A New Dimension of Holiday
Relaxing in nature, the clean air, healthy food, an active holiday, customs that are easy to adopt, spending time with the locals.. It all sounds lilke a very efficient anti-stress therapy. This is what life is like in Slavonian villages, something you will find plenty of in these fertile plains.
For the athletes and recreationists, there are activities such as hiking, running, cycling, horse riding- For the foodies, a vacation in the countryside is quite an experience. You will eat fresh, healthy, seasonal produce, guilt-free and with good appetite, as staying outdoors always has that effect on people. Wine lovers will discover their own little paradise, socialise with winemakers, share experiences, learn about indigenous grape varieties, and participate in a tasting workshop in an authentic setting.
The Bizovačke toplice thermal spa, rich in salts and minerals, wbose waters are warmer than any other thermal spring at 96 degrees, are a popular bealth and rebabilitation center in Slavonia. While vacationing in Bizovac, visit the Olympics of Old Sports in the village of Brodanci and learn all about kandžijanje (whipcracking), banga (a game of hitting a ball with a paddle), čočak (a game involving throwing wooden planks), and šinter (a type of ball game).
1 A young woman (snaša) I CULSPERIENCE BY MIRKO CZUKOR 2, 6 Karanac village |NINA DURDEVIC | 3 A young woman (snaša) | sINISA USTULICA | 4 Stara Kapela |SASA PJANIC | 5 Suza, "Asztalos keramilka" ceramics studio / NINA DURDEVIć
If you want to gain an insight into a traditional way of life, you can have that as well. You will hone your skills of making pickled vegetables or preserves and the tastiest cakes and pastries, such as the puff pastry "salenjaci," you will decorate you first courgette, create your first goldwork, sing with the tambura players.. Who knows, you might even discover some talents
you did not know you had! One thing is for sure - you will get a good vacation, make some friends, gain a completely new experience, and, most importantly, recharge and prepare for whatever life holds in store for you.
From the west to the east of Slavonia, you will enjoy the expanse and beauty of the rural landscape, the educational trails, eco-ethno villages, the country estates and family farms, agricultural estates converted into tourist attractions, rural hotels, ranches, family wineries, mountain lodges, hunting lodges- There is always plenty to do here!
The Garčin camp, the modern eco- and pet friendly camp sites in Pozega and Velika, and the Kopačevo and Suza camps in Baranja, are all great choices for those looking for some peace and quiet as well as a new experience and new dimension of a holiday. You will re-discover yourself and enjoy relaxing in unspoilt nature. 11
Authentic Rural Experiences in Slavonia
Anything that grows in the Višnjica Wold can be tasted at the restaurant found on the estate. This estate near Slatina holds the EDEN title of a European Destination of Excellence. The tamed plain between the hills of Papuk and river Drava offers everything you need to have a relaxing and active holiday. You can groom horses, go horseback riding, help out in the stables, feed the deer, ride a bilke, wallk the themed trails, drive around in a carriage, garden, or take part in a culinary or art workshop.
Situated halfway between Nova Gradiška and Slavonski Brod, the eco-ethno village Stara Kapela is a true find for any fan of rural tourism. Traditional Slavonian architecture, old chests, furniture, fabrics, and folk costumes will take you back in time, and the irresistible nature - with 13 kilometres of hiking and bike trails, dedicated rest stops and replicas of old watchtowers that serve as viewpoints - is simply waiting to be explored.
In the Countryside | Living Life "slavonia style"
As you may have already noticed, there is no clear separation between urban and rural areas in Slavonia. Everything is intertwined and merges together, so the way of life or atmosphere in the center of a town may actually seem more typical of the countryside. On such example is Županja on the Sava river bank, a town of unique rural architecture and a great starting point for exploring the best the
Slavonian rural areas have to off er. If you take the Golden Thread Road (Cesta zlatne niti) from its center, you can take in all the beauty of the surrounding villages: Štitar, Babina Greda, Kruševica, Cerna, Siškovci, Gradište, Bošnjaci, Drenovci and Vrbanja. You will discover forgotten customs, an array of traditional wines and food, magnificent handiwork, and old crafts. But most importantly, you will spend some time with your hospitable hosts on their estates.
The Karanac ethno-village is inviting not only because of its exquisite flavours and good wines, but also because of its traditional way of life. You can go for a ride in a horse-drawn cart, sleep in authentic rooms overlooking chicken coops, take a walk down the "Street of Forgotten Time" (Ulica zaboravljenog vremena) and enjoy the peace and quiet of an authentic village in Baranja. 11
An island in the east of Slavonia is known for the only preserved example of a horse-powered "dry" mill (suvara in Croatian) in Southeast Europe. This world-class rarity and monument of the bighest category was once an integral part of life in a Slavonian village.
Religious Heritage and Devotion in Slavonia
Only two years after a relief sculpture of the Madonna in Syracuse, Sicily cried for four days in 1953, the town of Pleternica held its first novena for the Our Lady of Tears, ending in a candlelight procession on the final night. Ever since then, the nights of worship, filled with peace and blessings, have brought together worshippers from across the region. Fifty years after the first procession, Pleternica was named a Marian shrine of Our Lady of Tears.
Aljmaš has been an established Marian shrine since 1704, and receives over a hundred thousand pilgrims every year during the Assumption of Mary holiday. The modern-looking Church of Our Lady of Refuge on the Danube river bank, shaped lilke a swan, was built in the exact location of the old church that was completely destroyed during the Homeland War.
The Sanctuary of Mother of Good Hope in Šumanovci has also been called Our Hidden Lady of Šumanovci. Worshippers claim that for over 650 years miracles have taken place in this very spot, some of which became legend, such as the healing of a blind girl who washed her face with water from a well next to the sanctuary.
Ilača is to Slavonia what Lourdes is to France. Ever since a water spring suddenly appeared in 1865, followed by an apparition of the Madonna on the same night, thousands of pilgrims from Slavonia and Croatia came to this miraculous shrine.
Slavonia is full of signs of devotion and piety - along the fertile fields and country lanes, near rivers, on crossroads, in villages, remote cemeteries, centuries-old forests, etc. Churches in Eastern Slavonia have retained their orig-
In the Countryside Religious Heritage
inal forms throughout its long history, most of them dating back to medieval times. Churches in the villages of the Brodska Posavina region - Slavonski Kobaš, Bebrina, Dubočac and Nova Kapela - are notable examples of the Baroque and Rococo styles, the latter also being the style of the grand Church of St Peter in Cernik.
The piety and devotion of the Slavonian people is reflected not only in the rich religious heritage of the region, but also in its way of life and customs. The Easter and Christmas holiday seasons are particularly beautiful in this part of Croatia. During this time, you can enjoy the local follklore and cuisine in all their splendour, as religion in the rural parts of Slavonia is an integral part of everyday life. 11
The tiny Church of St Martin in the village of Lovčić near Slavonski Brod dates back to 1167; the Church of St Bartholomew in Novi Mikanovci in Eastern Slavonia is now known mostly for its leaning tower; the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Topolje is best known for not baving a tower at all; and the Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Vocin is known for family pilgrimages in August.