August 24, 2022 - The Biggest Croatian Fish Stew Day, Fishing Days, Wine Marathon, and World Fishing Championship. September in Baranja looks eventful. Over 15,000 visitors are expected.

As Glas Slavonije writes, since the beginning of the year, more than 13,000 tourists visited Baranja, accounting for approximately 23,000 overnight stays.

The results are significantly better than last year, reaching the level of the record 2019. A real tidal wave of arrivals and overnight stays is expected during September when several events will be held in Baranja that have recently become famous outside of the county borders.

“Judging by the announcements, we expect about 15,000 visitors at the September events alone, mostly domestic, but with a respectable number of foreign visitors as well”, said Matej Perkušić, director of the Baranja Tourist Board, stressing that this should be felt in the occupancy of accommodation capacities throughout Baranja, but also in Osijek and its surroundings. It all starts with the Biggest Croatian Fish Stew Festival, which will take place in Beli Manastir on September 3. It is a "two in one" competition - the Croatian Championship, for the winners of the Slavonia-Baranja competition, and the amateur championship, for everyone else. In total, more than 200 chefs are expected.

“About 70 amateur chefs have applied so far, and we expect the majority of applications a day or two before the deadline, which is in less than a week”, said Perkušić. Along with several interesting games, the bands TS Žeteoci and Magazin will be in charge of entertainment.

The middle of September is reserved for another established Baranja event, Fishing Days in Kopačevo. Ten thousand visitors were there last year, and as many are expected this year as well.

“Last year, because of the pandemic, we decided that Fishing Days would be a three-day event, and it turned out to be a complete success. Therefore, this year they will be held on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (September 16 - 18)”, said Željko Cickaj, mayor of Bilje Municipality, pointing out that visitors can expect between four and five tons of fish, to which the "gastro programs" must be added, organised alongside with the central part. In addition to local delicacies, guests will also be able to enjoy a cultural and entertainment program. On Friday, after the official opening, the band Gazde will play, followed by TS Kvinta in the tent. Saturday is reserved for The Garden, klapa Rišpet, and TS Nesanica (in the tent), and on Sunday there will be a traditional fish stew cook-off, several traditional music, and dance ensembles, and TS Sitan Vez will perform.

“Although this year there is a problem with acquiring the needed quantities, the members of the hunting club from Kopačevo started their preparations on time, so there will be enough fish” Cickaj pointed out.

And on the last weekend of September (Friday and Saturday), all roads will lead to Zmajevac, to its mountain paths and wine cellars.

“We expect that approximately 2,500 marathoners will “run” the marathon this year, possibly more. Applications started back in February. For example, the team from Hungary that participated in the marathon last year had six members. This year, they expanded the team to 73 members, for both days” on behalf of the organizer, the Surduk Association, said Kristijan Horvat. This year, the partner countries will be Hungary and North Macedonia. An interesting entertainment program awaits visitors. Although the dice are still “coming together”, Frajle, Hungarian violinist Nyari Bernardett, and Macedonian artist Tijana Dabčević will perform together on Friday. The arrival of Tamara Tadevska, who defended the Macedonian colours at the Eurovision Song Contest, is also planned. Concerts on two stages are planned for Saturday.

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

August 24, 2022 - Nathan arrived in Osijek from Arizona via Colorado and Prague. Not only did he find a job there, but also what he calls the ideal place for family life. The Osijek Software City movement is slowly, but surely coming to life.

As RTL writes, Osijek is a city where IT companies produce good software. Where do you acquire the necessary knowledge and skills for that? Where are the educated and motivated workers employed in quality and promising companies? This is how the objectives of the Osijek Software City project were presented, were they achieved?

Ten years from the first vision of Osijek as a regional IT center, and seven years until the first company in the IT park. The story of Osijek Software City unfolded slowly.

“It went slowly and it was difficult, but now it's going faster and faster”, Denis, one of the initiators of this story, told RTL. Better cooperation with universities will create the necessary IT specialists and scholarship programs with the City and the County that will attract young people.

“For us, this current pool of young people is no longer enough to turn Osijek into a true center of the IT industry, and we will really need to attract and import a lot of foreign students”, says Denis Sušac, director of the IT company.

Nathan arrived in Osijek from Arizona via Colorado and Prague. Not only did he find a job there, but also what he calls the ideal place for family life.

“Osijek could be one of the best cities on the planet for family life”, said Nathan Chappell, a developer.

The family spirit is present in the workplace, and his family is also helping him learn the Croatian language.

Ivana, on the other hand, studied languages, but after finishing her studies, she felt that it was not her life's calling.

“And then, little by little, I started poking around in IT to see what was there and what I was really interested in and I came across this testing”, said Ivana Belak, software tester.

