Swan Lake, Hawaii, the Big Lake, the Gypsy Lake, and another dozen or so waters hidden among reeds and water lilies, with little secret shores and paths for walking or cycling, framed by swans, frogs, and herons… All of this lives in Zagreb, at the Savica Lakes near the Sava River, forming a kind of urban safari landscape.
Open to everyone, and yet – many people don’t even know about this “wetland” oasis in the city’s southeast. Peace and quiet are usually found here by anglers and locals from the nearby neighborhoods, though it could just as well serve as inspiration for a walk, a new corner of the city to discover, or a romantic date you won’t forget.
The Savica Lakes lie between the Sava River embankment and Radnička Street. It’s a cluster of 12 lakes, but don’t go picturing something like Bundek, Jarun, or Maksimir – those are Zagreb’s well-manicured city parks and recreational lakes. Au contraire, as Del Boy would say. The vibe at Savica is much closer to Lonjsko Polje and the Posavina floodplains, vast wetland landscapes east of Zagreb known for their traditional villages, storks, and all-embracing wilderness. We can thank the Sava River for that, since these lakes are its former branches.
Did you know that, long before Antun Mihanović (the author of Croatia’s national anthem) and the band Plavi Orkestar drew inspiration from it, the Sava River had already stirred the imagination of the Greeks? In Belgrade, people jokingly nicknamed the river islands “Bezkintos”. It’s play on Mykonos, for those without kinta (cash) to afford a Greek holiday. The Sava once even had its own romantic yet melancholic phenomenon known as the “Sava Flower,” a rare natural spectacle when swarms of river insects rise and bloom in a single evening. Oh, and at its bottom, bombs have been found.
Savica Lakes – show them to someone and they’ll thank you for it
The lakes are designated as a protected landscape and an ornithological reserve, cared for by members of the Peščenica Angling Club (ŠRD Peščenica). This means you won’t find commercial facilities here – no cafés, no ice cream freezers, no sunbeds – nor activities that would disrupt the natural balance. Just pure nature, peace, and quiet.
The lakes are several meters deep. Frogs, swans, herons, and dragonflies rest on their surfaces, while beneath the water live carp, catfish, and pike. More than a hundred bird species inhabit the area, the majority of them wetland birds.
Between the lakes run gravel paths, crossed by a few small wooden bridges. What’s especially charming are the little “private beaches” (don’t worry, they’re free :D). Every so often on your walk, you’ll spot a side path branching off from the main trail, leading to your own patch of shoreline tucked into greenery. Some are just the right size for a couple in love, others can host a whole family.
The lakes lie not far from the neighborhoods of Peščenica and Kozari Bok. The houses around them look the part – there’s a touch of Roma charm about them, as if all that’s missing is a violin playing in the background. Wooden, cobbled together from whatever was at hand, with entire flea markets spilling into overgrown yards, clotheslines strung up with laundry, and the inevitable cat and dog – neither of which cares much about guarding the place as they stretch out lazily on the ground…
It feels as though you’ve stepped into a completely different world.
Peščenica Angling Club (ŠRD Peščenica) – Guardians of the Savica Lakes
Zagreb’s protected natural areas are managed by the Public Institution Maksimir, while the enthusiasts working on the grounds of the Savica Lakes are organized in the Peščenica Angling Club (ŠRD Peščenica). Founded in 1976, it soon became the second-largest club of its kind in Croatia. Back then, they had around 1,000 members – remarkably, about 300 of them were women.
Club member and secretary Mr. Sailo Bjegojević says that today there are around 700 members, but the ratio of women to men has remained more or less the same – although, for the sake of equality, they no longer speak in those terms. Instead, they proudly point out that their community includes married couples and individuals, retirees and babies alike. Yes, really: there are passionate anglers who sign up their grandchildren the moment they’re born – just like in football fan clubs.
Everyone here works as a volunteer, but their hobby is far from casual. Fish culling, when necessary, is carried out under the strict supervision of experts from the Faculty of Science, the Ministry, and other institutions in order to maintain balance in this closed water system.
So let’s dive into these lakes to see better. Even though they’re not particularly large or deep (several meters / around 10–15 feet), they hide true giants. Take the catfish, for example. The largest fish in the lake has no natural enemy and reproduces rapidly. Besides feeding on fish, it also preys on ducks and other animals. Once, they caught a catfish weighing 96 kilos (over 200 pounds).
“There are even bigger ones – it’s just hard to catch them. This particular case was part of a selective catfish cull: when their population grows so large that it threatens other species, we intervene based on expert studies to restore balance. Normally, when we catch a fish, we take a picture with it and release it. If we see someone kill a fish – it feels as if they’ve killed us. That’s how fanatical we are,” Bjegojević explains with a laugh.
Their goal is to preserve biodiversity and keep nature clean, which is why they organize cleanup actions as well as free educational programs for schoolchildren, kids, and adults. They’d love to see more young people join their mission—so if you’re interested, pass the angling exam and join them at the Fishing Clubhouse on the lakes.
To wrap it up—because we all know there’s no romance without logistics—here are a few practical details.
Information on the lakes and trails
How long does a walk take?
It can be as short as half an hour – if you simply cross from one side to the other – or two to three hours if you circle more of the lakes, stop to take photos, and rest on one of the shores.
Is there an entrance fee?
No.
Who is it (not) suitable for?
This is a place for families, pets, children, couples, cyclists, and walkers alike. If you have small children, you might need to keep a closer eye on them because of the water nearby, but they’ll certainly be thrilled by the swans and ducklings 🙂
How to get to the Savica Lakes?
- By car, the easiest way is via the Borovje neighborhood, taking Miševečka Street, which runs along the Sava embankment and leads you straight to the entrance. You can park there, and from the road, you’ll already see a meadow by the lake where people often lie in the grass and relax.
- On foot, you can take the same route. From Držićeva Avenue, get off at the Borovje tram stop and head toward the riverbank (after the INA gas station but before the bridge). A good landmark is the tall chimney of the heating plant located right by the lakes. From Držićeva it will take you about 20–30 minutes on foot.
- Or, you can make it complicated (that was, of course, my route). From Radnička Street, around number 214, where the Lukoil gas station is, turn into Mičevečka Street next to the station. (Don’t confuse it with Miševečka on the other side of the lakes :D). Follow it past the A1 building, then turn left at the path intersection. The garden path will lead you straight to the lakes.
Mi smo se kupali na Savici (znam da je pogrešno napisati “na”, ali tako se govorilo, barem nekada). Roditelji su branili, ali…
Bila je tu pruga i cijevi koje su spajale dva jezera ispod pruge. Neki hrabri momci (ludaci) su ronili kroz cijevi. Horor.. Još i danas se naježim od užasa kad pomislim na to.
No, Savica je bila naš mali raj…
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