Visiting Slavonia and Podravina these winter holidays

Unexpectedly close and unexpectedly beautiful, these slogans best describe the Virovitica-Podravina County in the east of Croatia

Slavonia and Podravina is full of interesting things for young and old and a great place to visit during the Christmas holidays.

From the music bridge to the pumptrack

A walk through the centre of Virovitica, a family selfie in front of the beautiful Pejačević castle, to which six interesting bridges lead, and the musical one that plays every time someone crosses it will surely be fun for the kids the most. If your children are hyperactive or you want to keep them away from gadgets for at least a day, take them to the pumptrack, a new paved polygon for cyclists, skaters and rollerbladers, located ten minutes from the city centre.

Pejačević Castle in Virovitica (Photo: Matija Turkalj)

Pumptrack (Photo: Matija Turkalj)

Street food and giant sequoia tree in Slatina

Late lunch in Slatina is a good idea. Bistro 17, a new street food place was opened there by renowned chef Goran Kočiš, who returned to his hometown from Zagreb and prepares perfect burgers, woks and chicken wings and other delicious dishes for all generations.

It opens at 5 pm, before that take a walk through Slatina, take pictures next to the134-year-old giant sequoia tree which was has voted Croatia’s Tree of the Year for 2021. The tree will be Croatia’s candidate in the 2022 European Tree of the Year competition which will be held in February. The tree is located in the centre of the EPIcentre Sequoia Slatina, is 33 meters high and has a circumference of about four meters.

Slatina’s giant sequoia tree (Photo: Matija Turkalj)

Meeting with Petar Preradović

Petar Preradović was a famous Croatian poet, writer, and military general. He was one of the most important Croatian poets of the 19th century Illyrian movement and the main representative of romanticism in Croatia.

Write with a goose-feather pen, sit in old school desks, see an interactive exhibition, have fun and learn something…you can do that in Grabrovnica near Pitomača. Petar Preradović’s house, today a modern Interpretation Centre, is a great thing to do on a family trip. The biggest surprise is meeting the poet live, via a hologram. Find out what the father, soldier, husband, and poet was like.

House of Petar Preradović (Photo: Matija Turkalj)

Visit to Jankovac

Take a walk, according to many, through the most beautiful valley of the Papuk Nature Park, the magical Jankovac Park Forest. Educational trails, mountain streams, lakes, caves, the impressive Skakavac waterfall and spacious meadows for running and playing are perfect for kids, and if there is luck and snow falls, there is no more fun than spontaneous sledding. When your cheeks and nose turn red, warm up in a mountain lodge with a cup of tea or, even better, with a hearty lunch.

Jankovac Nature Park Papuk (Photo: Matija Turkalj)