Town in Slavonia
Vukovar
- Best time to go
- Apr, May, June, Sept, Oct
- Part of
- Slavonia
Vukovar is a baroque town on the Danube whose name every Croatian knows because of what it endured in 1991.
That autumn it was besieged for almost three months by the Yugoslav People's Army and Serb paramilitary forces, the town was largely destroyed, and after it fell on 18 November hundreds of people were killed, among them patients and others taken from the hospital to Ovčara. Today it has been largely rebuilt, and visitors come both to remember and to see its baroque streets, its Danube waterfront and one of Europe's most important prehistoric sites at Vučedol. A visit here is quieter and more reflective than most of Croatia, and it rewards time spent listening and learning.
Things to do
Don't miss in Vukovar
- Climb the restored water tower, left with its war damage as a memorial, for a view over the town and the Danube.
- Visit the Place of Remembrance at Vukovar Hospital, where the hospital's basement shelters have been kept as they were in 1991.
- Pay your respects at the Ovčara memorial, on the site south-east of town where victims taken from the hospital were killed.
- Walk through the Memorial Cemetery of Homeland War Victims, the largest mass grave in Europe since the Second World War.
- See the town museum in Eltz Manor, the restored baroque palace on the bank of the Vuka.
- Explore the Vučedol Culture Museum on the Danube, about 5 km from the centre, where the famous Vučedol Dove was found.
- Stroll along the Danube promenade and up to the Franciscan monastery and Church of St Philip and St James.
Where to stay
Pick your neighbourhood
Baroque centre
first-time visitors who want to walk to the museum, the Danube promenade and the main memorial sites
Along the Danube
those who want river views and quiet evenings watching the boats go by
Near the Franciscan monastery
visitors who prefer a calm, residential area on the hill with views over the town and river
Vinkovci
travellers arriving by train or wanting a bigger choice of places to stay, about 20 minutes' drive away
Tours and getting around
Day trips from Vukovar
Most people visit Vukovar as a day trip from Osijek or as a stop between Osijek and Ilok. Guided tours of the memorial sites help explain the events of 1991 and are worth considering, as the stories behind each place are not always obvious on your own. In summer, local boats run across to the river island in the Danube for swimming, and river cruises on the Danube call here on their way between Budapest and Belgrade.
A car is the most practical choice, since Ovčara and Vučedol are outside the centre and buses to them are infrequent. The town centre is compact enough to walk. The Danube cycle route passes through Vukovar, so cycling between here, Osijek and Ilok is a good option for those with time and a bike.
Getting there
How to get to Vukovar
Vukovar sits on the Danube about 35 km south-east of Osijek, roughly 40 minutes by car. From Zagreb it is about three hours, taking the A3 motorway east and then local roads north. The nearest airport is Osijek, with Zagreb, Belgrade and Budapest the bigger options. Buses connect Vukovar with Osijek, Vinkovci and Zagreb, and Vinkovci, about 20 km away, is the nearest major railway junction. River cruise ships on the Danube also stop here. Parking in town is generally straightforward.