Where the east meets the west, and river Drava prepares to merge with the mighty Danube, an urban town with a green soul rests untroubled.
Tastes of traditional and modern specialties paired with top wines and beers, scents of grass and flowers in the city’s oases – parks, sights and colors that leave you breathless and various activities for all ages will intrigue and fill everyone’s heart.
Leave behind the familiar daily routine and head to the town on the Drava where the charms of eastern Croatia await you, manifested in a relaxed Pannonian mentality, culture of the rich table, and warmth of the hosts, but also let yourself be enchanted by the urban style that emerged thanks to the city’s rich past and Central European mentality.
Smell of nature
If your biggest enjoyment is to walk outside and breathe in fresh, clean air that is full of natural smells coming from parks and a nearby river, you might want to that Osijek is the greenest town in Croatia. Centuries-old canopies resting in 17 parks and the most beautiful river Promenade that stretches from the east to the west of the city will give you that feeling of serenity that can only be found in nature, and all a while you will have all the charms of the urban environment at hand. As the seasons change, the town’s streets are permeated with different scents, so your sense of smell can be filled with the scent of blossoming linden, roasted chestnuts, freshly picked flowers… The scents will call you loudest from the green market of the Upper Town – Pijaca – where fresh, homemade ingredients, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish are intertwined…
Abundance of taste
After your sense of smell took you through the parks of Osijek, the Promenade, and finally brought you to the market, where you enjoyed looking at the offer of our local producers, the lead was taken by the stomach which is ready for local delicacies after the beautiful colors and smells of the Market. Osijek is a combination of modern and traditional, so here you can treat yourself to top meat products incorporated into, for example, recognizable and affordable burgers and wraps, and not forget the crown fast food delicacy of the region – widely known Slavonian pizza. But if you want to treat your palate to more traditional flavors of the wider area of the city, try, for example, river fish perkelt and homemade pasta or black Slavonian pork specialties. Don’t miss pairing a dish with a glass of wine from Osijek winemakers or simply enjoy a local beer.
Touch of the past
Osijek is a city of fascinating, multicultural past that was touched many civilizations. Just take a walk along the European Avenue, along which stretches the longest series of Art Nouveau facades in this part of Europe, or climb the bastions of the Baroque Fortress where Austro-Hungarian officers once set foot. If you are traveling with your greatest treasure, the children, allow them to climb the cannons at the foot of the Fortress Water Tower. Visit one of the largest museums in Croatia, the Museum of Slavonia, and touch the exhibits of ancient Mursa, the ancient Roman colony, and the Andizet settlement that existed in the city, or sees the Exhibition of shells and the aquatic world of the former Pannonian Sea.
View of the present
What makes Osijek today? Is it the recognizable view of the concathedral of St. Peter and Paul, the suspension bridge over the Drava, and the white-blue tram, or is it the people, events, and culture? There is no one answer because the city is both tangible and intangible culture and heritage, but it is always interesting to note what makes it unique in Croatia and the wider region. In addition to the famous Esseker dialect, which was replaced by the new slang lego and legica, Osijek has become a famous place for sports, entertainment, and cultural events such as the Pannonian Challenge, DOBRO World Cup, Osijek Summer of Culture, Beer Days, HeadOnEast, Advent, and many other manifestations. Double your enjoyment and see what the city looks like when it’s having fun. Visit it when there’s a big event in town and don’t worry, they happen all throughout the year.
Photo by: Samir Kurtagić
Author: tzosijek.hr
