Osijek

Hotel Osijek, eksterijer, Mario Romulić

26 May 2021

Source: Croatian National Tourist Board – Mario Romulić

Published: May 26, 2021

Away from the tourist buzz of the coast, is the stunning Osijek, a magnificent city in the east of Croatia which has much to offer.

With a thriving tech community, a rapidly developing city and plenty of open space to run, cycle, jog or canoe, Osijek charms everyone that arrives there.

Coworking (Updated 2021)

Osijek’s remote working scene has been growing year on year, as it attracts a lot of local remote workers.

BIOS Inkubator is currently the only coworking space in Osijek, and they are looking to expand in 2022 to meet growing demand. Drop them an e-mail and see what they can organise for you.

Merlon Pivnica – head through to the back of this pub and you will find a nonsmoking area with easily accessible sockets for your laptop. Grab a coffee, a beer or some brunch and work at the same time.

Hotel Osijek – very popular for meetings but also great for coworking, with an assortment of tables, and a view over the river in their lobby bar.

Community

Osijek has lit up the way for tech communities all over Croatia thanks to their community named Osijek Software City. With regular events and festivals, they are a great place to start networking. Meanwhile they have a small international community and the best way to find out the Digital Nomad news would be in this Facebook group.

Before or after work, jump on a bike or put on your running shoes as you have a number of tracks that stretch for kilometres up and down the River Drava. Time your arrival well and you can even participate in the Pannonian Challenge – the festival of extreme sports.

When summer swings round, you can go to the city beach appropriately named Copacabana and take a dip and swim in the river.

The weekend also offers plenty of opportunities, explore the surrounding excellent wine regions such as Ilok – home to the world’s largest barrel and an abundance of wine related activities. Or perhaps escape on a city break as Osijek provides you with the chance to pop to Budapest, Belgrade or Zagreb.

If you don’t want to head that far away, then take a trip to Kopački Rit, a nature reserve close by or visit local towns and villages along the River Drava like Belišće. Drop us a message on Facebook if you’re short of ideas!

Living

Whether you’d prefer to live near a coworking space, or a bit further out, check what’s available on DNA Stay, our dedicated longer term rental website for digital nomads.

The city market is the best place to buy your groceries, and we always recommend buying regularly and building up a rapport, learning a bit of Croatian along the way. If you want to try some local produce then Slavonian kulen is a spicy sausage that is a tasty treat.

If you don’t want to leave home then you can also order through Glovo or Wolt.

Connectivity

Osijek is an extremely walkable and bike friendly city. Public transport is very efficient too, and there are regular buses, both nationally and internationally.

As mentioned, Osijek provides you with a great way into Croatia if heading in from Hungary or Serbia. From Osijek you can make your way to the rest of Croatia. If you’re looking to visit any of these places then check out what Flixbus has to offer.

Osijek Airport can connect you to most of Croatia, but for your international flights it’s best to travel to the capital cities nearby.

A few other facts:

Osijek is home to Croatia’s first brewery, dating back to 1664, and the excellent craft beer scene today continues that tradition.
A sign of its historical significance is the fact that Croatia’s first trams were introduced in Osijek in 1884.
With 17 parks and many other green spaces, Osijek has been officially named the greenest city in Croatia. Add the promenade along the Drava, and you have found your outdoor city heaven.

Festivals worth checking out: