Croatia · Central Croatia

Čiče

Directions

Jezero Čiče

Čiče is a lake at Novo Čiče, just east of Velika Gorica, in the Turopolje plain south of Zagreb. Years of gravel digging left several artificial lakes here, and Čiče is the largest and the deepest of them. Its closeness to Zagreb, Velika Gorica, Sisak and the airport makes it a natural place for a day out, and the city plans to turn its shores into a sports and recreation area.

How it formed

The lake is a former gravel pit. As the pit filled with water, the groundwater around it fell and the marshes nearby dried out. The digging left steep underwater banks; the gravel concession was due to end in 2015, after which the concessionaire was to reshape them.

History

Novo Čiče, the village beside the lake, is first recorded in the 14th century as a fief near the castle of Želin. For a long time the southern shore of the lake was the main summer bathing place for people from Velika Gorica and Zagreb, until inspectors closed it. The city’s plan for the lake foresees a water park and wellness area in the south, rowing and sailing on the open water, quieter pursuits such as fishing in the north, sports fields, picnic areas, and places to stay in the east.

Visit

Getting there

Nearest settlement: Velika Gorica

Swimming

No reliable information

Tips

Walking and cycling trails surround the lake, and an asphalted cycle path links it with Velika Gorica, so Čiče is a good place for a walk or a ride at any time of year. In Velika Gorica, the Turopolje Museum in the wooden Modić-Bedeković manor and the old wooden chapels of the Turopolje make a good pairing with the lake; the tourist board’s office near the chapels has brochures and maps.

People do swim here in summer, but the lake is deep in places and the old bathing site has been closed. After a drowning in July 2025 the police asked swimmers to use only designated, supervised bathing areas: murky water, underwater plants and sudden changes in depth and temperature make lake swimming harder than the sea, especially for children and weaker swimmers. Keep away from the deepest parts and never swim alone.