She didn't want to leave Croatia and rather wanted to find the job she desired here, and that, she says, came true.

“We think that today young people can live very well working in Osijek, without leaving, and this trend of going to Ireland, Sweden, Germany is slowly coming to a halt”, claims Sušac.

The number of IT people in Osijek is growing. The goal of recognising Osijek as a city where IT experts live and work is becoming closer, and without their skills life is almost unimaginable today.

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

August 21, 2022 – In TCN’s new series, Discover the Croatian Danube, we explore the little villages that lie on the banks of this mighty river. We started from the point where the river Drava “surrounds its water and name to the Danube”, in a small fishing village called Aljmaš. If anything, you might know that Aljmaš is a Marian shrine with a big modern church and that it’s somewhere in Slavonia (could be Baranja?). There is a lot more to these few streets that make the village. A very long and rich history in a geographically important and interesting position. Legends, traditions, and stories of hardship, friendship, and mischief. Learn about the former in Aljmaš part one and buckle up for the latter in the following paragraphs.

Photo: Aljmaška ribarska noć

Every village has its traditions. They are usually tied to the big holidays or otherwise important events, serve to bring people together, and are overseen by village Google. If you don’t know about the phenomenon, just ask any local grandmother about current events. In Aljmaš, its geography was used to make sure that things run smoothly. Before the modernisation of the infrastructure which took place in the 2000s, there were three canals for the rainwater to drain into the Danube. The embankments were used for social purposes where boys would gather and hang out on one, girls would do the same on another, and the third, you guessed it, was reserved for the smooth running of surveillance.

Other events couldn’t do without it, either. One of them was something called lelujle. In the spring, on Palm Sunday, there was a tradition for the ladies to let their romantic interests know who they were. This was, of course, done using old pots and pans which the girls would throw over the gates of their hopefully future husbands. This all gave the security something to do, as they would have to be the ones to either prevent the accumulation of unwanted old pottery or clear it out afterward. Usually with the words “better take this rubbish back to your mother’s house”.

The final quirky tradition presented here, and the author’s favourite is called buše. It occurs as the accompanying content, or the entertainment to go with the hard work that is the winter preparation of pig meat traditional for Slavonia. To lighten the mood, it was the task of a volunteer trickster to manage mischief. The primary goal was to play a trick on the host and acquire as much meat and snacks as possible, all while making sure that your identity remained completely hidden. Among other things, wine barrels were used to that end. The loot would then be served at a party.

German fishing crew enjoying a delicious dinner

The Danube is the heart of Aljmaš. Fishing, camping, and picnics on the riverbanks are a way of life. Naturally, one of the most important local dishes is fish stew. This delicious, hearty meal is usually made with carp, catfish, pike, or a combination of those, over an open fire in a hanging pot, with an addition of smoked sweet and spicy paprika, onions, and wine. The ingredients can vary, and every good cook will keep their secret, but one thing is sure – love is always the primary spice. And Aljmaš breathes love for the river, for food, for good company, and a good time. A true testament to this is the annual Aljmaš Fishing Night. It was born spontaneously out of a night of good fun, cooking and a friendly cook-off between Dalmatian cooks with fish from the Adriatic Sea and local cooks with Danube fish. The eighth Aljmaš Fishing Night held in 2019 hosted over 8000 visitors who all cooked, ate, sang, and danced all night long. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the festival was put on temporary hold, but the organisers cannot wait to be back and have already started planning Fishing Night 2023. A little fishy told us it might be the biggest and best one yet. It is usually held in late May or early June. For more info, to get a feel of the atmosphere, and to make sure you don’t miss the next one, follow Aljmaška ribarska noć on Facebook.

Photo: Susi Petrijevčanin

The driving force of the events, traditions, and all other ways in which Aljmaš lives, is of course its residents. There might not be many, but they are the most generous and friendly bunch. Not only will they greet you with a smile, but they will also host you, show you around and feed you. One of them is Susi Petrijevčanin, a German nurse who decided to move to Aljmaš for love, the fresh air, and the perfect lifestyle. In her words, it’s a place where you can let your child go outside to play all day. They might come back muddy, tired, knees scraped, but they’ll always be happy and healthy. To ensure that a lunch of delicious fish stew is followed by lovely desserts, Susi has opened her dessert shop in Aljmaš, which you can follow here.

If any of this inspires you to visit Aljmaš, we encourage you to do it yesterday! Our guide Marina will be more than happy to help and will ensure that you have the best time. She will tell you a story or two about the village, her family who has lived in Aljmaš for five generations and might be traced back to Napoleon Bonaparte, as well as what the best ways are to catch and prepare fresh Danube fish. If she likes you, she might even show you her house which has stood in the village since before the 1900s. Whether it’s the original bricks, wooden structure, or the wine in the cellar, there is an incredibly special feel to the place.

