In the easternmost tip of Croatia, far from mass tourism and the modern world, lies the region of Slavonia. It's probably an unknown region to many, which is understandable, as you won't find large cities here. Slavonia is a region you go to enjoy the tranquility, nature, and local culture. The landscape here is flat and wet due to the many rivers such as the Danube, Sava, and Drava that flow through the region. The area on the northern side of the Drava River, within Croatia, called Baranja, is now conveniently included in Slavonia, as is the Croatian part of Syrmia in the southeastern part of Slavonia.
This river region makes the soil incredibly fertile and ideal for wine production. Slavonia is therefore one of Croatia's most famous wine regions, and a visit to one of the many wineries is a must. Slavonia also has a lot to offer culinary-wise, as the famous Kulen originates here. To experience authentic Slavonian cuisine, you can sample many other local dishes in addition to Kulen at one of the small, authentic restaurants found throughout the region. There's plenty to do in Slavonia!

Your route begins with a visit to the fortress and monastery of Ilok. This wine-growing town lies on a bend in the Danube River and is the easternmost town in Croatia, located in the Syrmian region on the border with Serbia. In the Middle Ages, Ilok was a castrum, a town with high walls, towers, and fortifications. In the 15th century, a church and monastery were built in the fortress, dedicated to St. Ivan Kapistran. A Franciscan monk, who united Christians to fight the Turks, was buried there in 1456. In the 16th century, Ilok became an important administrative and military center for the Turks, who added Turkish baths and mosques to the fortress.
The fortress is the longest surviving military fortification in continental Croatia, measuring almost 1.5 kilometers. The church and monastery were recently renovated. A section of the walls between these two buildings remains and can still be seen today. The palace houses the Odescalchi collection, offices, and the town museum with an archaeological and ethnographic collection. The old cellars near the castle are famous throughout Croatia; they are where Ilok wines are produced, especially the dry white Traminec. The only gas station in Ilok is located near the road entrance to Serbia.

After refueling, you drive west to Sarengrad. This village sits like an amphitheater beneath the ruins of a 15th-century fortress, overlooking the Danube. A truly beautiful landscape. The island in the Danube is still disputed between Croatia and Serbia.
You'll find, especially in the countryside, that Slavonia is deeply religious. Even during the communist Yugoslavia, of which Croatia was a part, the Catholic faith remained steadfast. It's therefore not surprising that the churches command the most attention here.
In the village, on the left side of the road stands the church of the Franciscan monastery founded in the early 15th century. The church was renovated in the mid-18th century, during the Baroque period, but was shelled in the 1990s. Recent restoration work has brought the remaining Gothic parts of the church to a more prominent position. The beautiful tower is a striking feature. The road climbs between the trees to a plateau. For safety reasons, it is also advisable to avoid hopping around in the fields here, as there may be unexploded ordnance.

From here, you can take a short detour to Bapska. Once you've driven through the village, there's still a good kilometer to go before you reach the small church and cemetery. About 1 km further on, the road is blocked: this is the Serbian border, which you can't cross here. Walk along the path that leads 300 meters further to the cemetery. As a precaution, stay on the path. The Church of St. Mary (Sv. Marija) is a virtually unique example of Romanesque art in Slavonia. It was probably built in the early 13th century and subsequently modified several times. During the Gothic period, the church was expanded, in the 18th century it was remodeled in the Baroque style, in the 19th century a beautiful portal with an outdoor altar was added, and ultimately the original tower was lost. From the Way of the Cross, which leads down to the valley, you can see the Romanesque elements in the apse, built of brick. It is a picturesque setting; the silence, solitude, and the surrounding woods create a serene environment.

After your visit, return to Šarengrad and drive towards Vukovar, turning off in Opatovac for a coffee break at the border town of Tovarnik. You'll have a choice of several coffee houses at the central intersection.

