winery Nuić and the native variety trnjak.

Finally, let's note that tickets can only be purchased in advance at the Viniti wine shop. Reservations can be made by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone at 098/1747-108. The price of individual tickets is HRK 150 or HRK 200 (depending on the workshop), while daily packages cost HRK 500 each. There are 20 tickets for each workshop, so get in touch as soon as possible to reserve your spot! You can find more information about the workshops on the WineOS website.

November 29, 2022 - The fairy lights are on, and the smell of mulled wine, sauerkraut, and gingerbread fills the air wherever you go. The famous Advent in Zagreb is already attracting visitors, as are Split, Zadar, Opatija, and many other cities. Make sure you don't miss out on the fun in the east, though! Visit some of the Advents in Slavonia, and we promise you'll want to stay and live in the winter wonderland in the east.

Adventiranje Osijek

Advent Osijek official website

The long-awaited Adventiranje in Osijek is officially kicking off on the 2^nd of December at the beloved Tvrđa location (Osijek historic old town). Events in Tvrđa are always special with the 17^th and 18th-century^th century charm of the old town's streets. Pair that with Christmas decorations and a giant Ferris Wheel, and you've got yourself a perfect little evening of touring the stalls, tasting the sweets, and enjoying the lights and the music. The Advent stalls will be open from 4 pm until 10 pm on working days, while on Fridays and Saturdays, they will remain open until midnight. They will be open from 10 am until 5 pm on Christmas Eve. The Advent programme includes concerts, cooking and wine workshops, seminars, lectures hosted by Osijek's Slavonia and Archaeological museums, and workshops and events for the little ones.

Advent iz Davnina Slavonski Brod

Slavonski Brod official website

The fairytale Advent, inspired by the most famous author of Slavonski Brod, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić, will this year, too, shine its light and open its pages to all for a magical experience. Voted #4 in Croatia for the year 2021, Slavonski Brod has again prepared an ambitious programme consisting of concerts, theatre, culinary events, and gatherings, ensuring that every Advent weekend is full of fun. The programme started on the 26^th of November when the first candle was lit and will continue all the way to the 30^th of December.

Advent in Vukovar

Vukovar Tourist Board

An Advent Full of Magic is this year's slogan for Vukovar. It kicked off on Sunday, the 27^th of November when the first candle was lit, and the ice rink was opened. It will go on until the 23^rd of December, featuring a variety of music concerts, workshops and events, exhibitions, theatre plays, and a Christmas market. The market will be there on the weekend from the 16^th until the 18th of December from 5-7 pm, while on the 23^rd, it will be open from 9 am to 12 pm. The ice rink will be open every day from 9 am until 9 pm, while on Fridays and Saturdays, it will remain open until 10 pm. The location of most of the events is the backyard of the Eltz Manor (Vukovar Municipal Museum), and some will take place in the city library.

Advent in Vinkovci

Advent u Vinkovcima Fb Page

The oldest city in Europe also brings an advent full of fun for its residents and visitors alike. Moving from the Korzo promenade, this year's circular ice rink will find itself next to the river Bosut for magnificent views and a truly magical winter atmosphere. It will open on the 9^th of December. The Advent Film Tuesdays kick off today, on the 29^th of November, at 7 pm at the Joza Ivakić city theatre. The list of films includes The Stolen Princess, Paddington 2, Free Guy, and Arthur Christmas. The entrance is free. Those looking to buy Christmas ornaments or local products or donate to charities can do so every Saturday from 6 pm to 9 pm at the Christmas market in the city centre, where the candles will be lit, followed by concerts. On the 16th of December, the event of the season will take place - the Christmas treasure hunt race. The route is just shy of 2 kilometres and includes challenges, riddles, and tastings of local delicacies. Teams of up to three players can apply. It starts at 6 pm at Franjo Tuđman Square.

Advent in Požega

Požega Tourist Board

Sparkly and bright is the slogan of Požega's advent this year. Having unofficially started on the 26^th of November when the first candle was lit, the official opening will take place on the 3^rd of December with a theatre play, the opening of the ice rink, and a music and dance show. The rich programme will continue until the 31^st of December, with the New Year's Party being the final event. This season's events will include movie nights, storytime, concerts, workshops, and many charity events. The city will come together to create a winter wonderland, including its museums, theatres, and schools. The Christmas market will have its stalls set up from the 22-24 of December in the morning hours. And we especially like that there will be a Fitness recovery workshop on the 26^th of December.

