June 7, 2021 - The new Air Pannonia aircraft was solemnly welcomed at Osijek Airport!

It arrived at Osijek's Klisa Airport from London! After two aircraft, the private company Air Pannonia strengthened its fleet with another business aircraft Cessna Citation 525A-CJ2, registration number 9A-JET, making them the only company in Croatia that owns three JETs that are primarily used to transport VIP passengers and medical organ transport.

Slobodan Kadic

"It is an aircraft that is one of the most comfortable in its class, and it arrived from the United Kingdom. Since the demand for flights with CJ2 has increased, they decided we follow the needs of the market and increase capacities," points out Zrinka Vlašić Kujundžija from Air Pannonia's marketing team.

Slobodan Kadic

In addition to the three aircraft, they are proud of the arrangement and expansion of the service capacity and hangar at Klisa Airport, where they organized the ceremonial arrival of the new aircraft, which was greeted by a jet of water cannons by firefighters.

Slobodan Kadic

Air Pannonia is a sister company of Air Tractor, which has a 28-year tradition in aviation. The company is family-owned, and they are the only company in Croatia that deals with all aviation segments (pilot training, service, pilot English language testing, medical organ transport, and, of course, VIP transport). Pilots from Croatia and the world are trained there, and they also own two Cessnas and the Antonov aircraft, which is known to all Osijek residents because it sprays mosquitoes.

Slobodan Kadic

"Air Pannonia is now already a recognizable brand in the European and wider market, and so on not surprisingly, there is a need for further expansion and investment in fleet expansion. Our permanent clients are people from the business world, the world of sports, as well as show business who have a permanent need for our services and transportation of business users," concluded Vlašić Kujundžija, emphasizing that their planes fly all over the world, from Brussels to Mykonos, Prague, London or Istanbul.

From Zagreb to Osijek in 22 minutes!

The newly arrived aircraft flew for the British Zenith Aviation. The flight to Zagreb lasted 1 hour and 52 minutes, which is a great time because they had many backwinds, and the flight from Zagreb to Osijek lasted 22 minutes. It is from 2004 and has a capacity of seven passengers and one of their existing aircraft. It has 4200 hours of flight time which is very little in aviation jargon and can be said to be like new.

"We think it will serve us for about ten years, and its average speed is 400 knots. We are starting the registration process in Croatia, and I hope that within 40 days, they will be able to be seen in the European sky," said Krešimir Vlašić, director of flight operations, co-owner of the company, and captain.

Slobodan Kadic

"They are currently the only form of business traffic as most commercial lines have been discontinued, giving them a huge advantage. Business people who used to fly business class expect that they will now fly a private plane for that money, which is not realistic. Their traffic has increased, they do not suffer losses, but the price of labor has fallen, i.e., the price of an hour of an airplane has fallen compared to the previous two years. We can be satisfied because we ended last year with 1500 hours of flight, which is quite good, and we expect even more this year," concluded Vlašić.

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May 30, 2021 - Air Pannonia, an Osijek-based aircraft operator focused on business transport, strengthened its fleet with another business aircraft or the new Cessna - business aircraft with seven seats.

After two aircraft (CJ with registration marks 9A-JIM, and CJ2 with registration marks 9A-JIP), Air Pannonia thus becomes the only company in Croatia that owns three JETs, reports HRTurizam.

The Cessna is an aircraft that is one of the most comfortable in this class, and it arrived from the United Kingdom. Air Pannonia is now a recognizable brand in the European and wider market, so it is not surprising that there is a need for additional expansion and investment in fleet expansion.

“Given that the demand for CJ2 flights has increased, we have decided to follow the needs of the market and increase our capacity. Our regular customers are people from the business world, the world of sports, and show business who have a constant need for our services. In addition to our now three aircraft, we are proud of the new arrangement and expansion of service capacity and hangar at Klisa Airport, where we just organized the solemn arrival of our new aircraft," said Zrinka Kujundzija of Air Pannonia.

Air Pannonia is a sister company of Air Tractor, which has a 28-year aviation tradition. The company is family-owned, and they are the only company in Croatia that deals with all segments of aviation (pilot training, service, English language testing of pilots, medical organ transport, and of course, VIP transport for business users). Also, Air Pannonia is one of the initiators and founders of the Pannonian Health Health Tourism Cluster in Osijek.

