Following the ceremonial presentation in September, public swimming began on 15 October. The new facility combines swimming and leisure with a geothermal energy concept – but you still need to check which areas are available on your visit.

01

Between the ceremony and the first day of swimming

An inaugurated building is not always an operating swimming facility. At Wellovar, the two occasions were separate: Bjelovar presented the geothermal sports and recreation park in late September as part of its city anniversary celebrations. According to the operator, public swimming began on 15 October.

The construction project has thus become a concrete destination in inland Croatia. It is located in Veliko Korenovo near Bjelovar. When planning a visit, navigate to the operator’s address, Veliko Korenovo 93a, rather than simply heading for the city centre.

02

Heat is part of the infrastructure here

The public project description links the complex to geothermal and solar energy. In its report on the opening, SAFU cites water from a depth of around 1,500 metres at a temperature of 83 degrees Celsius, along with a 1.3-megawatt solar installation. These figures describe the energy concept, not swimming pool temperatures.

This distinction explains the project’s appeal better than the word “spa” alone. A facility can use underground heat to operate without that implying any medical effect on visitors. This article therefore promises neither treatment nor a health benefit from any particular pool.

Painted symbolic scene with heat exchangers and heating pipes; not a specific Wellovar installation
Golden Beach / OpenAI ImageGen · AI-generated symbolic illustration; does not depict actual people, construction plans or documented activities
03

What a new swimming complex can change for a city

The city describes a facility with indoor and outdoor pools and an Olympic swimming pool. Sport swimming, family leisure and tourist stays can complement one another. Whether a visit is more about training or an outing, however, depends on which areas are actually open and the day’s operations.

For Bjelovar, this is also an opportunity to attract visitors outside the traditional coastal season. Municipal infrastructure also has an everyday life beyond a holiday image: school groups, clubs and regular swimmers may use the same spaces. For travellers, the current schedule of use and opening hours is therefore more useful than a list of all planned features.

04

Check the specific offer before travelling

At the launch, HRT reported that additional wellness facilities were still to follow. An opening announcement should therefore not be taken as a promise that every announced area is already open daily. Check your intended date, accessible areas and the corresponding admission price with the operator.

A limited-time opening offer is not a permanent admission price either. Anyone travelling specifically for a particular sauna, slide or training facility should confirm its availability. The symbolic images in this article illustrate swimming facilities and energy supply, but depict neither the actual pool architecture nor the technical installation plans.

Evidence

Sources & date

Sources support the facts. Planning notes and recommendations are Golden Beach editorial assessments.

  1. Wellovar – operator informationWellovar · Checked 20 October 2026Opening on 15 October and location
  2. Presentation of the geothermal sports and recreation parkGrad Bjelovar · September 2026; checked 20 OctoberCeremony and scope of the facility
  3. Wellovar openingSAFU, based on HINA · September 2026; checked 20 OctoberGeothermal and solar energy concept
  4. Wellovar opens to the publicHRT · 15 October 2026Start of swimming operations and additional facilities still announced
Time-sensitive information may change. Please check the linked primary source before travelling.