Marina with her father in traditional wear. Standard atmosphere in the village.

If you would like to contact Marina and plan your visit, email TCN This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Subject Aljmas.

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

August 17, 2022 - A wonderful artistic intervention has just dawned in the city of Osijek. It put the spotlight on the historical beauty of cities. A tram stop that dates to 1926 was refurbished by the famous street artist Lonac, under the Urban Intervention project headed by Darija Walter.

Darija is a woman changing things at the local level, to stimulate change on a global level. In recent years, life in Croatia has focused more and more on the capital, while the rest remains neglected, uninhabited, and without events and plans. Darija operates through the association PLANTaža. She also works on a series of projects that truly change Osijek, and not only Osijek but contribute to the entire community. Journal spoke with Daria about all the current and upcoming plans that, little by little, bring life to where it should have always been.

Darija Walter on her beginnings, art…

You have now been in the PLANTaža association for eight years, how do you see those years, compared to the time before you became part of it, how much has it changed your life?

I have been working with the PLANTaža Association since the very beginning of the association's work when an enthusiastic group of people gathered who wanted to start some new stories in Osijek. Today, eight years later, I realize how much the association has influenced my life. It gave me a new opportunity that I was not aware of before and thus determined my path. I have always known that I wanted to do work that has a direct impact on solving problems in the community, offers sustainable and meaningful solutions, and involves all age groups. It never crossed my mind that I would do that in the city I love so much. The city I wanted to leave eight years ago because I didn't see any prospects.

"It would be nice to write about Slavonia in an optimistic tone"

How much, in your opinion, does investment and contribution to a city, especially not the capital of Croatia, mean, on a larger level, while most investments are oriented specifically towards Zagreb or the south of the country?

Like any other area, the city of Osijek could use investment, especially in the field of creating new jobs. Although we do not stand side by side with the big companies, the association is an employer that, through EU funds, offers the opportunity for employment and first work experiences. We are not the only ones there. We cooperate with a whole range of associations that operate in Osijek and continue to develop their stories despite numerous obstacles. Croatia does not only consist of Zagreb. It is precisely for this reason that equal investment should be encouraged so that other parts of the country can also expect development.

In addition, it would be nice if Slavonia and Baranja were written about in an optimistic tone, and not just about mass emigration. Although unfortunately many have sought their happiness outside this region, life has not disappeared. Changes are happening, people are trying, and a lot is happening regardless of all the challenges that stand in the way of success in this ungrateful environment of ours.

"Only through our involvement can we influence changes"

What is your motivation for projects? This is now your lifestyle, not just an occupation.

Working in an association becomes a way of life, whether I want to admit it or not. Classic working hours do not exist. Vacations have become an invisible concept to me because most of the activities are carried out during the summer. My office is wherever I can connect to the Internet. My motivation is to influence change, however small it may be. Only this way can we contribute to the creation of some new, sustainable and healthy habits that can only further enrich our lives. Only through our engagement can we directly affect changes in our community – which in the long term affects the understanding of the kind of society we leave to our descendants as an inheritance.

Reconstruction of the oldest tram stop

You have just presented an art installation within the oldest tram stop in Osijek through the Urban Intervention project, can you tell us more about it?

The Urban Intervention project is being implemented for the fourth year in a row to present artistic illustrations within the oldest tram stop in Osijek, which dates back to 1926. The station was neglected for many years and left to wait for better days. This is exactly why, with the support of donors and the Conservation Department in Osijek, we decided to restore the glass surface and give it a new purpose.

We desire to return the stop to its original state, refurbish the entire surface, and with the support of the City, restorers, and the Conservation Department in Osijek, make it a real small gallery space, unique in Croatia. Until that happens, we will continue to present new artistic illustrations to further promote urban culture and new artistic practices. This year we presented an artistic illustration signed by the famous Croatian street artist Lonac. So far, Slađana Zubić, Tea Jurišić, and Vedran Klemens have introduced themselves to the Osijek audience.

Project Urbani Osijek

The Urbani Osijek project connects urban culture through the tourist offer of the city. How much did it contribute to the tourist image of Osijek?

The Urbani Osijek project was created last year by the secretary of the association, Vedran Grizbaher. The project itself includes the promotion of urban culture through a touristic approach and contains a whole series of creative activities such as cycle-urban routes, concept lectures I Travel Solo in which female travelers are presented. There is also an urban guide to Osijek, which was created as a desire to present the contents of Osijek in one place in an illustrated version beautifully painted by Yellow Yuri. The project gave birth to creative solutions and original tourist products, such as the already mentioned urban guide, which we plan to promote even further.