Well done to Air Pannonia!

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ZAGREB, 29 May 2021 - Croatian President Zoran Milanović has invalidated former President Ivo Josipović's decision on stripping wartime Osijek official, general Branimir Glavaš, of war medals, since Glavaš's convictions were quashed and the retrials were ordered.

Glavaš's son, lawyer Filip Glavaš, told Hina on Saturday, that the return of the seven war medals to his father were the only logical and fair decision as his father had no longer the status of a convict.

Milanović's decision on declaring null and void Josipović's decision was published in the Official Gazette after it had been adopted on 21 May on the advice of the state commission for decorations and awards and in line with the Constitution and the relevant legislation.

The commission took into consideration the changes in the trials in the cases dubbed 'Garage' and 'Duct tape' for the war crimes against local Serbs in the eastern Croatian city of Osijek in the early 1990s.

Lawyer Filip Glavaš said today that the reasons such as the final convictions for stripping his father of war decorations had not existed for some time and that in 2019, they had asked the then president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović to return the decoration to his father.

However, she ignored our request, the lawyer Filip Glavaš told Hina.

 A month ago we sent the request to this effect to  President Zoran Milanović, and he granted our request, which is the only fair and logical decision considering the fact that the Constitutional and Supreme Courts quashed the convictions, he said.

The Supreme Court quashed the trial court verdict on 28 July 2016 and requested the Zagreb County Court to hold a new trial in this case.

In the initial trial which lasted from October 2007 to April 2009, Glavaš and the other accused were sentenced to lengthy prison terms but the final verdict was quashed by the Supreme Court. By that time Glavas had served most of his eight-year term in prisons in Bosnia and Herzegovina where he fled before the announcement of the trial court verdict.

In late November 2019, Glavaš, who was still standing trial for war crimes, supported in Osijek with his signature Milanović's presidential candidacy, saying that his signature "is not a signature for the SDP or for drawing closer to the SDP but for Milanović as a candidate for the president of the republic", while members of his HDSSB party would decide for themselves whose presidential bid to support.

Later that day, Milanović, who was  the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate for the Croatian president,  said that he distanced himself from the support expressed for his presidential bid by member of parliament and HDSSB party leader Branimir Glavaš.

"I would like to distance myself from his support because Glavaš is not my kind of people. I think that (his support) is a message to (PM Andrej) Plenković. The man has been indicted for grave war crimes and the court is expected to make a ruling. The biggest problem about it is that the trial is taking too long, considering that the events in question happened in Osijek in 1991. That is something that I, as the future president, will change if I can, by statements and by exerting pressure at least. The case is still under way and that's not how the judiciary should work," Milanović said then during his presidential campaign.

May 25, 2021 - NK Osijek celebrates their historic second-place finish in the Croatian First League (HNL). 

Osijek won in the last round of their historic HNL season and proudly ended their Croatian championship story in 2nd place. 

Slobodan Kadic

Osijek said goodbye to its memorable club season with a familiar result over the last ten months - a victory. Although the points were not as imperative, given that Osijek already secured the second-place spot in the league before the final match, it was the cherry on top of a brilliant season. Osijek ended the Croatian championship by defeating Istra 1961 2:1 at City Garden.

Slobodan Kadic

"Both this game and what happened, in the end, is another picture of everything we have achieved this season. Despite all the problems we had, we did not highlight them, only the positive ones. We believed in these guys, in each one individually. Congratulations to everyone on a great season, not only to the players and coaches but to all who work in the Club, as well as those who were here before us and contributed to the formation of such a team," said coach Nenad Bjelica.

Slobodan Kadic

"The awards we received from the Club for the historic second place, as well as this contact with the fans, further embellished the whole story. I hope that next season we will be able to make this symbiosis supreme, and I believe that such synergy will lead us to new victories."

Slobodan Kadic

Osijek said goodbye to four of its players who will not be in their ranks next season. Just before the match with Istra 1961, Ivica Kulešević, assistant sports director of Osijek and the club manager, handed out framed jerseys and paintings that will always remind Dmytro Lopa, Gutieri Tomelin, Ivan Santini, and Adam Gyurcso of the time spent at City Garden.

