Vukovar: Cruise Landing on the Danube and Vuka

Passenger Terminal on the Danube

Vukovar lies on the right bank of the Danube, where the Vuka flows into the river. The passenger terminal is located at Danube kilometre 1333+000; passenger ships berth at a floating steel pontoon. The landing is on the Danube promenade, right by the mouth of the Vuka. Trg Republike Hrvatske lies inland beside it, in the historic city centre. For river journeys, Vukovar is a stop on a Danube cruise; the ports of Croatia include other places on the coast and along rivers.

Passenger Terminal and Other Port Facilities

The passenger terminal is separate from the marina at the mouth of the Vuka. The passenger checkpoint is at kilometre 1333, while the cargo checkpoint for vessels travelling upstream is at kilometre 1335. The port overview contains profiles of other landing points.

Old Town, Cultural History and Transport

Vukovar’s historic city centre is characterised by Baroque buildings and houses with distinctive arches; the urban area is protected as a historic complex. The Eltz Palace, which houses the City Museum, stands on the riverbank. Opposite it is the Syrmia Palace, built in the 18th century. Further along the Danube promenade are the Franciscan monastery and the Church of St Philip and James. Construction began on 24 June 1723 and continued throughout the 18th century.

The Vučedol culture, named after the archaeological site on the Danube near Vukovar, is part of the region’s ancient history. Its heyday is dated to around 3000–2200 BC; the Vučedol Dove was discovered in 1938 and has become a symbol of the city. The settlement was home to farmers, livestock breeders, hunters and copper smelters. The Vučedol Culture Museum is dedicated to this archaeological culture. Vukovar railway station is at Priljevo 2, and the bus station is at Olajnica bb. The regional airport is called Osijek/Klisa.

Vukovar’s educational and press history has also left its mark. A Franciscan school developed into a public elementary school in 1730. A trade school was founded in 1886, followed by the grammar school in 1891. A printing works operated in the city from 1867; that year, Vukovar’s first German-language newspaper, the “Syrmier Bote”, was published. The Grand Hotel was built at the end of the 19th century and had a theatre hall as well as guest rooms. In 1919, workers bought the hotel with proceeds from the sale of their cooperative shares; it became a workers’ centre.