Visit Subotica to experience a city made up of Serbian, Hungarian and Croatian people in equal numbers. This multicultural mix brings flavour to a city that has some of the most incredible architecture in the country.

After spending New Year’s Eve in Novi Sad, I decided to move on to Hungarian border to the city of Subotica before heading back to Budapest where I would be flying back to England after 15 months of travel.

Where Is Subotica Located?

Subotica is located in the north of Vojvodina on the Hungarian border. If you are travelling from Belgrade to Budapest, it is ideally located for a stop off to break up the journey.

How To Get To Subotica From Novi Sad

There are a number of buses throughout the day from Novi Sad to Subotica. There are also trains but they are less frequent. I arrived at Novi Sad bus station (map) and bought a ticket for the next bus which was due to leave just 10 minutes later.

The bus took less than two hours and dropped me at Subotica bus station (map) which was a 15 minute walk to my accommodation.

Where To Stay In Subotica

These are the best rated places to stay in Subotica according to user reviews onn booking.com:

Guesthouse Mali Homtel

I stayed at a place called ‘Guesthouse Mali Homtel’ (map). On the walk from the bus station to the guesthouse, I was not immediately impressed with Subotica. I knew I was on the edge of the city but there didn’t seem to be ANYTHING other than closed business units and ugly housing districts.

On arrival at the guesthouse, I was greeted by a woman who immediately called me by name leading me to think that I may be the only guest.

I was shown to my room and was surprised to discover I had been given the bigger 3 bed room rather than the one I booked. It was very nice, clean and warm though there was no fridge as advertised. The WiFi worked well and it was in a decent location, despite my initial concerns.

The host asked me where I had come from and when I said Belgrade and Novi Sad, she seemed keen to explain that Subotica was much smaller. I think she didn’t want me to have too high expectations.

It was a comfortable stay here. A fridge would have been nice to keep drinks cool but it was the cheapest on offer at the time and was a great deal.

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I paid £54 for a 3 night stay in a single room with private bathroom (I was upgraded to a 3 bed room for free).

Click here to book a stay at Guest House Mali homtel.

Things To Do In Subotica

There isn’t a great deal of things to do in Subotica, other than wander the streets in the city centre and enjoy the wonderful architecture. Many tourists head out to Park Palic (map) to relax and maybe visit the zoo. The number 6 bus will take you to the park in twenty minutes. Tickets can be bought on the bus. Unfortunately, the weather prevented me from visiting Palic.

Art Nouveau Buildings

Walking around the city centre, there are a number of incredible buildings: churches, synagogues, palaces, etc. But keep your eyes peeled for the lesser known buildings. Look above the shops and you will see some amazing architecture.

Streets of Subotica

Buildings of Subotica

Incredible buildings

Always look up!

That’s some entrance!

National Theatre

Buvljak Flea Market

‘Buvljak Flea Market’ (map) is a 15 minute walk from the city centre. It is open every day and is particularly busy at weekends. You can buy just about anything here. Hungarians come here to buy Hungarian products which are cheaper here than in Hungary!

City Hall

Built between 1908 and 1912, the ‘City Hall’ (map) is located at the heart of the city centre. It’s an unmissable and stunning example of Art Nouveau architecture.

City Hall by night

Christmas Market

Like most other city in the Balkans, Subotica has a Christmas market in the main square that stays open for about a third of the year! It’s a great feeling walking through the cold Balkan streets with the smell of mulled wine and cured meats in the air. Map.

Christmas market

Franciscan Church of Saint Michael

All of the interesting buildings are located in the city centre. Just a minute away from the City Hall is the ‘Franciscan Church of Saint Michael’ (map). Built in 1723, the monastery still serves communities of nuns and monks to this day.

Franciscan Church of Saint Michael

Orthodox Church of the Ascension of Our Lord

The ‘Orthodox Church of the Ascension of Our Lord’ (map) was built in the 18th century.

Front of Orthodox Church of the Ascension of Our Lord

Orthodox Church of the Ascension of Our Lord

Raichle Palace

Arguably, with the possible exception of the synagogue, the most beautiful building in the city. ‘Raichle Palace’ (map) now houses the museum of modern art. It’s stunning from the outside. Make sure you go to the back and see the garden too.

Raichle Palace

Square Of The Victims Of Fascism

Small, peaceful park just minutes from the city centre. At its centre there are two memorials dedicated to the victims of fascism during WWII. Map.

Square of the Victims of Fascism memorial

Square of the Victims of Fascism

St. Theresa Of Avila Cathedral

I came to look at this and actually didn’t notice the famous cracks that run down the front. I can’t find any official reason for why they are there but most people suggest it was hit by lightning. The cathedral has been renovated many times and was undergoing more work when I visited. Map.

Subotica Synagogue

I very nearly missed this completely. I went for a coffee and looked out of the window and saw this incredible synagogue at the other side of the street. The synagogue in Novi Sad was an incredible building. This one is even more incredible. Mostly used now as a museum and to stage events. Map.

Subotica Synagogue

Food And Drink In Subotica

Beer & Caffe Bar

Located on the main bar street in Subotica, this small bar is popular with locals. There are a number of other bars on Matije Korvina so it’s a good location for a pub crawl. Map.

Cafe Mignon

Small, smoky cafe serving good coffee and alcohol opposite the stunning synagogue. Map.

Calypso

With a name like ‘Calypso’ (map), I wasn’t expecting a small, smoky bar filled with locals enjoying beers when I went for my morning coffee! Coffee was good and the local drunks were not interested in my presence.

Christmas Market

If you are there during Christmas, be sure to check out the Christmas market. Here, you can try traditional Balkan snacks as well as festive treats. I had a pork goulash which was delicious! Map.

Pork Goulash

Liverpool Pub

I couldn’t believe it when I discovered that the nearest bar to my accommodation was the ‘Liverpool Pub’ (map). My football team, Sheffield United, were playing Liverpool that very evening and it was being shown in the pub! What are the chances?

The Liverpool Pub is mainly a football-themed bar, though they do also have Beatles memorabilia in the bar. They showed football but without any sound which was a bit odd.

Woodstock Pub

Another bar near my accommodation was this loosely Woodstock-themed bar. The theme goes no further than pictures on the walls of the bands that played the original festival. The music is not from this era. Still, it was a friendly place and I visited every night. They also let you bring outside food into the bar. Map.

Is Subotica Worth Visiting?

“It’s only small here. It’s not like Belgrade,” said the owner of the guesthouse I stayed in, almost apologetically.

She wasn’t wrong. It is small and there isn’t a great deal to do in Subotica. But it is a charming city with some absolutely stunning architecture. If you are travelling from Serbia to Budapest, it is definitely worth a short stop off.

For more information, visit https://visitsubotica.rs/en/