Slobodan Kadic

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May 22, 2021 - The 36th and final round of the Croatian First League was played on Saturday. All games but Dinamo v. Sibenik started at 5 pm. A look at our HNL final round recap. 

While the final round did not determine the Croatian First League winner, it was crucial for three clubs as a Europa League spot was on the line - Hajduk, Rijeka, and Gorica were in focus. 

Hajduk v. Lokomotiva (2:0)

Hajduk and Lokomotiva met at Poljud for their final match. A win was imperative for Hajduk to secure the 4th-place spot which leads to Europa League. 

Marko Livaja scored far post in the 29th minute to settle Hajduk's nerves before the half. Hajduk's wunderkind Stipe Biuk sealed Croatia's victory in the 82nd minute for 2:0!

With this victory, Hajduk finishes in 4th place and locks in the final Europa League spot!  Lokomotiva finishes in 8th. 

Osijek v. Istra 1961 (1:1)

Osijek and Istra met at City Garden Stadium for their final match. Osijek had already secured 2nd place in the league, though the match had more importance for Istra who was closer to the bottom of the table. 

Kleinheisler scored for Osijek in the 34th minute for 1:0. Istra equalized in the 40th minute thanks to Ivancic. Istra finished in 9th. 

Rijeka v. Gorica (2:1)

Rijeka and Gorica met at Rujevica for their final match. A win would put Rijeka ahead of Gorica in 3rd, but a draw or loss would knock them down to 5th if Hajduk won.

Rijeka's Andrijasevic scored in the 10th minute for the early Rijeka lead. Gorica's Babec equalized ten minutes later for 1:1. Rijeka increased their lead in the 80th minute thanks to a Menalo goal for 2:1. With this result, Rijeka knocks Gorica out of 3rd place and secures a Europa League spot! Gorica thus finishes 5th. 

Slaven Belupo v. Varazdin (1:0)

Slaven Belupo and Varazdin met in Koprivnica for their final match. Belupo scored in the 57th minute but VAR ruled no-goal. Varazdin's goal was also called back minutes later. Zvonarek scored for Belupo in the 88th minute. With this result, Varazdin finishes 10th in the relegation spot. 

Dinamo v. Sibenik (play at 19:30) - result unimportant 

You can see the HNL table HERE. 

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ZAGREB, 21 May 2021 - Agreements on EU-funded grants for the construction of an underpass and for the procurement of 13 new buses for public transportation system in Osijek were signed on Friday in that eastern Croatian city.

In attendance at the ceremony was Prime Minister Andrej Plenković who said that the 93-million-kuna underpass in S. Leopolda Bogdana Mandića Street would reduce traffic jams in that part of the city.As high as 85% of this investment will be covered by the European Union's funds while the remaining 15% will be covered by the state budget.

Also, 32 million kuna will be set aside for the procurement of 13 new buses for public transportation. The 85% of the amount is also covered by funds from the EU.

All these projects are part of our policy which we have been pursuing since 2016 as part of the "Slavonia, Baranja and Srijem" project, and we have contracted 17.7 billion kuna under that programme, Plenković said.

The outgoing mayor Ivan Vrkić said that during his two mayoral terms, HRK 1.6 billion had been invested in Osijek since Croatia joined the European Union.

(€1 = HRK 7.508080)

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May the 20th, 2021 - One Osijek Konzum store, otherwise one of the largest Konzum stores and the one which has been the source of produce for online shoppers in the Eastern Croatian city of Osijek, has now closed its doors.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writies, Konzum is closing its store in Osijek's largest shopping centre - Portanova. The reason behind the surprising business move, they explained, is part of a continuous business strategy of optimising Konzum's sales network in accordance with current market circumstances and with the aim of increasing the efficiency of the entire system.

The last working day of that particular Osijek Konzum store, which falls under the Super Konzum title, was on Wednesday the 19th of May, and the company has assured that all 37 workers who were formerly employed in the store will be taken care of "in a mutual agreement" following the facility's final closure, according to a report from Vecernji list.

