Why I swapped bustling Split for tourist-free Osijek
Osijek’s airport is so tiny there isn’t even room for a plane-load of passengers. Instead, after disembarking, we had to hover on the tarmac, in front of the cold concrete of the terminal building, waiting to file in so staff could check our passports.
The sky too was leaden. I had imagined something to match the crystalline waters of Croatia’s coastline, but faced with a grey airport and grey clouds, it felt more Swindon than Split. Not a particularly auspicious start. I had deliberately chosen a lesser-known city, hoping to avoid the crowds and discover a hidden gem, but was already having regrets.
Before long, however, I had sped through security (that’s one benefit of possessing a pint-sized airport), and was presented with Osijek itself. It’s more like a large town than a proper city (population 96,848), but finds room for a charming medieval quarter, centred around the quiet Ante Starčević Square, pretty parks, riverside walks, a clutch of museums, a top-tier football club (NK Osijek), and, I was told proudly, three McDonald’s.
It’s about as far from the sea as you can get in Croatia, and close to three international borders – so a great bet for anyone wishing to tick off four countries (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Hungary) in a single trip. At the very least, it’s the perfect gateway to the wider Slavonia region, home to wetlands populated by rare birds, several long-distance bike paths and some very good white wines.
Tourists are, quite thrillingly, a rare thing. Ryanair offers just two flights a week from its Stansted base. Perhaps this contributes to the staggeringly good hospitality I experienced – the locals were outrageously generous. One guide took me to a wine festival, where I found myself unable to leave without numerous gifts of foods and spices. Another introduced me to a friend, who plied me with (surprisingly tasty) homemade rosé (although the less said about the portrait of Tito on his wall, the better). And at the Lipinazzer Horse Stud Farm, a favourite of both the current Queen and the late Elizabeth II, a third guide insisted on taking photos of me with every stallion.
Another picturesque riverside town is within easy reach: Vukovar, site of a 87-day siege in 1991 during the Croatian War of Independence. More than 1,000 people died during the Battle of Vukovar, a grim episode remembered at the Vukovar City Museum. But there are relics and reminders everywhere. As I first entered Osijek, I saw a family standing beside a statue of a tank, nose-to-nose with a tiny red Fiat. It recalls the moment when Yugoslav People’s Army tanks first rolled into the city. A resident left his car in the road and watched as it was crushed (an incident caught on camera).
In Vukovar, a Water Tower, severely damaged by artillery fire during the siege, symbolises the city’s resistance and now houses a museum and restaurant. The beautiful cathedral of St Peter in Dakovo, a small town to the south of Osijek, also retains evidence of shelling, including a piece of painted cardboard that has filled a hole in the entrance for 32 years.
Not every museum lingers on this chapter in the region’s history, however. The bright and creative Museum of the Bećarac, for example, in the town of Pleternica, is devoted to a Unesco-recognised genre of folk singing.
Most surprising, though, was the abundance of wildlife. Swampy wetlands surround Osijek, including the Kopački Rit Nature Park, which lures 300 species of birds and, undeniably, lots of mosquitos (pack some repellent). Tourists might not flock to the city, but I saw vast numbers of geese and cormorants, white-tailed eagles and purple herons, as well as families of frogs and shimmering, green bugs. On top of its friendly locals and decent plonk, it gave little Osijek an unexpected USP.
What to know about Osijek
Coolest corner
The Romans called this region the Golden Hill, and when the sun comes out, it’s easy to see why. Soak it up by tasting the local Gra?evina wine at the Kutjevo Winery, a joyful place to spend an afternoon, the Old Cellar in Ilok, or the Belje Wine Cellar in Kneževi Vinogradi.
Must-see sight
The Vučedol Culture Museum, just outside Vukovar, houses the findings from one of Europe’s most significant prehistoric sites: there’s everything from leather boots to children’s toys.
Signature dish
River fish, and lots of it. Carp, catfish, zander – you name it, the people of Slavonia are going to hook it and stew it. They also do a line in paprika-spiked salami, if charcuterie is more your thing, and venison – these were the hunting grounds of the Hapsburgs.
Greatest export
You’ll find paprika for sale everywhere. Restaurant owners pressed bags of their favourite brand into my hands everywhere I ate; it certainly beats the stuff you’ll get from the supermarket at home.
Its British equivalent
It’s geographically isolated, with a bloody recent history and very watery surroundings. So perhaps some amalgam of Truro, Belfast and Norwich.
Fun fact
The Danube Cycle Path is a challenging route taking in Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Romania and Croatia, and now that Croatia is part of the Schengen Area, you can follow its riverside course without being diverted towards border checkpoints.
How to do it
Sophie was a guest of the Croatian National Tourist Office. Direct Ryanair flights from Stansted to Osijek run twice a week, with prices starting from ￡22. Hotel options include Pension Maksimilian, an old-fashioned B&B in Osijek, the quirky Domestic House Lola in Vukovar, and the modern Sax-Win hotel in Požega.