It is adored by bikers, discovered by craft beer fans, an attractive destination for rural tourism, a well-known Slavonian gastro-destination with many traditional and urban events – it is Brod-Posavina County.
“You can enjoy our county from January to December,” said the director of the Brod-Posavina Tourist Board, Ružica Vidaković, at the presentation of its tourist offer at the Bornstein wine shop in Zagreb. She listed numerous events that this county is proud of, including the Mega Bikers meet on 10, 11 and 12 May. There is also one of the oldest folklore events in Croatia – Brodsko Kolo, held for 55 years in a row. This year, Slavonski Brod will host the CMC music festival is August. At the Fishermen’s Evening in Davor, as much as five tons of freshwater fish is gutted and prepared in just a few days.
She added that all the most attractive venues in the county are located just ten kilometres apart, from the newly-opened family farms to those with a long tradition in rural tourism, such as the eco-ethno village of Stara Kapela, which attracts visitors from all over the world. In addition to the unique and rustic attractions, the urban ones are no less interesting.
The largest town in the county, Slavonski Brod, is known for one of the most beautiful love stories – the one about Malena and Klepetan. There is also the main square that is actually the longest corso in the whole of Slavonia, while the bank of the Sava river is the favourite promenade. The fortress is one of the most beautiful in Europe, while the famous Croatian writers Ivana Brlić Mažuranić and Dragutin Tadijanović also lived in Slavonski Brod.
Although the Brod-Posavina vineyards produce top-quality wines, the county has recently been known for its great craft beers. The pioneers of the Croatian craft scene, the Bošnjak family from Sičice, entered the ranks of the most prominent breweries with the lager beer prepared according to a Czech recipe. “Our lager comes in a light and dark variant, and we also produce the beer brandy, Beershine, and the corn brand, Moonshine. We are especially proud of our MB72 craft gin, that was created thanks to the brandies. To get one litre of MB72, we need 10 to 15 litres of high-quality beer, rich in good hops aromas. Our gin includes seven types of herbs and two distillations, and it has been named after the initials of our main producer and master-beermaker Mario Bošnjak,” said Marijana Bošnjak at the Bornstein. In addition to the tasting hall in Sičice, the Bošnjak family owns the Bošnjak Beer & Gin Bar in Nova Gradiška, which is the only other official town in the county. Among other events, it is known for the Nova Gradiška Musical Summer, an event that attracts 20,000 visitors every August.
One of the most famous Croatian food bloggers, Ena Kokanović, also comes from Brod-Posavina County. Together with the Brod-Posavina County Tourist Board, she is working on the Tastes of Gračansko Posavlje project, a designation given to about fifteen restaurants with a traditional offer. Although it might seem that Ena is very demanding when the food is concerned, she says that her favourite dish is roasted lamb with potatoes. In her kitchen, she prepares everything she wants to eat at any given moment. Slavonian empanadas, a different kind of “štrukli”, “masnica” with walnuts, vegan ice cream – these are just some of the recipes she shares on her blog.
Whether you are a fan of asphalt and adrenaline or want a peaceful family vacation, if you love tradition and authentic products, if you are a gourmet or a beer fan – it is right time to discover the Brod-Posavina County this spring. You will not make a mistake, for it is a destination that is a great selection at any time of the year.
All photos by Borna Subota/EXE produkcija
More news about Brod-Posavina County can be found in the Travel section.