''As a result of the store's closure, all of the workers were allowed to be transferred to new positions in other stores across the City of Osijek and in the suburbs, while one worker announced their retirement. Konzum would like to thank all of its customers who have shopped in the store in Portanova for their trust and loyalty and invite them to continue shopping in one of the fifteen other Konzum stores located in the Osijek area, of which two are Super Konzumi and 4 Maxi Konzumi.

Considering that the store in Portanova was also the central store for online shopping services in the area of ​​Osijek, Super Konzum in Gacka ulica (street) 10 will take over this role, and the people of Osijek will still be able to make purchases from the comfort of their own homes,'' reads the statement from Konzum.

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ZAGREB, 18 May, 2021 - During the local elections held throughout Croatia on 16 May, a total of 70 cities managed to elect their heads in the first round of voting, while others will have mayoral runoffs on 30 May.

Of those 70 mayors, who clinched the victory in the first round of voting when they gained the support of more than 50% of the voters who turned out for the elections, 36 winners are from the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), or six fewer than in 2017, whereas 13 Social Democratic Party (SDP) mayoral candidates gained outright victory, or one more than in the first round of the local elections in 2017.

Seven female mayors winners in first round

Of those 70 mayors elected in the first round of the elections, seven are women.

According to the report provided by the gradonačelnik.hr portal, there is a rising trend in the election of mayoral candidates who are not members of political parties and who are introduced as independent candidates. Ten independent mayors were elected on Sunday.

Donja Stubica mayor reelected with support of more than 83% of voters

Of the winners with an outright victory on 16 May, the most successful mayor who managed to gain the largest support was independent Nikola Gospočić, who was reelected for another term in Donja Stubica with 83.01% of the voters who went to the polls voting for him. In the previous term, he was a member of the SDP party and left it before these elections.

Another independent mayor, Dinko Burić, won 82.15% of the support for his new mayoral term in the eastern city of Belišće.

In terms of the percentage of support, Darijo Vasilić of the regional PGS party ranks third, winning 80.26% of votes for another mayoral term in the City of Krk.

Of the regional parties, the Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) remains the strongest. In the first round of the voting, five IDS candidates were elected mayors.

Four biggest cities to have mayoral runoffs

Zagreb

Tomislav Tomašević of the We Can!, New Left, ORAH and For the City coalition took the lead in the mayoral race for Zagreb on Sunday, winning 45% of votes, and will face-off with Miroslav Škoro of the Homeland Movement party (12%) in the second round of the elections.

Split

In the biggest Croatian Adriatic city, Ivica Puljak (Centre) and Vice Mihanović (HDZ) will face off in the 30 May runoff. Puljak won 26.82% and Mihanović 23.23%.

Rijeka

In the northern coastal city of Rijeka, the current deputy mayor Marko Filipović (SDP, HSU, IDS, HSS) won 30.25% of votes, followed by independent Davor Štimac (16.10%).

Osijek

In the eastern city of Osijek, Ivan Radić (HDZ) won nearly 39% of votes, ahead of independent Berislav Mlinarević, backed by the Homeland Movement and Bridge (about 20%), and they will vie in the second round of the elections on 30 May.

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May 18, 2021 - Osijek II and Rudes met on Sunday, May 16 in Osijek as part of the 32nd round of the 2nd Croatian League. 

Osijek II and Rudes played at City Garden Stadium on Sunday, May 16 in the 32nd round of the 2nd Croatian League. 

Slobodan Kadic

Rudes' Abdurahimi scored the first goal of the match for the 1:0 lead in the 4th minute. Domagoj Babin equalized for Osijek in the 30th for 1:1 at the half. 

Slobodan Kadic

Abdurahimi put Rudes back in the lead with a goal in the 54th minute, and Mario Jelavic put Rudes even further ahead just four minutes later for 1:3!

Slobodan Kadic

A penalty taken by Dion Drena Beljo gave Osijek some hope in the final minutes, especially after Rudes player Marko Cosic was booked for his second yellow, but the match ended 2:3 for Rudes. 

Slobodan Kadic

Osijek II is currently in 11th place with 41 points, while Rudes is in 2nd with 53. 

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May 14, 2021 – Breathtaking views of the Danube at Erdut and Aljmaš, the bona fide masterpiece of Đakovo cathedral, the unique winemaking traditions of northern Baranja, the wildlife-rich wetlands of Kopački rit and the OPGs of Osijek-Baranja County. There's a whole other world to discover in this epic corner of Slavonia-Baranja.

