Overview
This post covers the Croatian portion our 9 country 35-day adventure across Europe and picks up the adventure as we leave Serbia. This included a trip to Transylvania in Romania, a 23-day Viking River cruise across Europe from Bucharest to Amsterdam and then a trip that we arranged after the cruise to both Belgium and The Netherlands.
An overview of this trip can be found at A European Sojourn with links to the other segments of the trip listed below in the summary.
Day 1 (our only day) – Croatia
We have spent the night cruising up the Danube from our last port of call of in Belgrade to reach the small Croatian town of Llok where we dock shortly after sunrise. Around 8:00 am we are docked, have eaten breakfast, and we depart the ship for a full-day adventure. We have a road trip taking us to the towns of llok, Vukovar and Osijek where we will see a variety of attractions including:
- The rolling Croation countryside
- llok castle
- Iločki Podrumi Winery
- Vukovar War Memorials
- The Rising of the Holy Cross Church in Osijek
- The Osijek Citidel
- A home visit with a resident in Erdut Croatia
Docking in Llok Croatia
As we pull up and dock, we see Llok Castle high up on the hill.
Llok
Llok was once a Roman border town established in the 1st century. During the medieval period it was a significant center of life in this region. Today it’s a small town of about 4,000 and attracts visitors to its castle, wineries and scenic views. It’s a fairly short dive up from the dock to the town and soon we’re near the castle and start exploring.
Llok Castle
The castle was originally built in the 15th century by Nicholas of Ilok, who was the Croatian viceroy and the king of Bosnia. It served as a significant defensive structure and a symbol of power in the region. Today some of the outer fortifications still exist but the castle itself was converted to the Baroque style by a powerful Italian aristocratic family who owned the castle for almost two centuries. The castle was nationalized by the authorities of Yugoslavia in 1945. After extensive restoration, it was opened to visitors in 2010. Today, the lower two floors of the castle host the Museum of the Town of Ilok, which showcases the region’s history and cultural heritage.
We tour the grounds and then enter the museum where we find exhibits dating back to the stone age and all the way through to recent history.
Iločki Podrumi Winery
We do a short walk from the castle to the famous llok Cellars of Iločki Podrumi Winery. During our tour of the cellars we learn some of the history spanning over two millennia. Wine making came to this region with the founding of the town by the Romans. It was recognized as an ideal location to plant vineyards due to unique soil, climate, and position on the Danube River. The winery’s Traminac wine was even served at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, highlighting its international acclaim.
As we are touring, we come to a section of really dirty/dusty bottles and we learn these are really valuable and were saved from destruction during the Serbian war by an employee of the winery. As Serbian forces closed in on the town, he enclosed a section of the Old Cellar and stored as many as 8,000 of the most valuable archival wines. These wines today sell for several thousand dollars a bottle.
After our tour we got to sample a variety of these wines which we really enjoyed. We bought 2 different types of wine we tasted for consumption later on the ship.
Llok to Vukovar
After completing our wine tour we head out on the road towards Vukovar where we pass vineyards, small towns and farms. Interestingly, we also pass a police check point looking for illegal migrants. The drive is very pleasant, and we are impressed with the scenic countryside.
Vukovar
During the 1990’s Vukovar was subjected to a brutal siege and was the site of a lot of atrocities committed by the Serbian army. We heard stories from locals of one particular event known as the “Vukovar hospital massacre” where more than 200 people were murdered. The town was heavily damaged, and the battle was one of the fiercest and most protracted conflicts in Europe since World War II. It is estimated that 90% of the town was destroyed.
Today, most of this damage is repaired and the town looks bright and cheerful. However, the town which once boasted 40,00 residents today only numbers about 20,000.
Vukovar War Damage
Today, although a significant amount of war damage is repaired there are still buildings with visible war damage around the town.
Vukovar War Memorials
Throughout the town are poignant memorials dedicated to the victims of the war. The Vukovar Water Tower is one of the most iconic symbols of the city’s suffering and resilience during the war. In 1991, the water tower was heavily damaged by artillery fire. It was hit more than 600 times by Yugoslav forces, yet it remained standing, symbolizing the city’s resistance and determination. There are also painted murals to the fallen throughout the town.
Vukovar to Osijek
We head next to Osijek passing again through scenic farmland.
Rising of the Holy Cross Church
The Church of the Rising of the Holy Cross is a beautiful Baroque-style church located in Osijek, Croatia. It is part of a Franciscan monastery and dates back to the early 1700’s. The church is known for hosting concerts and performances, often featuring local music students and we are treated to a private short concert by one such student.
Osijek Citadel
In Osijek we tour the Citadel area which is the best-preserved and largest ensemble of Baroque buildings in Croatia. The construction of the Citadel began in 1693. At its height it featured armories, depots, eight bastions, a garrison headquarters, a military court, a construction office, a garrison physician, a guardhouse, officers’ apartments, a military hospital, and seven barracks. The entire fort was surrounded by walls and palisades, with four main gates (one on each side). Most of the fort’s walls and fortifications were destroyed in the 1920s and the Citadel sustained significant damage during the 1990s war. Today, it’s a vibrant part of Osijek, featuring numerous bars, restaurants, and cultural events.
Erdut Croatia Home Visit
Our last stop is something a bit unique from what we have done in the past. Viking arranged for small groups (8-10 in each group) to visit a local resident where we sample some local pastries, snacks and wines and have the ability to ask questions about local life. Our host, Anna, took us to her gray house overlooking the Danube River where we had 90 delightful minutes of conversation, home-made drink and food.
Anna shares stories of what transpired during the war including how she lost a son and other family members in the struggle. She also shares things about day-to-day life in this area. We learn she and her husband built the home themselves over the course of 12 years. The house is smaller than what we’re used to in the US. Each group visited with a different host – so it is unclear how the experiences differed for each group. We really loved this experience!
Sailing from Vukovar
In the late evening, we return to Vukovar where our ship is docked. There is just enough daylight left for us to go up on the sun deck to watch the sun go down and to talk and reflect on our grand Croatian adventure day.
Summary
Unfortunately, we only got one full day in Croatia and we really like what we saw. We came away with really wanting to explore more of this corner of the earth especially since we know the Dalmatian Coast area of the country was where some of the Game of Thrones series was filmed. We will definitely have to get back here in the future! Our adventure now continues in Hungary.
The other segments of this trip can be found here:
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