At the end of the forest road...

Surrounded by winter shopping-fever, Christmas playlists on repeat and advents "on the spur of the moment", most of us at some point, apart from guessing whether Christmas will be white this year, also ask a slightly more difficult question - how can it not steal Christmas from us materially?

A hundred people, a hundred tempers. Some will look for the answer in the comfort of their corner sofa, some in the nearest mall (a wedge is knocked out by a wedge), some in a favorite picnic spot. Others, looking for a different holiday experience, will decide to push the boundaries and give the unknown a chance.

Figuratively speaking, why not take a forest path - what the name Erdut means in Hungarian - and discover the end "where the Danube kisses the sky"? The undiscovered pearl of Eastern Slavonia is characterized by four great tourist stories, four unique winter experiences in Pannonia.

winemaker's best

If you are wondering where to start your Erdut winter tour, we will suggest you - in a barrel. In the cellar of the local winery, founded almost 300 years ago, hides one of the largest in the world. Does its 75,000 liters of premium graševina contain the meaning of life, or at least some Christmas secret? If it is judged by the fact that there is truth in wine, who knows, it is easily possible.

The Erdut area, in winter resembling an endless frozen steppe, also hides several excellent family boutique wineries. Tastings, ice harvests, local gastronomy and the dedication of hospitable hosts create an unforgettable combination of a warm family atmosphere and the unfathomable expanses of the surrounding plains and the mighty Danube.

A walk through time

The local wine promenades seamlessly flow into the pedestrian paths along the Danube coast. In places, it is like cliffs raised above the river, which is why from here you can get an impressive view of the surrounding South Pannonian regions: Baranja, Bačka, Srijem and Banat in the distance. The ambience is all the more impressive, as one of the rare remnants of the Slavonic Middle Ages is located here - a tower from the 15th century. century, raised 70 meters above the Danube.

Elsewhere, the Danube trails pass through a wooded river landscape that continues upstream towards Aljmaš and Bijelo Brdo to Podravine rainforests and swamps. Those who like the atmosphere of the winter wilderness will definitely find it in these areas.

The "inventor" of climate

If you are more attracted to the story of how science mastered its secrets than the call of wilderness and untouched nature, don't miss a visit to Dalj and the Milutin Milanković Center there, located in the birthplace of the world-famous mathematician and climatologist. Born in Dalje in 1879, Milanković, through his scientific work, was the first to establish the model of changing climate periods and ice ages.

To the average visitor, the abstract topics of physics, astrophysics and mathematics are explained in an accessible and interesting way in the Milanković visitor center. Legend has it that because of this, not a single tourist leaves here as a newly minted lover of these otherwise obscure disciplines.

Spiritual shelter

Important religious destinations are also located in the Erdut region. During the holiday season, pilgrims and other visitors find in them spiritual tranquility and a connection with their loved ones. In addition, these places are also centers of preservation of rich Christmas customs.

Look for the spirit of the Catholic Christmas atmosphere in the widely known Marian shrine in Aljmaš, the place where "Danube Drava got married". Ten days later, come to us according to the Julian calendar. In Dalje, the home of the largest Orthodox church in Croatia, you will see what a traditional Eastern Christian Christmas celebration looks like.