Women's Weekend Croatia explored the beauty of spring in Slavonia and Podravina!

Spring, in all its beauty, changeability, and the feeling of nature awakening, was very inspiring for the first Women's Weekend in Croatia and the surrounding area, held at the junction of Slavonia and Podravina. The project, conceived by journalist and fashion consultant Alma Premerl Zoko, aims to offer a program in which you can enjoy the beauty of the destination - through wonderful cities, museums and galleries, nature that recharges your batteries, but also typical women's workshops through which you can learn about health, beauty, and creativity.

"The blend of Slavonia and Podravina is one of the most beautiful parts of Croatia, and I always love to return to this place. It is an incredible combination of the elegance of the castles connected to Virovitica, the beautiful nature of Papuk, the mighty Drava River, and wonderful hosts who love visitors very much and strive to showcase their destination in the best possible way. This time, a special highlight was the Janković Castle in Suhopolje, on the ground floor of which a new attraction for urban travelers has opened - a wellness center with a swimming pool and wonderful saunas," says Alma.

Women's Weekend in Croatia and the surrounding area lasts a full 48 hours, which is what it takes for every woman to reset, experience the weekend to the fullest, and return home relaxed and happy. To help everyone alleviate stress, the women's weekend began in Suhopolje at the beautiful Janković Castle, where spring is marked by the opening of the castle's hidden rooms. This wellness center is situated in a green park, making it the first wellness center located within a castle in Croatia. It features a swimming pool available to guests throughout the day and saunas designed for a smaller number of people. For wellness to be complete and for every woman to experience complete relaxation and zen during their entire stay, women enjoyed specially created DM corners that contained scrubs, oils, creams, and lotions from the Spring Balea and Alverde collections.

"This was a total hit," said urban women in unison, welcoming the idea of personalized dm wellness with which this weekend began. That the relaxation was complete was also evident at the first women's workshop that weekend, led by artist Nikolina Neralić. Known for specially created La brooch fashion details - royal sleeves that are easy to combine with contemporary clothing, men's ties that she turns into interesting brooches, women's ties, but also flowers that are made by hand. How to make a Slavonian brooch, and how to make a Podravina brooch - was the topic of the workshop, and the great 'vibe' and relaxation were the incentive to make both motifs that evening, at the creative workshop.

The next morning, these brooches were a welcome addition to learning about how beautiful and complex this part of Croatia is. When you're in Virovitica, for example, the streets take you through the Podravina and Slavonia regions (Virovitica is the junction of these two regions), where history was marked by the Pejačević and Janković families, and has become a special destination for young and urban people. There's a lot that guide Silvija Perić will tell you on a circular walk through the city, after which you'll fall in love with the destination at first sight. Did you know that the patron saint of Virovitica is Saint Roko? Virovitica also has a Science Park, and hidden passages, such as the one with the piano, lead you through the city's streets. You sit down and play!

Did you know that the Virovitica City Museum, located in the pink Pejačević Castle, is one of the 10 most beautiful museums in the world, featuring a permanent exhibition called 'The Wooden Age' and a space where numerous artists, such as Snježana Novotny, showcase their works? You can reach the museum by one of the bridges conceived and designed by young Zagreb architecture students. One of the most interesting is undoubtedly the Musical Bridge, which plays music as you walk across it. Did you know that in Virovitica, you can taste, according to many, one of the best pancakes in Croatia?! The locals will direct you to the pancake shop at Dejan's, located across from Pejačević, but it is actually a Chocolate cafe that serves over 40 different types of pancakes. Slavonian (Baranja) pancakes with homemade kulen and pepperoni, or as a savory or sweet side dish, are a great way to experience this part of Croatia gastronomically. A pancake with homemade marmalade and cream is also a delightful option.

In the Slavonian part of this destination, in Suhopolje, the main attraction is Janković Castle, which, in addition to its wellness facilities, also features a recognizable 'Slavonian touch'. Here, you will enjoy a wonderful dinner, toast the day with wines from this region, and the Suhopolje tamburitza players will enhance the atmosphere in the castle. To make the evening perfect, all the ladies dressed up nicely and had their make-up done to perfection with the advice of make-up artist Vina Medved. She was the one who discovered MUA make-up trends for this spring, but also taught how to balance the look - less is more. This weekend's beauty must-have was the MUA Makeup Academy Metamorphosis lip and cheek gloss, which gives a fresh look all day long.

Sunday morning was all about nature. Light exercise and exercise in the castle with Nikolina Mihić, a healthy breakfast, and a Farmakol workshop were an excellent prelude to the second part of the day on Papuk. At the Farmakol workshop, mag.chem. Jasminka Premerl demonstrated how to awaken the body, particularly the primary driver of energy and vitality - the intestines. The interactive workshop served two spring pearls from this local manufacturer - Farmakol Flower Powder (in homemade yogurt) full of nutrients that help strengthen the body's immunity and Farmakol Aronia mother juice, which is also an exceptional antioxidant.

"The awakening of the body this spring must be complex, which means that the day should start with exercise, pay attention to a healthy diet, take in vitamins and minerals through superfoods, but also spend time in nature" - concluded the lecture of Master Premerl, and all the ladies set off for the Papuk Nature Park in sports equipment. In the Jankovac Forest Park, Ranger Danijel Majstorović led a circular walk through the forest, showcasing what Papuk looks like at the beginning of spring. The biggest attraction of the Jankovac Forest Park is undoubtedly the 35-meter-high Skakavac waterfall, which is also the most famous waterfall in Slavonia.

"Exploring the beauty of Slavonia and Podravina, we have started the spring cycle of women's weekends, and the nature of Papuk is an overture to a new program that will be held in the green Lika region at the beginning of April," says Alma, inviting all 'women, mothers, queens' to explore her programs and go with friends, moms or simply alone on weekends that will be remembered forever. You can read more about the programs at this LINK.

foto: Nikola Zoko