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

November 25, 2022 - The largest fair of local products in eastern Croatia is held on the Karanac fairground alongside the traditional Cvarakfest. We are yet to find a more Slavonian event.

As SiB writes, like every year, the fattest and tastiest festival in the region awaits on the last Saturday in November. A festival dedicated solely to no less than the truffles of Baranja – cvarci!

The Karanac winter fair is an event that offers the products of almost 80 local producers, mainly from the OPGs of Slavonia and Baranja. Here you can make sure you stock up your pantry shelves for the whole winter. Famous cured meat products from Baranja (kulen, bacon, sausage, ham, cracklings, lard...), wine, brandy, juices, cheeses, pastries, cakes, honey, ground red pepper, wicker baskets, wooden kitchen utensils, souvenirs, antiques, are only some of the things you might find here.

Naturally, no event in Baranja can do without its famous cuisine. At the Vasar (fair), you can taste local cobanac (shepherd's stew), bean stew from a clay pot, kotlovina (grilled meat and vegetable stew), grilled sausages, and carp on forks. Wash it all down with top-quality wine. Before you start, don’t forget your aperitif of homemade rakija!

As part of the Winter Fair, the sensational Cvarakfest is also held in the same place. This unique event is a competition in preparing cvarci (pork cracklings) in the traditional way by “melting” them in a cauldron over an open fire. The winner wins the title of Cvarak Majstor (Cvarak Master). If you don’t feel like you’re up for the competition and would just like a taste, you can buy some fresh hot cvarci directly from the competition cauldrons.

The programme of this year’s Cvarakfest is looking pretty good:

Saturday, November 26, 2022

09:00

• Cvarak cooking competition
• Fair of local products: cured meat, cheese, winter meat, cakes, Baranja gingerbread, rakija, wine, antiques, wooden products, woven baskets, jewellery, souvenirs, etc.
• A rich gastronomic offer: grilled sausages, carp on forks, beans in clay pots, etc.
• Mulled wine

12:00

Cvarak Majstor Award Ceremony

If you are looking to spend the day in nature, with the added benefits of good food and even better fun, trust us – visit the Cvarakfest and winter fair in Karanac. Knowing how things usually unfold in Slavonia and Baranja, you might even learn how to do it and apply for the competition to become the Cvarak Majstor yourself!

And if you’re unsure about indulging in your cvarci as they are, you can always put them away, turn them into drozda and bake them into delicious pogacice sa cvarcima.

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

November 17, 2022 - Although wine tourism in Croatia has excellent potential among domestic tourists, and it is a niche that generates great added value and links the development of other segments of the economy, this potential is poorly utilised.

As Poslovni writes, there are no wine hotels, museums, entertainment facilities, or wine roads. However, the interest of potential guests is high, according to an extensive survey conducted by the Improve agency with the consulting firm BlueRock (BRC) this September.

An excellent example of Austria

The research will also be used for the new Strategy for developing wine tourism in Slavonia and Baranja, which BlueRock is working on for the association Graševina Croatica, the largest association of winemakers in Slavonia and Baranja, confirmed Emanuel Tutek, a partner in BRC. "Wine tourism is one of the leading tourist products in Croatia, and at the same time, no Slavonian county has got any strategic document for the development of this product, although the wine business is one of the aggregates for the development of value-added tourism. At the same time, wine tourism is an important lever for the development of winemaking itself and agriculture, as shown by the example of Austria, which successfully connected these two segments, but not without large investments. Wine tourism and winemaking then promote the export component,"  said Tutek for Poslovni Dnevnik.

Until now, there was no qualitative data on the potential market, i.e., guests who are users or are interested in wine tourism. Of the total number of foreign guest arrivals in Croatia, it is not known precisely how many are wine tourists, that is, those whose primary motive for coming is wine and wine experiences.

There are only estimates for Istria, the leading tourist region with 21.7 million overnight stays in 2021, of which foreign guests make up 85 percent. Istria also has the most developed wine tourism.

It is estimated that wineries in Istria have around 290,000 visitors per year, among whom 30-35% are local, which means that the share of local visitors in Istrian wine tourism is twice that of their share in total arrivals.

