Passing through Palić’s Great Park entrance, a heavily-carved wooden arch that resembled reddish-brown lacework, I couldn’t help but imagine who had strolled through the gates a century earlier when this part of northern Serbia was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. We continued along on a sidewalk that was covered by a thick canopy of handsome old trees, our sights set on tranquil Lake Palić a few hundred meters off in the distance. White lamp posts framed the walkway, and eventually we reached the water’s edge.
Youth on a field trip excitedly pedaled double cycles on the promenade along the lake. A few vessels floated on the water, and frilly Art Nouveau buildings, designed in the Hungarian Secessionist style, surrounded the lake. (The style of architecture is referred to this way because Secessionists essentially seceded from the mainstream, traditional art institutions of the time, opting for more progressive designs and philosophies.) Palić’s structures were built by Hungarian architects Komor and Jakab, who also designed Europe’s second-largest synagogue in the nearby town of Subotica, as well as its town hall. Sadly, Komor would perish during the Holocaust.
Perhaps it was the expansive lawns, or the knowledge that this was an old resort area, but I couldn’t get Seurat’s painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte out of my mind. I envisioned ladies holding parasols, watching sailboats glide on the lake, and children chasing each other on the shaded lawn. Since there is a zoo within the park, perhaps even the painting’s mischievous monkey would make an appearance.
Despite the midnight blue clouds that loomed overhead, we were determined to take a paddleboat out for a spin. Handing over 500 Serbian Dinar (about $5 USD), we purchased 30 minutes of paddleboat or pedalina time, then took to the waters. We powered past the elaborate Women’s Lido building, which was previously used as a beach for female bathers, when privacy was of utmost importance. The curly adornments on the top of the building’s roof reminded me of a Southeast-Asian pagoda. We passed a couple in a rowboat whose wooly dog stood at the boat’s bow, peering into the water below.
We returned to land just as the raindrops began to dance from the sky, and sought refuge in a café inside the Women’s Lido, enjoying a piva (beer) and topla čokolada sa šlagom (hot chocolate with a fluffy dollop of cream). On the way back to our home away from home, an elegant egret flirted with us along the water’s edge, before we walked back through the fairy tale forest.
Our Video of This Experience:
Where in the World?
Planning Pointers:
- Palic Lake and the village of the same name are located just 8 km. (about 5 miles) from Subotica, Serbia’s fifth-largest city. Visit the Palić Tourism Office website for more details.
- We stayed several nights in the family-owned Stara Breza Apartments (affiliate link) in the nearby town of Palić. We enjoyed the establishment’s quiet atmosphere, made even more picturesque by its small fishpond and pleasing garden. It’s about a five-minute walk from the Stara Breza to a bus stop, and the bus there can take you to Subotica in about 15-20 minutes. As of May 2014, the bus-fare for one adult was 86 Serbian Dinar, about $1 USD each way. Palić has a lovely lake and was a popular resort town in the early 20th century.
- Need more trip-planning inspiration? From Belgrade to Novi Sad, this link contains an index of all my posts from Serbia.
Photography & text © Tricia A. Mitchell. All Rights Reserved. The video was created by my husband, Shawn.
Travels With Tricia 
Quite a fairy tale setting amongst the Art Nouveau buildings. Lovely lake.
Hi Lynne, the area certainly has that gingerbread architecture type of feel, and the setting gave us the sense of going back in time. I don’t know the last time I powered a paddleboat either. It was a great way to burn off the calories from the hot chocolate & whipped cream that I indulged in. :)
Could you just adopt me? I’d be a very well-behaved and quiet travel companion.
Ramona, I’ll have to check with my husband, Shawn, as we’re considering a few other applicants, including some irresistible canines that we’ve met along the way. :)
Informative and entertaining narrative … and excellent pictures!
Thanks Ramona, glad you enjoyed it. I love when travel entertains and teaches, so it’s nice to hear that you thought this piece reflects those ideas too. :)
Wouldn’t being in Seurat’s painting be an amazing experience, if only for the afternoon? Glad you had such fun paddle boating before the rains set in. Thanks for sharing your travels with us. We nominated you for the Most Influential Blogger Award: https://bespoketraveler.wordpress.com/2014/06/05/most-influential-blogger-award/
Bespoke Traveler, we often have thoughts like that when we travel – “wouldn’t it be incredible to step into this chapter of history and walk these cobbled lanes?” Inserting ourselves into a painted masterpiece also sounds like fun.
And, many thanks for nominating me for an award – so kind of you! I look forward to perusing the other blogs. :)
I adore your posts, Tricia, each of them takes me to a different adventure of yours and I can let my imagination fly like a bird.
Cornelia, those are wonderful words with which to start a day – Vielen Dank! The world’s diversity continues to amaze me, but at the same time, we note the common threads that unite us wherever we go. :)
Are your plans still moving ahead for Poland this summer?
Ah, diversity and common threads are the charm of artists! Yes, I am going to Poland, Krackau, 2nd of September I think, any recomondations of unusual places I need to see??
Cornelia, it’s been so long since we were there (2005 perhaps) and we had such a whirlwind trip, that I don’t recall any particular places. It seems that a return trip is in order. :) I suspect September will be a perfect time of year to visit.
Seems like a very beautiful country, maybe I should go visit. We go to Romania every year anyway, so we could stop on the way.
Anda, we’ve just returned from only visiting the north part of Serbia, as well as Belgrade, but we really enjoyed our time there. As in other spots of Europe, Serbia has many fests devoted to various foods during the summer months, and so we thought it’d be fun to return later in the year.
If I remember correctly, you have a connection to Budapest, don’t you? This pretty lake area is only about 2.5 hours away from Budapest by car, and we heard that nearby Szeged, Hungary, has similar Art Nouveau architecture to Subotica, Serbia’s.
What a beautiful park Tricia. I imagine it is filled with families on weekends. (Glad you got your paddle in just in time :) )
Melinda, I imagine that’s true, especially because the zoo is just a few moments’ walk away from the lake. We’d contemplated visiting there, but enjoyed the quiet moments along the lake so much that we decided to soak up the view the entire time.
Looks fantastic Tricia! :)
Sid, it was a fantastic afternoon and a brilliant way to blend a bit of physical exercise with a sweet indulgence. :) You seem to be an avid globetrotter – have you also been to the Balkans?
Your pictures are very nice. It looks beautiful there.
Many thanks, Gerard! It’s quite fun to discover such little gems which seem relatively undiscovered. Knowing that you like wine, I’ll add that the vino is also quite nice in Serbia (more on that soon). Enjoy the weekend!
Such a picturesque lake, and relaxing with the paddle-boats ~ seems almost like a fairy-tale. You live this life quite well :-)
Randall, we pinch ourselves quite often to see if we’re really in these places and having these wonderful moments. :) Palić Lake and Subotica epitomize the somewhat-undiscovered gems that we love stumbling upon. Perhaps once you make it to Croatia you can take a little detour to Serbia too?
Very nice, I would still get sea sick.
Mark, somehow that surprises me. Really? :)
Yeah big time on boats, rigs I’m ok.