Spačva Forest

Spačva Forest is the largest community of pedunculate oak in Europe. If you have rented accommodation in Vinkovci and Otok, or the surrounding areas, or even elsewhere in Slavonia, it would be a shame not to visit this enchanting forest where not fairies and outlaws dwell, but rather a multitude of plant and animal species. Once upon a time, the Spačva Basin was a true primeval forest, and even today, alongside the giant pedunculate oak, you can find willows, poplars, ash trees, and other plant species that thrive in moist soils and swampy areas. The Spačva Basin is abundant in water - the Bosut River flows through the forest, and the Spačva, Brežnica, Lubnja, and Studva streams converge here, all providing the necessary moisture for the growth of mighty trees. Pedunculate oaks can reach heights of up to 50 meters, with trunks measuring up to 2.5 meters in diameter. Numerous bird species nest in their canopies, while deer, roe deer, wild boars, foxes, martens, and wildcats inhabit the shade beneath their branches. Encounters with these animals in broad daylight are rare, and the Spačva Forest offers numerous opportunities for an active vacation in Vinkovci and Otok, such as hiking, mountaineering, boating, horseback riding, or fishing. Special attention is deserved by the Otok Rapids, which are essentially the gateway to the Spačva Basin and the starting point for a series of educational trails, cycling routes, and rowing paths. The Spačva Forest covers 40,000 hectares, and some specimens of oak trees are up to 400 years old. Beneath their magnificent canopies, there might truly still live a forest fairy or two.