Karlovac County is a swimming paradise of fresh water. Local people know that well and it is up to you to see for yourself that the rivers of Karlovac provide perfect refreshment during hot days. More courageous people open swimming season at the Kupa, Korana, Mrežnica and Dobra in May, and during summer they are provide great consolation to thousands of swimmers. Larger bathing-places also offer gastronomic services and some offer sports playgrounds as well as canoe rental.
Water in Korana next to Karlovac reaches 24°C or more during summer. Its curativeness and saying "Korana improves strength of men and invigorates beauty of women" had already been proven by an analysis in 1870. Beginnings of tourism in Karlovac are related to that bathing-place, next to which a hotel had been opened in 1897, having even members of royal family as guests. Famous high-school graduate from Karlovac, Nikola Tesla, loved to swim next to a nearby waterfall.
Swimming in Korana and at bathing-place in Slunj is a real pleasure, together with creative water games during "Koranski susreti" (Gathering at Korana), but also at rapids and waterfalls of Rakovica, Veljund and Barilović. Like its name (dobra= good), river Dobra is a good place for swimming, along with beautiful landscapes of Lipa, Jarče Polje, Novigrad, Stativi, Grdunac. Kupa is also made for swimming (kupati= take a swim). Pleasantly fresh in the summer, in accordance with hot July and August days; swimmers adore waterfalls in Pribanjci, Vukova Gorica, Prilišće, Ozalj...
Mrežnica is a blue-greenish beauty, having lake broadenings that look like a pearl necklace and silver veil of foamy waterfalls. There are dozens of nice bathing-places from Primišalj to Karlovac, mainly next to waterfalls and ancient mills: Generalski Stol, Zvečaj, Galović and Mihalić Selo, Brig, Sv. Petar, Duga Resa... It is also a pleasure to take a swim in the "sea of Ogulin", as people call the lake Sabljaci, where "Jezerske igre" (Lake Games) and competitions in rowing, sailing and diving take place in the summer.
Another particularity of Karlovac County are hot springs Lešće, one of the healthiest thermal wells of Croatia, having an open pool (28-30°C) located next to shores of Dobra. They have been attended even during the Roman period and had been awarded a status of sanatorium in the 19th century. The pool had been extended and renovated in 2002, and it has been attracting numerous swimmers who enjoy warm baths ever since. The former sanatorium building is located in the immediate vicinity and has an indoor pool (34°C).