It seems like the world is speeding up. Everything now is that much more immediate. In this age of Instagram and 'influencers', we quickly scroll past postcard-pretty pictures on our phones. 'Like'. Forgotten, in an instant.

Croatia is a country not without postcard-pretty pictures. But, to snatch attention in this super-fast, vacuous age, all too often we are shown the same images. Heart-shaped islands from above, dolphins at dusk, sunset over the Adriatic and its epic Dinaric Alps. You could be forgiven for thinking that every view in Croatia contains the sea.

Slavonia © Romulić & Stojčić.

There are very few mountains in the Pannonian basin. And there is no sea. Well, not any more. Instead, these flatlands stretch 600 km from east to west and 500 km from north to south through several countries. They engulf the eastern section of Croatia we know as Slavonia, Baranja and Srijem.

Unsurprisingly, such a vast plain is not without its epic qualities. But, the epic nature of Osijek-Baranja County in Slavonia-Baranja is difficult to capture in a competing image on social media. Its special qualities instead lie in the sounds, the tastes, the tradition, the sights and the people. This is a place that has to be visited to be understood. And, if you do, it's an experience that will far outlast any fleeting photo on Instagram. Here, we take a look at just a small section of the unforgettable offer in Osijek-Baranja.

Imperial horses and the bona fide masterpiece of Đakovo cathedral

State Stud Farm Đakovo

Horse breeding in Đakovo is thought to be even older than 1506 when first written mention of the town's stud farm comes from. An endeavour of regional bishops, it bred horses of Arab stock. But, that changed at the beginning of the 19th Century.

In the fields, Lipizzaner horses © Silvija Butković.

Lipizzaner horses were the prized breed of the Habsburg monarchy, their genetic line today traced back to eight stallions from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. With the advancement of Napoleon's army across Europe, Lipizzaners were sent further east in order to protect them. This imperial horse has been bred in Đakovo ever since.

Born with black skin and black hair, their hair gradually turns to a characteristic light grey (although, some other colours occur). Traditionally, when the colour change was fully complete, the horses were ready for royal duty.

Younger horses on the State Stud Farm in Đakovo © Denis Despot / Tourist Board of Osijek-Baranja County.

Today, at the State Stud Farm Đakovo, the Lipizzaners are bred and trained in dressage. The farm contains Croatia's largest indoor riding hall, in which public performances take place. Previous visitors to the farm include several members of the British Royal family. Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Phillip and their daughter Princess Anne came in 1972, while Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall came in 2016.

Đakovo cathedral

Exterior of Đakovo cathedral © Romulić & Stojčić.

The presence of Bishop Josip Juraj Strossmayer looms large in the history of Croatia. Nowhere does that presence loom larger in a physical manifestation than Đakovo cathedral. By far, it is the largest sacral building in Slavonia, the second-largest in Croatia.

© Romulić & Stojčić

This part of Slavonia is completely flat. Therefore, you can see the cathedral for miles as you approach Đakovo. Once up closer, its red bricks give it the appearance of a modern building. In fact, Josip Juraj Strossmayer oversaw its construction between 1866-1882. In truth, he'd wanted to build it for much longer, but struggled to get the funds required for his vision. Indeed, the project was so delayed that the artist Strossmayer chose to paint the interior, German Nazarene Johann Friedrich Overbeck, died before he could begin the task. Instead, father and son Alexander Maximilian Seitz and Ludwig Seitz assumed the task.

Interior detail in Đakovo cathedral © Romulić & Stojčić

The building's construction actually only took four years, but it took a full 19 years to complete decorations inside. It's easy to see why. The interior of Đakovo cathedral is a bona fide masterpiece. Ornate frescos depicting scenes from the Old Testament and New Testament radiate from above. Regardless of your faith, it is a breathtaking experience to walk within.

© Romulić & Stojčić

© Romulić & Stojčić

13 of the frescoes are by Alexander, 20 are by Ludwig. The detail of their work captivates the eye. The Neo-Romanesque architectural flourishes design inside are similarly grandiose. Visiting while on a journey to Bulgaria, future Pope John XXIII proclaimed it to be the most beautiful church between Venice and Constantinople.

