Town in Slavonia
Ilok
- Best time to go
- May, June, Sept, Oct
- Part of
- Slavonia
Ilok is Croatia's easternmost town, sitting on a ridge of vineyards high above the Danube.
Inside its medieval walls stand the Odescalchi castle, a Franciscan church and monastery, and historic wine cellars where Graševina and Traminac have been made for centuries. It is a small, quiet place, and its appeal lies in slow tastings, long views over the river and the forested slopes of Fruška Gora.
Things to do
Don't miss in Ilok
- Walk the medieval walls that circle the upper town and look out over the Danube towards Serbia.
- Visit the Ilok Town Museum inside the Odescalchi castle, which tells the story of the town and the noble families who ruled it.
- Tour the old cellars beneath the castle and taste the local Traminac, which is said to have been served at Queen Elizabeth II's coronation.
- See the Franciscan church and monastery where St John of Capistrano, who died in Ilok in 1456, is buried.
- Find the Ottoman-era turbe, a small domed tomb that is one of the few reminders of Turkish rule in this part of Croatia.
- Taste Graševina at one of the family wineries in the vineyards around the town.
- Cycle a stretch of the Danube route along the river and through the vineyards towards Vukovar.
Where to stay
Pick your neighbourhood
Old town around the castle
wine lovers who want to walk to the cellars, the castle museum and the medieval walls
Wine estates and vineyards
couples who want a quiet stay among the vines with tastings on the spot
Near the Danube
cyclists on the Danube route and anyone who wants river views and peaceful evenings
Tours and getting around
Day trips from Ilok
Ilok is mostly visited as part of a wine tour of eastern Slavonia, often combined with Vukovar on the same day. Wineries in and around town offer cellar tours and tastings, and harvest time in September is a good moment to visit. Cyclists following the Danube route often stop here for a night.
You will want a car to reach Ilok and the wineries around it, as buses are infrequent. The old town itself is small and easy to walk. A bike suits the Danube route, but expect some climbs up to the town. A boat is not needed.
Getting there
How to get to Ilok
Ilok is the easternmost town in Croatia, on the Danube about 40 km south-east of Vukovar, a drive of about 40 minutes, and about an hour and a quarter from Osijek. From Zagreb it is about three and a half hours by car via the A3 motorway. The nearest airports are Osijek, Belgrade and Zagreb. Buses run from Vukovar and Osijek, but services are limited, so a car is much easier. A bridge across the Danube here is a border crossing into Serbia.