In the city of Osijek, eastern Croatia

 Slavonia, a historical region of Croatia, was included in the kingdom of Croatia in the 10th century. As Croatia-Slavonia, it now joins Istria and Dalmatia as one of the three traditional regions of modern Croatia.

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(in eastern Croatia) Flat as a pancake, Slavonia is the agricultural heart of Croatia. Checkerboards of green crops and yellow rapeseed roll out along Slavonia's roads -- and you may spot an eagle or two looming near the fields, as you keep your eyes peeled while driving through the region. The city of Osijek (featured here) makes for the most obvious base. From here, head out boating on the wetlands of Kopački Rit or hit the wineries of the Baranja region. (The impact of the war in the 1990'a hit hardest in southeast Slavonia, where historic Vukovar is steadily attracting more visitors -- thanks to its two museums and Illok, on the Serbian border.) Bordered by three major rivers (Sava, Drava and Danube), this region holds strong connections with Hungary, Serbia and Germany.

+ Osijek, an industrial city and agricultural center, is found on the Drava River, about 10 miles (16 km) west of the border with Serbia. In Roman times the site was known as Mursa. (Its present name was first recorded in 1196.) An important trade and transportation center from early times, Osijek was controlled by the Ottoman Empire from 1526 to 1687. In the 19th century a brewery and a match-making factory were established here. A river port, the city also has good rail connections to neighboring parts of the Balkans and to Hungary. The upper, or old, town centers on the fortress; the lower, or new, town is the commercial and main residential area. Osijek’s industries manufacture electrical equipment, apparel, chemical products, furniture, agricultural machinery, and food products. Cereals, fodder crops, sugar beets, dairy cattle, and poultry are raised in the surrounding region. The Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek was founded in 1975. Osijek, the largest city (and cultural center) of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, is also the administrative center of Osijek-Baranja County. On the banks of the Drava River, the city's rich history has endowed it with an abundance of cultural and artistic heritage. The oldest part of the city is Tvrda, a preserved Baroque center, whose central square is dominated by Kuzni’s pillar. Osijek is most popular for its Baroque Old Town and architecture. (Here there is the Museum of Slavonia and the Archaeological Museum, as well as galleries and churches.)

+ When visiting Osijek, Croatia's fourth largest city, walk its main square and Tvrđa, which is the 18th-century Baroque citadel. Stroll the promenade along the Drava River and visit one of the boat cafes and bars, where you can relax on hot summer days. (The building dominating the scenery is the Church of Saint Peter and Paul, a Neo-Gothic structure with the second highest tower in Croatia (after the Cathedral in Zagreb, the country's capital.)