The last time I had seen Vukovar was from the back of a British Army Land Rover.

The town on the Danube had been bombed and shelled into oblivion.

That was in 1991 at end of an 88-day siege by the Serbs as Yugoslavia fell apart and the Croatian war of independence was in full flow.

It would be another seven years before it would be returned to Croatia.

But the town I saw as I stepped off a boat after sailing up the Danube one Saturday in May had been reborn, 80 per cent rebuilt in less than two decades.

While most visitors to Croatia head for the beautiful Dalmatian and Istrian coastlines – as they did when it was Yugoslavia, far fewer visit the eastern part of the country, Slavonia.

But this area has an identity crisis. It suffered the worst of the damage and bloodshed in 1991 because it borders Serbia.

Call it the Balkans and many people still think of the conflict.

So tourism officials are marketing it in a different way, as the Mid Danube region. And it’s a strategy that makes a lot of sense.

It is indeed a beautiful part of Croatia, sitting above Bosnia, below Hungary and next to Serbia. It’s an area of stunning countryside, big wide rivers, culture and history that harks back to many eras like the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires, fine wines you have probably never tried and wonderful food whose origins will be very familiar.

So here are ten reasons to visit a part of Croatia you probably haven’t been to.

1. Osijek, on the Drava river, was badly damaged in 1991 – its magnificent centrepiece, the Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul was shelled 100 times. The cathedral has huge Islamic arch over the altar, an attempt by the man who oversaw the construction, Bishop Strossmeyer, to bring Christianity and Islam together. Osijek has lovely old town and city walls, wide, tree-lined avenues with magnificent buildings of numerous architectural styles. In places you could be in Vienna or Budapest. The city was one of the most fortified of the Ottoman strongholds. It has a relaxing atmosphere, especially along the Drava waterfront in the evening. It’s a town in slow motion with a lovely coffee and cake culture and 17 parks.

2. The cuisine is distinctive but speaks to regional influence and fits with the Mid Danube theme. At the Kod Ruze restaurant (established 1800s) we tried cobanac (a game goulash heavily laced with paprika) and fis paprikas with carp, perch and catfish from local rivers. There are distinct echoes of Hungarian goulash, not surprising given how near Hungary is. Baranja (see below) is the heartland of the region’s spicy paprika laced cuisine.

3. The Baranja wine region: The green flatlands of Baranja, set between the Danube, the Drava River and the Hungarian border are filled with unspoilt villages and wineries with a growing number of producers. For wine lovers this is a secret waiting to be discovered and some of the produce here is excellent. The biggest winery, Vina Delje, prides itself on its numerous products including Grasewina, Merlot, Frankovka, Pinot Noir and others. But there are many small wine cellars in the area operated by individuals and you can stroll from one to the other in the villages all day if you want to. All are open to visitors. There’s a strong Hungarian minority here and most road signs are bilingual. The Hungarians call this region ‘Mother of Wines’.

4. At the heart of the Baranja is the Kopacki Rit Nature Park (lying at the confluence of the Drava and the Danube), 23,000 hectares of rivers, lakes and trails, home to hundreds of species of birds. The park lies exactly half way along the Danube’s route. It’s a huge draw for ornithologists from across the world. The greenest waters and forests in the whole of Slavonia are found in Kopacki Rit.

5. Vukovar: The town has been 80 per cent rebuilt from the rubble of 1991, an amazing feat as it was only handed back by the UN to Croatia in 1998. The exhibition in the magnificently restored Eltz Manor is a moving testament to the suffering and the spirit of Vukovar.

6. The Danube: It flows a 2,800 miles route from the Black Forest to the Black Sea, taking in eastern Croatia as well as four capitals – Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava and Belgrade. Take a boat trip along the beautiful river.

7. Lippizaners: These beautiful horses can be seen at the State Farm in Dakovo and breeding began here in the early 18th century. The Dakovo Lippizaners are famous the world over. The Queen visited Dakovo in 1972 specifically to see the horses. The farm is firmly on the tourist trail.

8. The stunning Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul in ÐakovoSlavonia. The cathedral was built 1866-1882, again under the influential Bishop Strossmeyer.

9. The Hotel Waldinger in Osijek, is award winning with beautiful rooms, a great restaurant and is near the Drava river, main square, cathedral, theatre and tram stops.

10. Slavonia attracts few tourists though the number is growing. If you do visit, you’ll find it a richly rewarding experience.

Factfile

Flights: With Ryanair to Osijek from Stansted. For more information visit croatia.hr

Accommodation: A standard double room at the four star Hotel Waldinger starts from £79 per night, based on two people sharing and including breakfast. For further information or to book, please see