The first art workshop

You are preparing the first art workshop "Vibration of Art" soon, whose theme will be Nikola Tesla. Can you tell us more about that?

The Vibration of Art is a project whose activities we are very much looking forward to. Our first activity will start soon at the Slama Land Art Festival, which has been organized by the Slama association for more than 15 years. This year the theme is Nikola Tesla. In accordance with that, we will hold a land art workshop and a Tesla transformer workshop under the expert guidance of Nikola Faller. The project itself also includes informal theater dance workshops led by Mira Sekereš from Shine Dance Studio, panel discussions, and poetry evenings.

What is she looking forward to?

Do you spend the whole summer working and what are you looking forward to in the autumn?

This year is unique for several reasons, so the whole summer has been busy for me. I will take a short break in September, and until then I will continue in the same rhythm. In the autumn, I will be working on the PLANTida ecologically sustainable festival and a whole series of new things that have yet to come. In any case, I'm happy with this busy creativity, I enjoy the process of learning and tinkering, and as long as it's like that, it doesn't need to be any other way!

All photos by Udruga PLANTaža

Osijek is the regional centre of Slavonia and Baranja, and much like the rest of eastern Croatia, it is indeed full of life. Why aren't you here?

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

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

August 18, 2022 – Picture this. You live in Slavonia. You are 16, it is the height of summer, plans include swimming in the Danube all day and partying all night. Guess again. There’s more important business. It involves plums, apricots, tomatoes, peppers, maybe beetroots. And it’s not a very weird salad. You are now old enough to make your own zimnica.

The winter staples - tomato passata, apricot and plum jam, pickled beetroots and peppers

While not a uniquely Slavonian event, zimnica, which is the Croatian word for anything that is kept specifically for the winter, plays an extremely important role in eastern Croatia. Preparing jars, bags, and dishes of fruits and vegetables for the winter is almost a form of art. Though things are different nowadays, winter in Slavonia used to be awfully long, cold, and dark, food was hard to come by, and it was of utmost importance to ensure that you preserved as much as you can. These days life is not as hard, and you can buy anything at any time, but the tradition does live on. Homegrown and homemade is always just so much better.

The preparations take place all summer long, as the fruits ripen, using various techniques. The most popular ones include pickling, jamming, and passing.

Pretty much any vegetable can be pickled using vinegar, salt, sugar, and water. The hierarchy of pickled vegetables is as follows:

1) Turšija is a mix of bell peppers, cauliflower, carrots, onions, and cucumbers, all pickled together in a plastic barrel. It takes top tier and gets served almost daily with all kinds of stews, meats, and even sandwiches, the adventure is in you.

1) Cabbage takes the same tier as turšija because it’s used to make a dish called sarma, which is the number one winter dish. It is almost mandatory to develop a love-hate relationship with it based on how often it’s made in Slavonian households.

2) Beetroots taste slightly sweeter, very red, never eaten while wearing white. Never frowned upon.

3) Solo whole bell peppers – neutral good, few hate them, few love them. Eaten if served, rarely an object of fear of missing out.

4) Other – like solo pickles, usually fetched when you run out of the good stuff.

5) Green tomatoes – now, that’s simply weird.

Just like any vegetable can be pickled, any fruit can be made into jam or rakija. Rare are jobs that are as annoying as picking up plums, apricots, peaches, pears, or apples from the ground and separating them into three buckets: good for jam, good for rakija, and good for nothing. The latter is usually completely rotten fruit, which is the most fun to pick up, and that bucket is taken to the back to be composted. The rakija bucket is dumped into a big barrel where the fruit is left to ferment, later distilled, and poured into the nicest bottles to be served on every occasion. Finally, the good fruit is eaten or used in cakes, but more importantly, jammed. There are a few different recipes for jam, depending on the fruit. The ubiquitous plum is treated as the queen and can be found in cakes, tašci, knedle, crepes, and on the breakfast table daily. Try the simple trick of cooking a large clay dish full of pitted plums with some sugar in the oven for a few hours and thank us later.

Now, you might wonder why one would go out and buy 250 kilograms of tomatoes on a Wednesday morning. Because that is market day, and the tomatoes went for a good price. And the ones from your garden were part of one too many salads. One of the most important ingredients of Slavonian cuisine is tomato sauce. Sunday lunch is unimaginable without a good broth, followed by the meat that was cooked in it served with some of the red velvety goodness. Tomato soup cures colds, cases of flu, and an array of other illnesses. It also makes for an incredibly easy and delicious dinner.

