Osijek, located on the banks of the Drava River, is just 25km upstream from the Danube. It’s the fourth largest city in Croatia and the largest Slavonian city in Eastern Croatia. Divided into two main regions – the upper town, with its imposing city square, , and Tvrđava, the preserved fortress town to the east of the town centre along the Drava River, the city’s history dates back to 1200. During its turbulent history the Ottomans sacked it in 1526 and then the Hapsburg’s came to the rescue in 1687. Until the 18th century the city’s upper and lower towns were separate municipalities. The main attractions here are Osijek’s well-preserved Baroque ambience, open spaces and dedication to preserving regional cultural traditions. In addition to city’s the main square and fort, the promenade along the Drava and a pretty pedestrian suspension bridge toward Baranja are worth seeing. Osijek has some lovely parks and even zoological gardens, along the Drava River. Summer is filled with festivals—the most eagerly awaited is the Croatian Tambura Festival in May, which attracts tambura orchestras from all over. And Osijek’s Summer Nights Festival, June-August, gives you lots of opportunities to sample the great local cuisine, crafts and other culture.

Museum of Slavonia: Housed in two separate buildings on Trg Svetog Trojstva, this museum has an exceptionally well-curated collection of findings. The renovated city guard structure at number 2, with a lovely oak-block floor and glass dome over an arcaded patio, showcases finds from Roman stones to Celtic helmets, with explanations also in English.

Gloria Maris: Housed inside vaults of the old citadel, this museum is dedicated to seashells and marine and freshwater life. It’s the labour of love of Vladimir Filipović, who has amassed around one million shells in his 48 years of collecting, from all corners of the globe.

Watermill : Osijek's newest attraction is this replica of a watermill, a wooden construction anchored on the Drava River. This EU-backed project, part of the Miller's Route that crosses through Hungary as well, makes for a lovely pit stop on the riverfront walk.

Church of St Peter & Paul: Looming over Trg Ante Starčevića, this church's 90m-high tower is surpassed in height only by the cathedral in Zagreb. Built in the 1890s, this red-brick, neo-Gothic structure features an interior with 40 elaborate stained-glass windows in Viennese style and vividly coloured frescoes by Croatian painter Mirko Rački.

Holy Trinity Monument: This elaborate baroque pillar, erected in 1729, commemorates the victims of the 18th-century plague that swept the city.

This elegant regional capital has steadily regained its poise, boosted by the booming student numbers, new hotels and restaurants and a flow of tourists. You’ll find Osijek perfect as an intriguing, cosmopolitan and enjoyable base for day trips to Slavonia's countryside and the wonderful Kopački Rit Nature Park.

Vukovar is a city in eastern Croatia. Due to the fact that Vukovar has the largest river port in Croatia, located at the confluence of the Vuka River and the Danube, Vukovar has improved its economy by establishing tade with surrounding countries, which has also significantly contributed to the developing tourism. The city got its name from the river that flows through it, the Vuka River, which originates from the Slavic word 'vuk', meaning 'wolf'.

The highlight of its tourisms, while it may seem odd, are its turbulent history and the consequences left after the war and siege of 1991, which left Vukovar with destroyed economy, culture, infrastructure, civic harmony and soul. The damage caused by these events makes it hard for tourist to imagine Vukovar as it was before the war, a pretty place on the Danube, with roots stretching back to the 10th century and a series of elegant baroque mansions, bustling with art galleries and museums.

Since the return of Vukovar to Croatia in 1998, there has been much progress in repairing the damage, and the locals put a lot of effort to use the remains in the best possible way, like the former Water Tower on the road to Ilok and many desolated buildings which are a testament to destruction.

Vučedol Culture Museum : Located 4km downriver from Vukovar, this newly built museum sits on one of Europe's most significant archaeological sites and in less than a year drew 50,000 visitors. The 19 exhibit rooms on two levels give an insight into the rich, ancient Vučedol culture you've likely never heard of, referred to as the European Troy. The exhibition offer a peak at ceramics, replicas of furnaces where copper was cast, skulls and bones, earthen bowls and trays, wooden canoes and fishbone needles. Visitors can also make a detour to the Megaron. Which is a five-minute walk away from the museum – a bunker-like building with skylights that houses skeletons in a sand pit, including a grave of a deer that was used on shamanic journeys. The Megaron's rooftop attracts visitor with its view over the river and its leafy surroundings.

Vukovar Hospital 1991: This multimedia museum recounts the tragic events that took place in the hospital during the 1991 siege. The stirring tour takes you through a series of sandbag-protected corridors, with video projections of war footage, bomb holes and the claustrophobic atomic shelter where newborn babies and the children were kept. There are small cubicles where you can listen to interviews and speeches by the victims and survivors.

Castle Eltz: Closed for several years following the war, the 18th-century Eltz Palace reopened its doors after renovations in 2014. It now showcases four levels of exhibits, many with interactive multimedia features and all marked in English. Don't miss the moving 3rd-floor exhibit about the siege of Vukovar.

Ovčara Memorial: Around 6km out of town, en route to Ilok, there’s a turn-off to the Ovčara Memorial, another 4km down the road. This is the hangar where 194 victims from Vukovar's hospital were beaten and tortured after the town's surrender in November 1991. Inside the dark room are projections of victims’ photos, with a single candle burning in the middle. The victims met their deaths in a cornfield another 1.5km down the road, now marked with a black marble gravestone covered with candles and flowers.

Ada: This sandy island on the Danube is a favorite gathering place during summer months, when both locals and tourist can be seen swimming, sunbathing, or just simply enjoying a drink in numerous cafes along the beaches. For those who like to sail, there are free boats that depart from the restaurant Vrške.

While Vukovar may not be the place of your dreams, it is worth visiting to honor the town that got back on its feet thanks to its proud citizens who didn’t let it become just another destroyed city in the wake of the war. Today, thanks to its connection with other major cities, Vukovar can be easily reached, either by bus or via river, and a lot of tourist use these ways to come here and witness the reborn city.