Zagreb’s Original Summer Escape? The Sava. Let's Get You Back in Time

At a time when trips to the seaside were neither easy nor accessible to most people, locals found their refreshment and leisure right here. The Sava bathing areas became the heart of social life, almost like a city beach.

Perfect place for relaxation

By the 1920s, larger public bathing areas had already begun to develop. Wooden cabins, changing rooms, sunbathing spots, and organized access to the river turned the Sava into a structured place for relaxation. There were even wooden pools built directly into the river, along with facilities that allowed people to spend the entire day there, from storage spaces to small hospitality spots.

Photo: Facebook page: "Zagreb nekad i sad"

During the summer, the city would quite literally move to the river. Trams carried crowds of people to the bathing areas, families brought food and drinks, and young people came to socialize, have fun, and flirt. It was a place where generations mixed: children learned to swim, adults relaxed and talked, and the overall atmosphere felt carefree, lively, and almost Mediterranean.

One particularly interesting aspect was the presence of separate areas, such as women-only sections, that later became symbols of a more relaxed and liberated approach to the body and leisure. For the time, it represented a step toward a more modern way of living.

Photo: Facebook page: "Zagreb nekad i sad"

Two sides of the river

But the Sava always had two sides. While it offered enjoyment and relief in the summer, it could also become unpredictable and dangerous during periods of heavy rain. Flooding was a constant threat, with the river often overflowing into surrounding areas. A major flood in the mid-20th century marked a turning point in how the city perceived the river.

After that, the Sava gradually shifted from being a place of leisure to something that needed to be controlled. At the same time, industrialization brought pollution, and swimming slowly lost its appeal. Although people continued to gather by the river for some time, the true culture of bathing began to fade.

Over the years, purpose-built lakes like Jarun and Bundek took over the role of the city’s swimming spots, while the old Sava bathing areas disappeared. Today, what remains are memories, photographs, and stories that reflect a very different Zagreb.

It was a Zagreb that experienced summer at a slower pace: on a towel by the river, in the shade of wooden cabins, and in water that was once part of everyday life. The story of the Sava bathing areas is not just about swimming, but about a way of living that has faded over time, yet remains deeply woven into the city’s identity.

Header image credit: Facebook page "Zagreb nekad i sad"

Author: Pia Humski