The process of preparing passata for the winter has a few steps. First, invite friends and family to help. This is a group job. Second, make sure that you’ve got some tools like a tomato press with a questionable origin, which you might or might not remember buying some 25 years ago. Even better if it’s your mother’s. Third, have some coffee. Fourth and final, work for 12 hours straight washing your tomatoes, cutting them, boiling, pressing, boiling again, bottling, and tucking for a cozy rest of 36-48 hours. Now you can rest easy knowing that you can store your 60 litres per household, getting through another long frosty winter in Slavonia.

Step no. 4

Traditional jam and tomato sauce are used in restaurants all over Slavonia and Baranja, where you can also try some of the dishes mentioned in the article, like tašci, sarma, and tomato soup. And that is just scratching the surface. Why aren’t you here?

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

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

August 3, 2022 - Bikademy – an academy where a good, strong connection is mandatory. The only other requirement is a bicycle. This innovative app explores cyclo tourism and places Croatia on the map of big European cyclo tourist destinations.

Bikademy is a unique Croatian product intended for all those who like cycling to explore new destinations and their cultural and natural heritage. It promotes cities and regions as desirable cyclo tourism destination, rewarding cyclists for their efforts. A bicycle is an ideal means of exploration, being slow enough to take in your surroundings, and fast enough to cover longer distances.

The Bikademy application is completely free for users who, just like in other academies, are called Bikademy Students. Within the application, you can choose from different Bikademy Studies, each representing a particular region, county, or city. Within each Study, there are different Exams, that is, locations and places of cultural or natural significance.

Photo: Bikademy

The main task of a Bikademy Student is to cycle to each Exam in the chosen Study. It is required to take a selfie and check in via the application. After passing all the Exams of the chosen Study, Bikademy Students receive a prize from the Bikademy sponsor, GIANT Croatia.

In just four steps, you too can pass the Bikademy Exam (photos attached).

1 Install the application and register

2 Cycle to the Exam (location)

3 Check in through the application

4 Repeat the previous two steps

Photo: Bikademy

One of the first Bikademy Studies was the Brod-Posavina County with seven Exams: Vrpolje, Gajna, Tvrđava Brod, Petnja, Stara Kapela, Cernik and Tvrđava Stara Gradiška. 

Check out the highlights of the Brod-Posavina Study here.

This Study is intended for more experienced cyclists who want to cover longer distances. The Exams are of similar difficulty for the four other four Slavonian counties. They reveal that Slavonia is not only made up of fields and valleys but also rich cultural heritage, natural resources, superb gastronomy and hospitality, at every turn. Although everyone knows about Slavonia, it is yet to be discovered as a hidden tourist gem perfect for cycling.

In cities like Zagreb, Šibenik, and Berlin, there are less demanding Studies for every traveler who wants to explore the area by bike.

Through its social networks, Bikademy presents its cyclo tourism destinations, and examples from practice, but also continuously rewards its followers. They are preparing new surprises and opportunities soon, so make sure you follow them on social networks.

If you would love to see Bikademy in your area, feel free to contact them, as they are expanding beyond the borders of the Republic of Croatia.

As for your holidays, choose your destination and explore it by bike, get to know the culture and nature of the region, and win prizes. Cycle your exams!

To learn more about some of the people behind the movement, check out TCN's interview with Krešimir Herceg.

For more on lifestyle in Croatia, explore our lifestyle section.

July 20, 2022 - From the Golden Valley to the easternmost vineyard in Ilok, a 'Wine Tour de Slavonia' with Mirena Bagur and Winfried Burke.

With Graševina representing one out every four vines in Croatia and being the most produced wine in Croatia, it felt appropriate to celebrate it by introducing influencing guests from the US to the Graševina Festival in Osijek, where several Croatian organizations hosted the conference to discuss the past, present, and future of the variety. 

Hence, we decided to “Head on East Croatia,” the cleverly designed marketing campaign by Slavonia Travel, to truly enjoy and explore all the gourmet experiences Slavonia has to offer.  With three counties, several appellations, and indefinite wine labels later, we can say we were in for a real treat. Most importantly, the people of Slavonia are to be applauded for not only incredibly warm and welcoming hospitality, but also for their expertise in differentiating this experience from the rest of Croatia, so more visitors would come here. We will be back, what about you?

This is a short overview with just a few photos from the inaugural “Croatia Full of Flavors” trip to Slavonia. The two American writers joining this trip included Todd Godbout of WineCompass, and Richard Auffrey, Passionate Foodie Blog, and Sampan, who were initially introduced to us by Luiz Alberto, the American-based wine judge and founder of the  #winelover group, a 10-year old community of 30,000 members on Facebook which also holds periodic in-person gatherings in wine regions. Needless to say, Todd’s and Richard’s brief posts while traveling in Slavonia have already reached a huge number of wine lovers.  

