Osijek

Osijek

Beli Manastir

Djakovo

Nasice

Valpovo

Osijek-Baranja county is a county in Croatia, located in northeastern Slavonia and Baranja. Its center is Osijek and cities Djakovo, Nasice, Valpovo, Belisce and Beli Manastir.

Osijek the fourth largest city in Croatia with a population of 114,616 in 2001. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative center of Osijek-Baranja county. Osijek is located on the right bank of the river Drava, 25km upstream of its confluence with the Danube, at an elevation of 94m. Transport links include major railway and highway junctions, a river port, and a regional airport. A full motorway, linking the important city to the rest of the Croatian motorway network and the major Pan-European corridor 5c, is well under construction and will reach Osijek by 2008.

The surroundings of Osijek provide excellent opportunities for hunting and angling on the Drava river and its backwaters. Hunting in the area known as Kopaèki Rit (in Baranja) is famous beyond the borders of Croatia.

The abundance of game and agriculture has made Osijek the country's semi-official gastronomical capital. Local dishes include traditional Slavonian-style specialities (kulen, paprika-flavoured sausage, other kinds of sausages, ham, bacon, dairy products), as well as venison and fish dishes such as the famous riblji paprikaš (fish stew made with paprika). The Osijek beer (Osjeèko pivo) and Baranja wines are offered in restaurants in the town and its surroundings.

Bizovac is a municipality in Osijek-Baranja county, there are 4,979 inhabitants. Bizovac has a hotel and spa complex, with underground heated water originating from remains of Panonian Sea that covered the region.

Dakovo (sometimes spelled Djakovo) is a town in the region of Slavonia, 37 km to the southwest of Osijek and 34 km southeast of Nasice. It has a population of 20,912, with a total of 30,092 in the municipality (census 2001). Chief occupations include farming, livestock breeding, leather and wool processing; horse selection centre; major industries are wood processing (furniture), textiles, chemicals and food processing, building material, printing and tourism.DÐakovo is located at the intersection of the main road (M17.01, E73) Osijek-Dakovo, the regional road Nasice-Dakovo and the railroad Ploce- Sarajevo-Vrpolje-Osijek-Budapest.

The traditional Slavonian cuisine, famous for its meat specialities (kulen smoked sausage, kobasica sausages, smoked ham), venison and freshwater fish dishes are offered both in Dakovo and its surroundings. Of particular interest are the exquisite wines of the Dakovo region: Weissburgunder, Traminer and Riesling.