Slavonia

Slavonia is Croatia's fertile east, the flat farmland and wetlands between the Drava and the Danube that almost no foreign visitor reaches. Slavonia, in…

Slavonia is Croatia’s fertile east, the flat farmland and wetlands between the Drava and the Danube that almost no foreign visitor reaches. That is the point. Osijek, with its baroque Tvrđa fortress quarter, is the region’s heart, and the Kopački Rit wetlands nearby are one of the largest bird reserves in Europe. The Papuk hills are the only mountains here, gentle and forested.

Standout spots: Osijek, Kopački Rit Nature Park, Papuk Nature Park. Browse the Best of Slavonia guide.

Best time: April to October. Spring and autumn are best for the wetlands and birdwatching; summer is hot and flat; winter is cold, foggy and quiet.

How it compares: the least visited and most affordable region, and the one that feels least like the Croatia of the postcards. Flat, agricultural, generous in its hospitality, and a sharp contrast to the coast. If you want to say you saw the Croatia most travellers miss, this is it.

36 locations in Slavonia