We hope many other writers will want to visit to get the historical and flavors’ profile of the region and visit Slavonia’s wine roads.  We will be writing about each area separately. And, as you can imagine, we are in discussions with various wineries about how to add more Slavonian wines to our portfolio at www.CroatianPremiumWine.com, an online store shipping 70+ Croatian wines to most US states. 

Three Counties, Many Appellations, and a Unified Hospitality 

When thinking of Eastern Croatia, most foreign visitors don’t realize there are three distinct counties and two wine regions in Eastern Croatia. All are blessed with fertile land for many crops, but in addition to “flatlands” there are many rolling hills where vineyards thrive -- hard to imagine without visiting.  The focus of our trip was eno- and gastro-offering of the region, but with the assistance from the Tourism Offices that work together from the Požega-Slavonia, Vukovar-Srijem, and Osijek-Baranja counties, we were able to get a rounded cultural experience. 

We were so full of impressions of an indefinite number of wineries and underground cellars – both very old and ultra-modern ones with vertical archives, with a plethora of traditional and gourmet food offerings, and interactions with people of all walks of life, from tourism to winemaking, that it seemed the trip lasted several weeks. 

Graševina is an incredibly versatile grape variety, and the top-quality wines produced in Slavonia today are obviously prevalent. While a lot of table wine is still produced in Slavonia, we have not visited one winery that did not have great top-quality wine. This is a result of the winemaking renaissance in Croatia led by many experts in the academia as well as a result of hard work in the wineries where the young generation of winemakers is carrying the torch started by the legends like Vlado Krauthaker and others. 

We tasted a lot of Graševina in various forms - from sparkling to fresh or aged, and ultimately ice wine. Our verdict – join the people in the know who are “Heading on East” to get that full experience. It is hard to describe without sharing ratings of various wines and experiences. 

Slavonia wine region (Kutjevo, Feričanci)

Our first stop was Kutjevo, and the area is called the Golden Valley, where we visited three large wineries -- Kutjevo Winery, Krauthaker, and Galić Winery.  From the 1232 wine cellar to the ultra-modern winery, the American wine writers and importers got the front-row seats in exploring Slavonia’s wine routes.

Photo: Kutjevo’s cellar from 1232 and the Galic newest Galileo barrel 

Vlado Krauthaker and his team introduced us to more than 30 wines. And Vlado also showed off not only his legendary charisma, but also his family – from Martina, the winemaker's daughter, to Ivan, the business leader nephew with the “prepare your glasses” moto, and the granddaughter that gave him a big hug at the family dinner to which we were invited. (Needless to say, we were grateful we had a driver!) And the next day, we visited a big winery in Feričanci, formerly known as Feravino, which has recently rebranded itself to Enosophia Winery. The new product line is both produced and designed in a modern way. Interesting to note that wines are aged in Slavonian oak and that the barrels are made by Auric Barrels, a company whose entire forest is FCS certified and is just a few kilometers down the road. Talking about the perfect pairing!

Photo:  30+ wines with Vlado Krauthaker and his team, and listening about the newest brand Enosophia aged in Auric barrels

Croatian Danube Wine Region (Ilok-Srijem, Erdut, and Baranja)

Our travel path from Slavonia took us first to the most eastern area -- Ilok-Srijem, where everything seems to be historical and big. One cannot visit Iločki Podrumi without realizing its long and royal history as well as recent ingenuity in saving the archived wines. Then at TRS Winery we witnessed the modern winery built literally on top of historical cellars, which are in the process of being rebuilt.  And, we had the chance to juxtapose the might of the big wineries with the success on the smaller scale – the most eastern winery in Ilok, Papak Winery, is a family winery of the former leader at Iločki Podrumi whose experience has been transferred to smaller scale but the wine is equally superb, and the young lions at the Čobanković and the Buhač wineries who are starting to win awards with top-quality wines.

Photo: Iločki Podrumi vertical cellar, Principovac, ice wine from Papak Winery, and the TRS juxtaposition 

In the Erdut Danube wine region, we visited one of the biggest wineries, including their biggest wooden barrel of 75000 liters at Erdutski Vinogradi, which makes it the largest wine barrel in use in the world. The barrel is always full, and there is always Graševina in it.

From the gigantic, we moved to charming -- the boutique Antunović Winery is fully in the embrace of the Danube and vines as well as the wisdom, knowledge, and persistency of a woman winemaker – Jasna Antunović is the only Slavonian winemaker with a Decanter Platinum for her wine.  Yes, platinum!

