Less than 90 minutes away by car, the beaches on the Adriatic coast are an understandably popular destination for those in Zagreb. But the idyllic scenes come at a cost.

There is a cheaper alternative much closer to home for those in the Croatian capital. The much-maligned Lake Jarun is in the midst of a revival, but not everyone is convinced.

Once filled with swimmers, Lake Jarun has lost its popularity over the past decade — mainly due to water quality problems and a lack of maintenance. Today, however, water testing results are excellent, and the infrastructure has been renovated. Despite this, the negative reputation persists, along with the label of a "poor man's sea."