After coffee, you'll find the pilgrimage site "Our Lady at the Water" in the neighboring village of Ilaca. This is the story: In 1865, a few hundred meters from the parish church, a spring appeared in the middle of the road. Petar Lazin from Ilaca noticed this, while Duka Ambrušević, who lived on this street, had an apparition of Mary in his sleep, wearing a white crown and carrying Jesus on her left arm. Mary told him to build a fence around the spring because it was her own and she didn't want cattle near it. He then built a small well out of planks, which people respectfully approached, and named it "Our Lady's Well" because of this miraculous apparition. What Lourdes is to France, Ilaca is to Syrmia, say writers about this Marian pilgrimage site. Mary appeared in Lourdes in 1858, causing a miraculous spring to appear, and the same thing happened in Ilaca seven years later. In Lourdes, the sick are healed, and this also happens in Ilaca, as witnessed by many pilgrims. Nowhere else, except in Lourdes and Ilaca, has a spring miraculously appeared where Mary has appeared. In the same year as the apparition, a statue of Mary was erected next to the spring on June 17th. Construction of the church began in 1867 and was consecrated during the Assumption of Mary in 1870. Coppersmith Jugurcic from Vukovar donated a painting of Our Lady of Ilaca for the new church as an expression of gratitude after the blind man regained his sight at Our Lady's Well. Pilgrims have come here from Serbia and Slavonia ever since the well was created. The highlight of the year is the procession on the Assumption of Mary, but pilgrimages also take place on other Catholic feast days when Mary is venerated, and of course, the faithful also come to Our Lady's Well on other days. The Church of Our Lady of Ilaca was severely damaged during the 1991 war, but was the first to be restored, complete with a statue of Mary at the miraculous spring. Around the church, a liturgical space has been set up for pilgrims, confessionals, a Way of the Cross, a shelter for pilgrims who wish to spend the night in prayer, and a house for the priests who serve the pilgrims.

On to Nijnemci. There, on a small, round hill in the village, stands St. Catherine's Church (Sv. Katarina), recognizable by its beautiful, spherical tower.
The Church of St. Catherine in Nijemci is located on the beautiful prehistoric site of Gradina, a textbook example of well-preserved excavations. For the archaeologists among you: the church was built in the Gothic style in the 14th century, with later renovations incorporating a Baroque cruciform design. Excavations were also conducted during the reconstruction in 1998 and 1999. Two additional levels were discovered beneath the current floor, and traces of Roman architecture can be found in the right corner in front of the apse. During the excavations, graves from the Wittenberg civilization and the remains of monumental buildings from an earlier period were discovered. Based on soundings, it has been determined that it is a three-nave Romanesque building with a Gothic church on top. The discovery of this Romanesque church is extremely important because it fills in the gaps in the pre-Romanesque and Romanesque periods. The excavations did not reach the prehistoric layer, but finds just outside Gradina revealed that there were settlements from the Sopot civilization from the early Stone Age.

In the charming village of Nuštar, several streets and squares are adorned with wooden figures. These naive sculptures are the work of a local artists' colony. At the back of the park, to the left of the road, stands an 18th-century castle with an arched gallery on the ground floor. It now houses a restaurant.

The industrial town of Vinkovci lacks any particular charm, but it has preserved a small old town. The central square is a park with a statue of the Holy Trinity, surrounded by several Baroque facades. The Church of St. Eusebius and Pollio, dating from 1772 and formerly dedicated to St. John, is also located here. The old Church of St. Elias of Meraja (Sv. Ilije na Meraji) on Duga Street is certainly the town's most distinctive feature. Built in the Gothic style in the early 14th century, it was restored in the Baroque style at the end of the 17th century. From 1777 onward, it served as a military depot. Currently, there are plans to restore this large building and enhance its architectural styles. Right next to this church are the foundations of the primitive almshouse, a tiny shrine built under the rule of Koloman (late 11th century) and likely destroyed by the Tatars. It is one of the extremely rare examples of pre-Romanesque art in Slavonia.

In Ivankovo, on the right side of the road stands a massive church with a staircase and a Way of the Cross. The whole is a pure product of 19th-century aesthetics.

Park at the end of the long village of Novi Mikanovci near the Way of the Cross (on the left), opposite the Mirela shop. The Romanesque Church of St. Bartholomew (St. Bartola) was built in the 13th century and later renovated in the Baroque style. A small cemetery surrounds it. The remarkable tower is slightly tilted and is a beautiful remnant of an old watchtower.

Đakovo is a small town in the heart of Slavonia. It is the second largest city in the region after Osijek. Đakovo has just under 30,000 inhabitants. The history of Đakovo begins in the 11th century with a grant from the Croatian-Hungarian prince Koloman to the Bosnian bishop Ponsi, making the bishops masters of Đakovo and the surrounding area. This marks the beginning of the history of the Đakovo diocese, which became the episcopal city and seat of the Đakovo archdiocese. The center of Đakovo is therefore Strossmayer Square, bordered by the cathedral, the curia, the corse, the bishop's court, and the seminary. The city's most important monument is the impressive Đakovo Cathedral-Basilica of St. Peter, which is also a symbol of the city. Behind the cathedral lies a beautifully landscaped, large park, Strossmayer Park, where the renowned Đakovački vezovi (a traditional international folklore festival lasting two weeks in late June and early July) is held every year. The pedestrian street in the old town, which stretches from the cathedral to All Saints Church, is called Korzo and is a daily meeting place for locals and tourists. There is also a very interesting Đakovo Museum, with several valuable collections on the history of Đakovo and this part of Slavonia. One of Đakovo's tourist attractions is the Đakovo farm, home to noble Lipizzaner horses, one of the oldest in Europe.