Photo:  The world’s largest barrel at Erdutski Vinogradi and the charming environment and winemaker at Antunović Winery

Lastly, we visited Baranja in its mystical glory. From historical fortification “Tvrđa” in Osijek to the Belje Winery, both old cellars and the new, and finally rural Zmajevac, and the Josic Winery. The allure of this most northeastern part of Croatia is in the combination of their traditional customs with the new twists, and the might and modernism of the winery serving 630 hectares of continuous vineyards as well as the charisma of the village life transposed to rural wine tourism.

Photo:  Belje, the old and the new cellars 

2 Days in Slavonia Equals 2 Kilos Gained 

In addition to wine, we tasted everything from the very traditional “kulen” to the modern representations of modern food. Regardless of the lighter touches of the gourmet cuisine, we were told by the charming lady at the even more charming Maksimilian Hotel in Osijek, “if visitors didn’t gain at least two kilos over one weekend, Slavonians didn’t do their hosting well.”  In retrospect, it appears we didn’t want to offend them – don’t want to reveal any numbers, but we both gained at least that much. Mission accomplished, Slavonia! 

Photo: From old-fashioned, but deliciously spicy “fiš paprikas” at Josić Winery and Restaurant to the presentation of a traditionally-inspired dessert with a reduction of Josić Grand Cuvee.

Our trip to Slavonia ended with a well-visited Wine & Art Festival in Osijek with artists expressing their talents and wineries sharing their high-quality wines with the public. It seemed the whole of Slavonia came to celebrate. As it should. We hope this will make more Croatians and foreign visitors make their plans to visit and taste all the wines and food. Živjeli!

Authors: Mirena Bagur and Win Burke are co-founders of Croatian Premium Wine Imports, Inc, a company that distributes, retails online, and educates about Croatian wines in the US, and ships 70+ Croatian wine labels to most US states. The initial team of American wine writers included Todd Godbout of WineCompass, a directory for winery, brewery, and distillery locators, and BevFluence, an organization created by beverage content creators, for content creators, and Richard Auffrey of Sampan, the New England English-Chinese newspaper, and Passionate Foodie Blog, where he wrote dozens of articles about Croatia and its wine scene before even heading to this trip.

We wanted to thank all organizations and people who helped us put this tour together – from the Croatian National Tourist Board in the US, and regional tourist boards as well as Vina Croatia.hr, a segment of the Croatian Chamber of Economy, and Graševina Croatica, an association of wineries in Slavonia and Danube region. 

And as always, we are thankful to the global #winelovers community for helping us navigate the American wine scene before we even started the business.  The beauty of the group lies in its members consisting of tradespeople and simple wine enthusiasts, amateurs and pros, serious collectors and newcomers, who all share a passion for wine and facilitate communication and education of all facets of the wine industry from vineyard to glass. 

Authors in front of Principovac Summer Residence

All photos by Croatian Premium Wine Imports

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

ZAGREB, 2 July 2022 - Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković met in Osijek on Saturday with city and county officials and said the numbers showed that after years of stagnation, Osijek, Osijek-Baranja County and the Slavonia region were growing and making progress.

He met with Osijek-Baranja County head Ivan Anušić, Osijek Mayor Ivan Radić and Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Nataša Tramišak.

Speaking to the press afterwards, he said Slavonia and Baranja-County for many years were seen in a negative light due to political instability, emigration and economic stagnation.

Now, he added, a lot of money from the state budget and EU funds is coming here and the effects on the quality of life are visible.

Money is being invested in infrastructure and logistics projects as well in agriculture, the economy and science, Jandroković said, adding that today's meeting also discussed sports development, the IT sector in Osijek, and the further strengthening of the cooperation between the state and local levels.

When there is political stability and the city and the county function, that cooperation is much stronger, he said.

As a member of the EU and soon-to-be member of the euro and Schengen areas, Croatia is significantly changing its position, which impacts counties and region, he added.

Tramišak said HRK 7.6 billion was being invested in economic, municipal, health and school projects.

Croatia's east has proven that it can be more progressive in terms of the economy and development and to attract people to live there, she said, adding that the programming process had ended and a partnership agreement was sent to the European Commission yesterday for approval.

This means new funds and opportunities for enterprise and much higher aid for those who want to start a business here, Tramišak said.

Prefect Anušić said that under parliament's recent change of statistical regions, Osijek-Baranja County was now part of the Pannonian Region and that this facilitated development and EU fund absorption.

Mayor Ivan Radić said Prime Minister Andrej Plenković's visit yesterday and Jandroković's today showed how much attention was being paid to eastern Croatia.

We have very good tourism results as well as good economic and demographic indicators, he added.

Tonight, Jandroković will open the 22nd Osijek Summer of Culture.

For more, check out our politics section.

ZAGREB, 1 July 2022 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said in Osijek on Friday that visible steps forward had been made for the Slavonia region in the past six years by implementing Project Slavonia thanks to the synergy between the national and local levels.

