Vukovar is a city in eastern Croatia, located on the banks of the Danube River near the border with Serbia. It is best known as a symbol of resilience and suffering due to its pivotal role in the Croatian War of Independence, but its history and cultural significance extend much further. From Budapest, Hungary we sailed on the Danube River to Vukovar, Croatia.
Vukovar, Croatia
We went through the agricultural area between Osijek and Vukovar. There were fields of wheat and barley. Historically, Vukovar has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with archaeological sites indicating settlements dating back to the late La Tène and Vučedol cultures. The Vučedol Dove, a ritual vessel discovered at this site, is now a symbol of the city and is featured in the local Vučedol Culture Museum, which highlights the area’s ancient heritage.
Outside the city there are acres of hazelnut trees. Currently, Croatian producers export raw hazelnuts to Italy, where they are processed into chocolate products like Nutella. The city itself was first mentioned in the early 13th century and grew in importance due to its strategic location on the Danube, serving as a major harbor and trade center. Over the centuries, Vukovar was part of various states, including the Kingdom of Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Habsburg Monarchy, and Yugoslavia, before becoming part of modern Croatia.
The city is most widely recognized for the Battle of Vukovar in 1991, an 87-day siege during which the city was nearly destroyed by the Yugoslav People’s Army and Serb paramilitaries. The defenders, vastly outnumbered and outgunned, held out for months before the city fell. The aftermath was devastating: thousands died, many more were expelled, and the city was left in ruins. The Vukovar Water Tower, heavily damaged during the siege, stands today as a memorial and symbol of the city’s endurance.
Since its peaceful reintegration into Croatia in 1998, Vukovar has worked to rebuild both its infrastructure and its community. The city remains a place of remembrance, with memorials, museums and annual commemorations honoring those who suffered and died. Vukovar stands out as one of Croatia’s premier wine areas. It has a nearly 2000-year history of wine production and is famous for varieties such as Traminer, Graševina, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Frankovka. The vineyards in this area benefit from fertile hillsides and a favorable climate, contributing to the production of some of Croatia’s best wines.
Vukovar City Museum
The Vukovar City Museum (Vukovar Municipal Museum) is one of Croatia’s most significant cultural institutions, housed in the historic Baroque Eltz Palace on the banks of the Danube River. Founded in 1946, the museum was established following a donation of Roman coins, furniture, weapons and paintings from Dr. Antun Bauer, a prominent museologist from Vukovar. Its first exhibition opened in 1948 in the old baroque town center, but the museum moved to Eltz Palace in 1966, which remains its home today.
The museum’s permanent exhibition spans over 3,500 square meters and covers the historical development of Vukovar over the past 8,000 years. It features more than 2,000 restored items, including archaeological finds from the prehistoric Vučedol site, artifacts illustrating the city’s evolution from its first written mention in 1220, and displays on the traditional way of life in Vukovar and its surrounding villages. The museum also documents the city’s experience during the Croatian War of Independence, the period of exile, and its subsequent recovery as a multicultural community.
A distinctive feature of the museum is the Bauer Collection, which offers a comprehensive overview of modern Croatian art from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with works by notable artists such as Vlaho Bukovac, Ivan Meštrović and Emanuel Vidović. The museum also includes a memorial to Nobel laureate Lavoslav Ružička, who was born in Vukovar, and a section on recent history.
During the Homeland War in 1991, Eltz Palace and the museum’s collections suffered extensive damage. Some items were destroyed, lost or taken to Serbia. The museum continued its work in exile at the Mimara Museum in Zagreb until 1997, when it returned to the restored Eltz Palace. The collections were gradually restored and the permanent exhibition was reestablished in 2014
Osijek, Croatia
Osijek, the fourth largest city in Croatia, stands as the administrative, economic and cultural heart of the eastern region of Slavonia. Nestled on the banks of the Drava River, just west of the Serbian border, Osijek is a city where history, tradition and modernity intertwine to create a unique urban tapestry.
The roots of Osijek stretch deep into antiquity. The area was originally home to the Celtic and Roman settlement of Mursa, a significant outpost in the Roman Empire. The city’s current name first appeared in historical records in 1196. Throughout the Middle Ages, Osijek flourished as a prosperous merchant and craft town within the Croatian-Hungarian kingdom. However, in 1526 the city fell under Ottoman rule, which lasted until the late 17th century. The Habsburgs reclaimed Osijek in 1687, ushering in a period of reconstruction and Baroque urban development.
We did not explore the city much, rather the countryside. Our itinerary emphasized a blend of history, rural culture, and gastronomy rather than urban sightseeing. Today, while traditional industries remain, Osijek is increasingly recognized for its growing IT sector and as a university city, with the Josip Juraj Strossmayer University serving over 18,000 students.
Local Family Home
We visited a working farm/restaurant. We enjoyed a delicious lunch, good wine and live local entertainment.
We enjoyed a demonstration of earthen brick making using mud and straw.
Rakija is made from local fruit with an alcohol by volume of around 40%. It is a traditional Croatian fruit brandy deeply embedded in the country’s culture and cuisine. Rakija is commonly distilled from various fruits such as plums (šljivovica), pears (vilijamovka), cherries and others.
The grounds were fun to explore. It was a very charming place and the locals were very happy with a delightful sense of humor.