BlueRock commissioned research that pointed to additional potential from the domestic guest segment. The study was conducted using an online survey, and respondents were recruited from the ImproveOnline panel.

The research showed 71 percent of respondents were not wine tourists in the last two years. On the other hand, 74 percent of respondents have an interest in wine tourism.

"Therefore, there is a significant market potential that has not yet been used; that is, there is a lack of supply. It is basic, and its development can address potent consumer segments. Visiting wineries is the most common form of wine tourism in Croatia, as are tours of the wine roads. Wine tourism activities, especially with greater added value, such as wine education and workshops, are popular among younger ages (25-34 years) and those with above-average incomes. At the same time, wine events and attractions are better attended in continental Croatia," the analysis states.

The survey also showed that 56% of wine tourists visited the regions of continental Croatia, which is influenced by the proximity of Zagreb. Tutek sees even greater significance in the hilly wine regions north of Zagreb and Slavonia, their current focus.

For the development of wine tourism, the tourist value chain is also necessary, which means that accessibility should be increased, and all necessary infrastructure should be provided, from accommodation, restaurants, museums, and interpretation centers to the development of destination management companies. Tutek notes that this is not the winemaker's job, although it most often boils down to that, as shown by the example of Plešivica near Zagreb.

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November 9, 2022 – As part of our Croatian Danube series, TCN has visited Dalj, and we can say that we have been to what must be the most important house in the village. One that many people had no idea stood there for over 150 years now. Even though NASA named Milutin Milankovic one of the 15 greatest scientists of all time, he might be one of the most underrepresented and underrated in Croatia.

Milutin Milankovic, the astronomer, geophysicist, climatologist, mathematician, inventor, engineer, Doctor of Technology, university professor, and writer, was born in Dalj in 1879, in what was the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He studied in Osijek and acquired his diploma and Ph.D. in Vienna, where he worked as an engineer until 1909. He then became a university professor in Belgrade, where he worked until 1955. He was a member of the Serbian and Croatian Academies of Sciences and Arts. He spent WWI in internment in Budapest. He died in Belgrade in 1958. His remains were, per his wish, taken back to Dalj in 1966, where he was buried in his family tomb, along with his twin sister, brothers, parents, and many of his ancestors.

His contribution to science was vast and significant. Without pretending that we can understand his scientific work, just the list of his works and publications would impress any reader. His primary focus was on cosmic questions and life on Earth, the sun, ice ages, and how they influenced life on Earth. Some of his most famous work revolves around the Earth's orbital cycles, a theory confirmed by NASA, in which he provided mathematical explanations of the reasons, causes, frequency, and duration of ice ages on Earth, as well as other aspects of the Earth’s climate. Milutin Milankovic is also the author of the most precise calendar to date, with a difference of only 2 seconds between Milutin’s calendar year and the currently in use tropical (solar) year.

Along with scientific writing, Milankovic was versed in lyrical prose and wrote three volumes of memoirs on his life, his birth house, the village of Dalj, and the Danube, which was an endless source of inspiration. In his memoirs, he left detailed descriptions of his house and backyard, including all the flowers and plants, the pine that stood under his window, and the view of the mighty river. The house was declared a cultural monument in 1979 but had suffered the consequences of the passage of time and the war. Even though Milutin's nationality did spark debates between Croatians and Serbians, just like a certain other scientist, the municipality of Dalj invested in the recounstruction of Milutin Milankovic's birth house, where they created a cultural and scientific educational centre. The centre is equipped with models, presentations, and projections, including Milutin's space room. The backyard is a comfortable, inviting, fresh green space, with a gazebo just beside Milutin's beloved pine, which stands strong and tall. The observatory is the perfect venue for stargazing nights and special events. 

And even though the people of Dalj know, love, and are happy to visit Milutin's house, the vast majority of Croatian people do not, or do not know, that they can visit it too. Not only can you visit the original house and see this magnificent exhibition firsthand, but you can also schedule an educational visit to learn about Milutin's life and legacy, explore the interactive presentations, and even try to find new stars using the telescope. The best part - the visit is completely free. Come on, where else do you get that? To schedule a visit, send an e-mail or call the contacts here.

How good is your knowledge of eastern Croatia? Take the CROMADS test above - how many places do you recognise?

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