The project is aimed at helping the region's revitalization, demographic recovery, and economic growth by investing in infrastructure, agriculture and education, he told the press after meeting with Osijek Mayor Ivan Radić and Osijek-Baranja County head Ivan Anušić.

Plenković said he was pleased that HRK 1 billion worth of projects were being carried out in Osijek in the last year.

During our term, investments worth HRK 3 billion have been contracted in the city and over HRK 7 billion in the county, he added.

Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Nataša Tramišak said the results were visible in the economic, social, municipal and road infrastructure after six years of investments co-funded by the EU.

She said plans for regions in industrial transition had been approved in operational programmes until 2027. We are looking forward to the new opportunities, notably in the economic sense, she added.

Mayor Radić thanked the government for investing in Osijek and said the bulk of the current investments in the city, over HRK 1 billion, was financed by the EU. For the first time in ten years, we have more people moving in than out, which interests us the most, he added.

Prefect Anušić said this region was making progress in demography, the return of emigrants and tourism development thanks to the cooperation and the promotion of positive trends.

For more, check out our politics section.

June the 11th, 2022 - A recently held conference discussed untapped Slavonian potential, looking more deeply into this wrongly overlooked part of the country and exploring what the green and digital transition(s) could mean for it.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the Agency for Sustainable Development of the Municipality of Antunovac held a conference on untapped Slavonian potential, organised by the International Network of Business Women and the Croatian Association of Employers of the Osijek Regional Office.

"This is a fantastic topic for Slavonia, but also for Croatia in general, because a lot of funds will be available. Digitalisation and the green transition is something that awaits us in the future and without which we can't move forward. Neither big nor small enterprises can turn a blind eye to this, because without it they won't be competitive and that's something they'll simply have to introduce,'' said Ivana Radic, President of the International Business Women's Network.

Milan Peterka, head of the Centre for Entrepreneurship, added that in addition to the tenders from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, for digitalisation and the green transition, it will be possible to withdraw funds from the European Union's multiannual financial framework 2021-2027, and as much as 7 billion kuna will be available.

The conference focused on two main topics: the green transition and digitalisation, as these are increasingly current topics that the European Commission has also emphasised in the new budget period. Here in Croatia, only 15% of business entities use green technology and we're still very much lagging behind in terms of the degree of digitalisation. Croatian companies are insufficiently prepared and insufficiently informed.

“The green transition is a strategic decision of every company and it's a process that requires a lot of financial resources, depending on the industry in question. If we talk, for example, about the chemical industry, those funds can be very significant,'' explained Mirjana Samardzic Novoselec.

She also referred to the recent research conducted by Apsolon related to digitalisation, in which Croatian companies continue to make insufficient use of digital technologies. "The coronavirus pandemic has pushed some processes forward, but this still isn't enough,'' he said.

However, there are some good examples of digitalisation and the green transition among businesses in Croatia. Blazenka Cisko Anic, the director of the Saponia Institute d.d., also spoke at the conference, at which she announced that in the coming period, Saponia plans to invest 20 million kuna in increasing its energy efficiency by using green energy through the installation of solar panels and the energy renovation of six production facilities and the company's headquarters.

"Saponia has long since recognised the need for a green transition and for products that are environmentally friendly. Within Saponia, great care is taken of the raw materials that are purchased, the production process and standards,'' said Cisko Anic.

On behalf of the Olimpias Group, their Wasatex project was presented, which enables water savings in the fabric production process, where 70 percent of the water is reused in the production process. The investment is worth a massive 1.2 million euros, half of which was obtained from EU funds, and the return on investment is two years.

Zvonko Popovic, the director of Kanaan, said that part of their planned activities when it comes to the green transition has already been implemented by Kanaan, and the next step is robotisation.

"We've done perhaps the most in agriculture. We bought software that now makes it much easier to control the situation out in the fields. The new equipment we bought consumes a lot less resources, both in the human and energy senses. We've invested almost 10 million euros in robotics, which may not be the most popular thing, and our goal in the next two years is to robotise all possible drives. The reason is that there isn't enough manpower, and labour is becoming more expensive and the quality is declining. I must say that the only thing that pays off for the future is the purchase of state-of-the-art technology and to have adequate people who will follow it,'' stated Popovic.

PlantOn CEO Mario Salai explained how their company helps farmers on the one hand and customers on the other because it allows them to nurture their remote garden through the app.

“Anyone can enter our system, apply, get 40 square metres of their plot and process what the customer wants. It may be surprising that most of the current users are family farms and companies that want to produce organic and healthy fruit and vegetables for themselves or their employees,'' concluded Salai.

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