© Romulić & Stojčić

Breathtaking views of the Danube at Erdut and Aljmaš

The Danube, as seen from the Brzica winery terrace in Erdut © Marc Rowlands.

Slavonia is defined by its two longest rivers. To the south, after passing through Zagreb and Lonjsko Polje, the Sava forms a natural border between Slavonia and Bosnia. To the north, the Drava river first separates Croatia and Hungary. Then, after Donji Miholjac, it serves as the border between Slavonia from Baranja. Just a mile or so from Aljmaš, the Drava flows into the Danube, which partially separates Slavonia from Vojvodina.

The Danube in eastern Slavonia © Romulić & Stojčić.

When you're standing overlooking the Danube in Erdut village, you could almost believe you're on an island. The peninsula in which the village lies is surrounded on three sides by the Danube. It weaves in and out of the landscape, causing great gulfs between the dense forest that occurs on each side. This area is noticeably raised above the height of regular, flat Slavonia and in Erdut, a small castle tower stands on a hill. It's one of the best places to look at the Danube. The other is from the Brzica winery, less than a kilometre away.

At Brzica, you're some 80 metres above the Danube. Here, winery owner Ivo Brzica has taken advantage of the view. He's built a beautiful holiday home where guests can stay. It's right next to his own dwelling and the winery. The properties share a huge, open and informal terrace overlooking the river. It's a great place to try the award-winning Brzica wines. They plant Graševina, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Vranac. On some bottles, the label reads 1378. It's the number of kilometres the Danube has travelled to reach this point.

A glass of Brzica wine overlooking the Danube.

Erdut visitors wanting to get up closer to the Danube can now do just that. A newly appointed 10-kilometre footpath now runs alongside the river all the way from Erdut to Aljmaš. It's a beautiful walk through epic nature.

The unique landscape and winemaking traditions of northern Baranja

While much of Slavonia is uniformly flat, the topography is more varied in Baranja. Baranja Mountain stretches in a northeast-southwest direction between Beli Manastir and Batina. It is 21 kilometres long, three kilometres wide and much of its slopes are used for agriculture, grapes for winemaking, predominantly.

A Surduk in Baranja © Krešimir Čandrlić / Tourist Board of Osijek-Baranja County.

Long ago, heavy rains began to produce natural gorges which cut through the higher ground. Over time, some of these became considerably deep, widened by the flow of water and sometimes mud. Eventually, these gorges between hillsides became passageways for horses and carts. In Croatia, these narrow routes are exclusive to the Baranja region and are very pretty to walk. Their walls are lined with tree roots, which stop them from collapsing. The branches and leaves of these trees often overhang the gorge, sometimes giving you the impression you're in a tunnel. Such a route in Baranja is known as a Surduk.

A line of traditional Baranja wine cellars. Unique in Croatia to Baranja, such a building is known as a Gator © Visit Baranja.

On this same ground, you'll find another phenomenon unique to Baranja. A Gator is a traditional wine cellar of this region. Sometimes found on the lower course of a Surduk, a Gator is unlike a typical wine cellar in that it has no subterranean section where the wine is stored. Instead, a Gator extends back into the hillside. Wine is kept in the deepest recesses of the building, where it is coolest. In several places in Baranja you can see a street with several of these buildings side by side. Usually, each Gator is owned by a different family and each will make their own particular family wine.

Podrumi Kolar family winery in Suza

With a 100-year-old cellar and great wines, the Podrumi Kolar family winery in Suza.

The Kolar family wine cellar is 100 years old, although the restaurant and tourism aspect of their enterprise has only been around since 2004. The whole family are involved and they purposefully intertwine their winemaking with a visitor offer. In addition to the restaurant attached to the wine cellar and they have a wonderful campsite just a couple of hundred metres down the road. All of their wines are great. But, if you visit, be sure to try their Sauvignon. Some say it's the best in the whole of Baranja.

Josić winery and restaurant in Zmajevac

Traditional Baranja and Slavonia flavours at the Josić winery and restaurant in Zmajevac.

