UNDISCOVERED PART OF CROATIA

7:00 departure: Munich – Varaždin 6 h 30 min, 554 km, arrival 16:00 (incl. 2 hour break)
6:00 departure: Stuttgart – Varaždin 8 h 30 min, 759 km, arrival 17:00 (incl. 2 hour break)
7:00 a.m. Departure: Nuremberg – Varaždin 7 h 15 min, 639 km, arrival 3:30 p.m. (incl. 1.5 hour break)

Arrival in Varaždin in the afternoon, accommodation in the hotel, early dinner
Evening Tour of Varaždin, Croatian “Vienna”.

The city of Varaždin is located in the northwestern part of Croatia on the right bank of the Drava River.
Varaždin reveals itself to the guest as a rare urban pearl. To this day, Varaždin has retained some important features of Croatian “Vienna” as a city of baroque, music and flowers.
The biggest attraction of Varaždin is the fortress called “Stari grad” – Old Town.

As the operetta “Countess Mariza” by Emmerich Kálmán ​says”: “Come to Varaždin”

Breakfast, Varaždin – Đakovo, 3 hours, 300 km

Arrival to Đakovo, free time for lunch.

Đakovo is located in the heart of the geographical region of Slavonia in eastern Croatia. Đakovo is an episcopal town that attracts attention with its monumental cathedral. Pope John XXIII, walking through Đakovo, proclaimed Đakovo Cathedral “the most beautiful church between Venice and Constantinople”.
Wine tasting in the Episcopal Cellars next to the Cathedral, free time for lunch (individually) and continuation of the journey.

Continuation of the journey, Đakovo – Osijek 45 min 40 km

Hotel Osijek is located in the city center on the bank of the Drava, hotel accommodation, leisure, dinner, overnight.

Osijek is located in the east of Croatia. It lies in the plain on the right bank of the river Drava.
Osijek is the greenest city in Croatia. The most important monument of the city is the fortress, the baroque historical core of the city from the time of the Austro-Hungarian
monarchy.

“Kopčki Rit Nature Park” is located 10 minutes away by car from Osijek.
The nature park is located in a triangle between the Danube and the Drava. Depending on the water level, the waters of these two rivers constantly shape and change the appearance of the Rit, creating a beautiful mosaic of lakes, canals, ponds and riparian forests, reeds and wet meadows. All of Rit is widely known as a habitat for many wetland birds, deer populations and in particular the bald eagle which is a symbol of the park.

Then a short walk, boat trip and visit to the Tikveš hunting lodge.

Continue to the ethno village of Karanac to the restaurant “Baranjska kuća”. In the “Ulica zaboravljenog vremena” ( open air museum with ethnic collection of Slavonian handcrafts) there will be a tasting of local brandies and liqueurs.

For lunch we visit a special location “Pointers Goldberg” where traditional delicacies await us.

Return to Osijek and visit the “Tvrđa (Fortress)” in the afternoon, a baroque city-fortress from the 18th century. There is a wine tasting at the end of the tour.

Return to the hotel, dinner, overnight.

Breakfast, Osijek -Vukovar 40 min, 36 km

Vukovar, “where the Danube kisses the sky”. A city with a turbulent history from prehistory to the Homeland War.
Let’s get to know the most important parts of this city with a little walk.
This is followed by a visit to the Museum of Vučedol Cultures.
The Vučedol culture is one of the most important Bronze Age cultures in Croatia, around 5000 years old.
About 2,000 to 3,000 people lived in Vučedol and it was one of the most important centers of that time. People of this culture in Vučedol practiced cattle breeding, probably the oldest cattle breeding in the world.
The world’s oldest Indo-European calendar was found there and it is the first place in the world where copper was cast in bronze.

Vukovar – Ilok 40 min, 36 km

Ilok, the easternmost town in Croatia.
Let’s briefly get acquainted with the turbulent history of the city, the centuries-old crossroads of many civilizations. The Danube was the border of European civilizations, East and West.
Take a guided tour through one of the oldest wine cellars in Europe, followed by wine tasting and lunch.

In the immediate vicinity is the Principovac viewpoint, where we can have afternoon coffee with a fantastic panorama.

Return to Osijek, dinner, overnight stay.

Breakfast, Osijek -Vinkovci 50 min, 45 km

The town of Vinkovci.
The historical richness of this area, which has been inhabited continuously for 8000 years, leaves a deep impression. From the Stone Age to Roman times (two Roman emperors, Valentinian and Valens, were born in Vinkovci) to the present day. We will visit the Vinkovci Town Museum.

Not far from Vinkovci (½ hour drive) is our next visit point “Otočki Virovi”, Bioecological Educational Center Virovi.
Here we can see the original appearance of Slavonia: oak forests and wetlands…

Organized lunch, easy hike and boat trip.

Return to Osijek, dinner, overnight stay.

Breakfast, Osijek – Nature Park Papuk, picnic area “Jankovac” 1h 50 min, 100.00 km.

The main feature of the eastern part of Croatia – Slavonia – are lowlands with large areas of cultivation. From this plain, which was once the bottom of the Pannonian Sea, mountains rise almost a thousand meters above sea level. One of these mountains is Papuk – the most beautiful mountain in Slavonia.

Moderately difficult hiking trail (approx. 1 hour), followed by lunch.

Papuk Nature Park – Tuheljske Toplice 3 h 15 min., 255 km

Hotel accommodation, possibility of swimming, dinner, overnight stay.

Terme Tuhelj Spa Hotel is located next to a thermal spring in the mountainous region of Hrvatsko Zagorje, 40 km from Zagreb. Numerous indoor and outdoor pools, saunas and steam baths are available on site.

Tuheljske Toplice – Klanjec 10 min, 9 km

The morning tour takes us to Klanjec, only 7 km from Tuheljske Toplice.

The monumental building of the Franciscan monastery in Klanjec has been an insider tip for many years. The tomb of the Erdödy family, precious sarcophagi from the 17th century, is located in the crypt of the monastery and is open to the public. The sarcophagi are the work of Viennese masters and were made in the early Baroque style.

A short tour of the town follows and then return to the hotel.

Just a few meters from the hotel is the “Restaurant Dvorac (Castle) Mihanovic”. With unique dishes, top wines from local winemakers and a special ambience, you will learn the history of the gastronomic beauty of Hrvatsko Zagorje.

Free afternoon, possibility to swim, dinner, overnight stay.

Breakfast, Tuheljske Toplice – Krapina 30 min, 21 km

Krapina or more precisely Krapina Neanderthal Museum is one of the most modern museum projects in Croatia and in this part of Europe. An interesting story about the life and culture of the Neanderthals in Krapina, a variety of multimedia and other content, and most importantly, special architecture awaits you. The new museum is connected to the site of prehistoric man, Krapina on Hušnjakovo Hill, by well-groomed hiking trails.

Around noon departure to Germany.