From the museum to the beach

After sightseeing tours in the city and visits to the museums, why not seek refreshment during hot summer days at Jarun Lake? Apart from swimming and five clean beaches, marked by blue flags, Jarun offers an array of sports facilities, an excellent gastronomic selection and a diverse nightlife in several popular clubs.

Although located deep inland, Zagreb provides tourists with entertainment that matches the selection of the coast: swimming, sunbathing, sports and recreation, and various other offerings such as excellent restaurants and great night clubs. All of this is available to tourists at Jarun Lake, located in the quarter of the same name in south-western Zagreb.

Should you be visiting Zagreb during these hot summer days, make sure to spend some of your time at “Zagreb’s Sea”. Jarun is not far; it takes less than half an hour by tram from the city centre, and is possibly even faster by some other mode of transport.
Jarun consists of two connected lakes: the Large Lake and the Small Lake, which are surrounded by an asphalt path intended for recreational walkers, cyclists and skaters. The Large Lake also features rowing lanes, while the Small Lake, and its six islands (Univerzijada Island, Trešnjevka Island, the Island of Croatian Youth, the Island of Wilderness, Rowers’ Island, and the Island of Love), are intended entirely for swimmers. The quality of the water and the five beaches is confirmed by blue flags on Univerzijada Island, Trešnjevka Island, Rowers’ Island, the beach of the Small Lake, and the southern part of the Large Lake.

For the fifth year in a row, swimmers are being watched by trained lifeguards and, apart from the lake itself, one can find refreshment under the showers, which are installed on all beaches. Each beach features bars and restaurants, as well as numerous sports courts and field facilities. Moreover, Trešnjevka Island is fully equipped for persons with special needs, ranging from easy-access ramps, to adapted recliners and sanitary facilities. Along the beach there is a playground with anti-traumatic surfaces for children with developmental difficulties, while the south side of the Large Lake features a multi-sensory park adapted for the blind and visually impaired visitors. To make their orientation easier, the park features sculptures that serve as tactile direction signs, while the park’s landscaping provides walkers with a direct contact with the plants, which they can feel, smell, even taste.

Apart from recreational activities, Jarun often hosts rowing and sailing regattas, kayaking and still-water canoeing competitions, swimming marathons, as well as athletic and bicycling events. Swimmers and lake visitors can enjoy numerous other simple pleasures, such as barbecuing and resting in the shade of the trees, each day.

And that is only the day offer! The nightlife at Jarun is a whole different story. Along the lake, there are numerous bars, restaurants and nightclubs, which are popular among Zagreb’s citizens all year round. However, in the summer they are at their most vibrant. This is when Zagreb’s nightlife, for the most part, moves to Jarun. The lake shores at night resemble landscapes of coastal towns whose boardwalks are sites of all-night partying.