Many have found that to be true so far, and the city and its surrounding area offer various natural and infrastructural possibilities, each year attracting a growing number of athletes and teams, who reach optimal level of preparation in such an environment and get professional service. Along with Zagreb people's traditional hospitality, it all adds up to a perfect place for pre-season preparations.
With a high number of sports venues, Zagreb offers numerous possibilities for teams and individuals to prepare in indoor sports, like basketball, handball, wrestling, judo, karate, gymnastics... And that's not all. Zagreb is a suitable place for athletics preparation as the intimate ambiance of the Mladost athletic stadium, near the Sava river, provides the right environment for those stages where athletes need peace and quiet. It is important to note that the stadium has a brand new running track, throwing ground and jumping field. In addition, there are many excellent gyms near the stadium and around the city with experienced professional staff.
The city lake of Jarun, near the very city center, is a sports and recreation center that stretches over 240 hectares, about a third of which are aquatic surfaces. The main attraction here is the 2,250 m long regatta track, one of the most beautiful in the world, perfect for rowers, canoeists, kayakers... This is the training base of the Sinković brothers, multiple Olympic winners and world and European rowing champions, and a World Rowing Cup event location. There are also two lakes, which are suitable for jet skiboarding, running trails and a multitude of sports fields (soccer, basketball, volleyball, beach soccer and handball, badminton, a skate park, table tennis, trim trails...), excellent courses for preparation of athletes in various sports, especially for acrobatics training, which is practiced by all top athletes today. Furthermore, there are 2,500 m of maintained gravel beaches along the lake for athletes to relax (the water temperature in the summer is a pleasant 24 ºC).
It is a known fact that even big soccer teams like to do some of their pre-season preparations in cities with diverse natural environments and a wealth of soccer fields. This allows them to conduct fitness trainings in nature (hills, forests, water...), as well as to play matches with local, lower-level teams. Zagreb offers precisely such possibilities, as it has the gentle forested mountain Medvednica, the Jarun city lake and numerous soccer teams with fields suitable for training matches.
Speaking of Medvednica, its summit and slopes offer divers possibilities for training in clear mountain air, just above 1,000 m altitude, as well as comfortable accommodation in two hotels, both in a quiet mountain location in the middle of a thick forest in the Medvednica Nature Park. It is an ideal position for all athletes, especially cycling teams, who can train on mountain climbs here, as well as on the hills and plains of Zagorje, an area behind Medvednica, likewise rich in natural values.
Other than on Medvednica, Zagreb offers many hotels for athletes to stay in, suitable nutrition and all other facilities required for quality pre-season preparations in any sport. Because of that, more and more athletes recognize Zagreb as a perfect place for a pre-season camp. Go ahead and see for yourself.