Vukovar-Srijem: Wine, Culture and Nature

• The Vučedol archaeological site is in Vukovar-Srijem County, four kilometres downstream from Vukovar.
• Almost all wineries on the Iločka vinska ruta are concentrated in the settlement of Ilok.
• The Nijemci Birdwatching Centre extends across several locations, including the Arboretum Park and the Sopotac excursion site.
• The Virovi educational trail is 2,727 metres long; circular hiking trails of nine and 14 kilometres start at Vukovo and Principovac.

Several cultural and wine-related experiences in Ilok can be included in your travel plans. At the Old Cellars beside Odescalchi Castle, hosts guide visitors through parts of the cellar complex and organise wine tastings. The Iločka vinska ruta can be explored on foot or aboard the Iločki podrumi tourist train. Odescalchi Castle is now home to the Ilok Town Museum and the town gallery.

Iločko ljeto is also part of the town’s cultural profile: this traditional cultural event helps preserve and promote the culture, language and traditions of the Slovak national minority.

In Vukovar, the Vučedol Culture Museum presents the historical and archaeological significance of the site on the banks of the Danube through contemporary interpretation. Eltz Castle houses the Vukovar Town Museum. The birthplace of chemist and Nobel Prize laureate Lavoslav Ružička offers visitors an encounter with him through a hologram. In Vukovar, the Vukovarsko nokturno themed route connects memorial sites dedicated to the Croatian War of Independence.

Other museum visits offer different perspectives: Vinkovci Town Museum is considered a Baroque architectural monument; visitors can meet Ban Josip Šokčević there through a hologram. In Županja, the Stjepan Gruber Local History Museum is housed in a 19th-century border guardhouse. This building is the only surviving example of Military Frontier architecture in Croatia. The Bošnjaci Forestry Museum focuses on the flora and fauna of the Spačva Basin and the tradition of organised forestry. Exhibits and historical tools are on display.

At the Nijemci birdwatching site, the Sopotac excursion area has observation towers, binoculars, telescopes and field guides. On the Bosut River, the Sveta Katarina boat travels from Arboretum Park to Sopotac. If you would rather cover a route on foot or by bicycle, the archaeological park and Sopot excursion site has six Sopot houses; a three-kilometre walking and cycling path connects the park with the centre of Vinkovci.

For hikes through vineyards, there are two circular trails to choose from at the Vukovo and Principovac viewpoints. Both pass over Liska, the highest point at 297 metres, and return to the starting point via Skandala; the longer route is 14 kilometres and the shorter one nine kilometres. Another trail runs 22 kilometres from Bapska to Principovac. The Srijem cycling route connects the southern and north-eastern parts of the county and links up with EuroVelo 6, known as the Danube Route. The Virovi educational trail is another, shorter route option.

Other nature spots offer their own highlights: in the Kunjevci forest area, visitors can travel in eco-vehicles and look out for roe deer, fallow deer or red deer. Adica Forest Park in Vukovar is recommended for nature experiences and active recreation. Vukovarska Ada is a summer recreation area in Vukovar. The Poloji excursion site has a sandy beach, sports facilities and children’s playgrounds. In Županja, the riverside promenade along the Sava embankment runs from the sugar factory to the border guardhouse.

Municipality of Ilok, Municipality of Nijemci, Municipality of Bošnjaci, Municipality of Nuštar, Municipality of Vođinci, Trpinja, Vinkovci, Vukovar, Županja and Drenovci.

How long are the circular hiking trails at Vukovo and Principovac?

The shorter circular trail is nine kilometres long, and the longer one is 14 kilometres. Both pass over Liska and Skandala before returning to the starting point.

How can you explore the Iločka vinska ruta?

The route can be explored on foot or aboard the Iločki podrumi tourist train.

What does the Sopotac excursion site offer for birdwatching?

It has birdwatching towers, binoculars, telescopes and field guides.

For the main travel overview: Croatia.