Palic(Serbia):A lake more beautiful than a sea                     

By PLamen Starev

The third Golden Apple for 2015 was given to Palic marking:170 years of organized tourism in this memorable Serbian town. The tourist life of Palic began in 1845, when the Hungarian Royal Chamber granted the finances to build a bath and an inn. That year the first tubs were installed, and the hot bath was built in early 1852, the mud bath in 1863, and the unisex bath in 1885. The first hotel was erected in 1854, while the main building of the beach complex, today’s Hotel Park, was constructed in 1860. At the turn of the century, the new development of Palic was seen. Some of the most important facilities were built back then, such asX

The third Golden Apple for 2015 was given to Palic marking 170 years of organized tourism in this memorable Serbian town. The tourist life of Palic began in 1845, when the Hungarian Royal Chamber granted the finances to build the bath and an inn. That year the first tubs were installed, and the hot bath was built in early 1852, the mud bath in 1863, and the unisex bath in 1885. The first hotel was erected in 1854, while the main building of the beach complex, today’s Hotel Park, was constructed in 1860. At the turn of the century, the new development of Palic was seen. Some of the most important facilities were built back then, such as the water tower, Big terrace and the Female beach.The Golden Apple jury took into consideration that the company “Park Palic” invested considerable amount of assets from 2009 to 2014 in the modernization of the communal infrastructure, so some of the key objects are now shining in all their glory again.The Pannonia Sea is the past, long time ago, but its place is taken by the Palić, a lake 8km far from Subotica. According to a legend, Palić got its name by the shepherd Paul who was digging a well, but so diligently and consciously that it turned eventually into a lake. The tourism in Palić, the previous chic summer resort along with Wiesbaden and Karlovy Vary, started developing in 1780, when the main medical doctor of the Bačka-Bodros Municipality, Dr. Johann Gottfried Liebetraut, suggested warming of the lake water and mud and their use for healing. When the railroad Subotica - Szeged was constructed, in 1867, and the first tramway started from Subotica three decades later, as well, Palić became one of the tourist Meccas of Europe. It still is. The bases of the tourism offer at the Palić are beautiful buildings, built in an Secession style, the lake - in summer open for bathing and in winter for skating and sleigh riding on the ice covered surface, the summer theater scene and a casino, parks, natural reservations and excursion places. The staying at the Palić would not be complete without a visit to Subotica and Szeged, excursions to the nearby Ludas and Tresetište lakes, the Roka Salash (farm) - an ambient ecological and ethnic environment, many czardas, among which the Gullyas Csarda has got also an ostrich farm, a stud farm with Lipice horses from Zobnatica and Kelebia, hunting grounds with the organized photo safari Mac's Seven, the zoo, the Men's and Women's Strand and the wine courts. The catering offer is original and remembered. In the Historical Archive of Subotica there is still a written document from the 19th century, where one can see that there were more than 80 types of meal and wine in the Small Inn's menus and wine cards, which could have been envied even by the best restaurants in Vienna and Budapest of that time. For various Pörkelts, guinea fowl soups, goose livers, hams, the Palić Train and countless other salt and sweet specialties, guests arrive presently from all regions of the country, but also from other parts of the world. The accommodation facilities are numerous. Thus, there is a great choice of luxury and bed and breakfast hotels, private villas and apartments. Since a short time, it has been joined also by the Master - a facility of the Tourist Information Center Palić-Ludas.