At the Josić winery and restaurant in Zmajevac they make brilliant wines. Among them, Baranja shiller, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Graševina, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon. You can visit the wine cellars and try traditional foods of the region in their extensive restaurant.

Vinarija Gerštmajer in Zmajevac

Incredible views from the garden at Vinarija Gerštmajer in Zmajevac.

A deep dust gathers on some of the oldest bottles kept in the cellar at Vinarija Gerstmajer. And, there's plenty of those. The charming family patriarch is clearly a proud wine enthusiast and reserves some bottles from every year of their celebrated but small production. Sadly, this archive now stretches back only until the mid-1990s. It used to be much older, cataloguing all of the years his own father ran the winery. But, when the family returned after the war, they were greeted by empty cellars. The cellars are once again full. You can try them in the cellar or out on the terrace, overlooking a scene of uninterrupted nature.

The wildlife-rich wetlands of Kopački rit

Wetlands of Kopački rit © Tourist Board of Osijek-Baranja County.

Occupying the marches, lakes and floodland between the Drava and the Danube, Nature Park Kopački rit is one of Europe's largest wetlands. Although a home to many different types of life, it is most famous for its bird population. As many as 300 different species of birds inhabit the park, many of them being migratory and nesting species. Of particular note, a large colony of grey heron and and the largest population of woodpeckers in the entire Danube basin. You can now tour a section of the waters in a large visitor boat. It is electrically powered so as not to disturb the life-rich riverbanks. After the boat drops you off, make your way through the rest of the park across specially constructed pathways that wind their way across the waters and reeds.

The wooden walkways of Kopački rit Nature Park in Osijek-Baranja County © Romulić & Stojčić.

The OPGs of Osijek-Baranja County

The landscape in Osijek-Baranja County is only so picturesque because of the people who live in it. It is their endeavours that shape it. Traditional agricultural pursuits explain the pretty rows of vineyards, the different coloured fields and gardens filled with fruit trees. While some agriculture here exists on a grand scale, many families in the region make the most of their own small plots of land.

Osijek-Baranja County family farms or OPGs preserve the traditions of the region, not only in the way they use the land but in the produce that results. From the beekeeping that makes EU-protected honey to the vineyards producing Croatia's best white wine, practices in these family farms are often passed down from generation to generation. The best way to learn how they do it – and try the amazing traditional flavours of Osijek-Baranja County – is to go to an OPG. Here are just several you can visit.

Zorić distillery in Erdut

Zorić distillery in Erdut, Osijek-Baranja County.

The Zorić family in Erdut have long been growing fruit and making Croatian brandy aka rakija. But, this youngest generation, lead by youthful father Dinko and his wife Sanja, have upped their game significantly. They have built the most modern craft rakija distillery in the region. From there, they make one of Croatia's best new premium rakijas, Divania. In English or Croatian, they will guide you around the distillery and explain the process before letting you try it on their lovely terrace. If you're lucky, you might also get to try the family-made kobasica sausages – they're very good! Their rakijas are made from apricots, quinces, apples, pears and cherries and the family are great hosts.

Seoski turizam Lacković in Bilje

Filled with flowers, Seoski turizam Lacković in Bilje.

A beautiful family-run farm, with 16 beds for guests, Seoski turizam Lacković are used to hosting visitors. The farm itself has pretty rows of vegetables out back. Next to them, a variety of birds are kept. The hosting area has a lovely terrace with a view of the pretty tree-lined path that extends down through the large garden. During the recent Month of Baranja Cooking (Mjesec baranjske kuhinje), visitors tried their hand at making traditional baked foods pita and kiflice.

OPG Čudesna šuma

Meeting the llamas at OPG Čudesna šuma © Turistička zajednica Općine Bilje - Kopački rit.

Visit the llamas or a special gastronomic event at this future eco-village and food forest. To read a detailed reportage from our spring 2021 visit to OPG Čudesna šuma, look here.

Both the author and Total Croatia News would like to thank the following for their invaluable help in creating this article: Ivana Jurić and the Tourist Board of Osijek-Baranja County, Marija Burek and the Tourist Board of Đakovo, Renata Forjan and Turistička zajednica Općine Bilje - Kopački rit and Domagoj Butković of expert travel guides to Slavonia and Osijek-Baranja County, Kulen travel.