We are continuing our journey, this time, to the north of Serbia, and the second biggest city in Vojvodina, Subotica. If you still haven’t visited this city of stunning art nouveau architecture and friendly people, you should definitely put it on your list of priorities. And, when you are there, grab some time to meet our amazing colleagues and see what they do in our HTEC office.
What’s Subotica like?
Subotica, the most northern Serbian city located near the Hungarian border, is the perfect blend of culture, entertainment, and education. Because of its proximity to Hungary, Subotica is influenced by this country. You can see that in the style of buildings, organization of the city, and people living in it. For this reason, Subotica is often described as the mini version of Budapest.
What are people like?
Subotica is not a large city, with a population of around 100 000. People there are friendly, polite, and more than ready to help however they can.
The largest minority group in Subotica are Hungarians, so don’t be surprised if you hear the Hungarian language everywhere in the city. All institutions, public buildings, and even stores have their signs written in both Serbian and Hungarian. This just shows how people readily accept other cultures and languages. So, as a foreigner, you will blend in easily with the people of this city.
Do people speak English?
Younger people usually speak English on some level. So, if you need help getting around the city, look for someone younger to ask for the information. However, even if someone doesn’t speak English, they will try their best to understand and help you out.
Since this is a smaller city, menus and information are not always written in both Serbian and English. If you are not very adventurous and want to know exactly what you are ordering, opt for some bigger restaurants and coffee places in the city center. They will have an English menu for sure. But, also consider taking a bit of risk and going to more authentic places to get a better feel for the city.
What are the city’s highlights?
First, take a stroll down one of the most beautiful Serbian promenades in the city center. Here, you can see the City Hall, built in the Hungarian style of Art Nouveau. In front of it is the blue fountain, covered completely with blue tiles and popular with tourists for taking pictures.
Modern Art Gallery is a must-see in Subotica. It was built as a home and studio by the Hungarian architect Ferenc Raichle. That’s why it is also known as the Raichle Palace. Raichle got inspiration from Transilvanian folk art, so you will see its elements in the design, such as floral patterns on tiles, colorful mosaics, stained glass, etc.
If you are a wine lover, the Zvonko Bogdan Winery is the perfect destination for you. Being one of the most modern wineries in Europe, it is a must-see when in Subotica. They have modern equipment which produces high-quality wine. You can take a tour and taste them all. Or, if you prefer a more elegant experience, you might enjoy the perfect blend of the rustic and modern design of the Zvonko Bogdan restaurant. Here, you can try some traditional Serbian and Hungarian food to accompany the delicious wine.
Is Subotica expensive?
Well, yes and no. Being a smaller city, the cost of apartments is lower. That’s why the rent is on average 30% lower than in Novi Sad. However, the living expenses, such as food, transport and similar, are a bit higher compared to Novi Sad. But, the difference is not a major one. It is higher only by a bit more than 1%.
What’s the weather like?
The weather in Subotica is usually typical for a specific time of the year. The average temperature during the summer months is about 30°C. This is perfect for taking a stroll along Lake Palić, which is located a bit outside of the city. Winter is not too harsh, with an average temperature of 2°C.
Where can I try the best local food?
The local food in Subotica is a mix of Serbian and Hungarian cuisine. Here, you can try some traditional Hungarian dishes which can rarely be seen anywhere else in Serbia. One of those is langos, a deep-fried dough covered with sour cream, garlic, and cheese. For an authentic experience, look for a kiosk in the city center where they sell them and eat them on the go. Don’t worry, if you get greasy hands – it’s all part of the experience. If you have more of a sweet tooth, try yet another Hungarian dish, the chimney cake. As the name suggests, it is shaped to look like a chimney, baked and covered with sugar and cinnamon.
To have a proper traditional meal in an authentic setting, you will have to travel a bit outside of the city to a salaš. People used to live in houses surrounded by fields. Now, these houses are transformed into restaurants, but the original features are preserved so that visitors can experience the way people lived there in the past. For the same reason, the menu consists of the dishes people used to eat while living there.
What about the nightlife?
Nightlife in Subotica is very diverse. Whether you want to listen to authentic Serbian music or a rock band, you will find a place to go. People here even managed to mix art and nightlife in one perfect blend. This means that there are studio art galleries where you can listen to pop and rock music, have some drinks, and relax. However, if you want a louder and more crowded place, you can always go to a club and party all night with the locals. There are bars with different types of music – folk, pop, rock, hip hop, and more. So, there is something for everyone to enjoy!
HTEC Group in Subotica
We asked our Branch Manager from Subotica, Bojan Djurić, to share with us more information about HTEC Group office in Subotica:
”Do you know what’s also so great about Subotica? We have our HTEC Group office there!
Started and founded as the Execom Nord back in 2016, as a subsidiary company of Execom Novi Sad, acquired by HTEC Group in 2020, Subotica office became a great place to work and grow. The first office was an apartment in the center of the town, with cozy surroundings, where the first 3 developers wrote their first lines of code in this office.
In years to come we managed to equip ourselves with table soccer, picado, conference room, but also knowledge of .NET, JAVA, Angular, React C++, Scrum, etc.
In parallel we decided to be the place for launching new developers to the world of IT, transferring the culture and knowledge from the parent company.
Our small team had grown to 25 people by the first half of 2019 so we decided to move to a new much bigger office.
We moved to Galeria center premises in December, 2019, and have grown so far to 40+ developers, but, as you can imagine, this is just the start of our journey.
The best thing about HTEC is that it allows everyone to work on the best and the most challenging projects in software development, have clients from all over the world, and work from one of the many offices it has across the regions and beyond. The values that HTEC promotes are present in any location of HTEC’s branches.
We are happy to say that in the last five years majority of developers who came here for their first job have now became senior developers and they are still working with us. We are proud of our Subotica team, and we are looking forward to our future growth and achievements.
After HTEC took over Execom, a significant impact was made regarding the scale of work, and growth, so we could see how one of the main values of HTEC Group, grow by growing others, is implemented in real world.
We will continue to grow, with the mission to bring to our clients premium software development services and be proud members of the HTEC Group family.
Driving Growth
Driven by rapid growth, HTEC Group continues to expand its presence in Europe (and maybe even further). If you want to work on innovative projects with breakthrough technologies and some of the most successful companies worldwide and if you are eager to become a part of our winning team, come and join us! We offer a world of possibilities for personal and professional growth!
And, we continue our journey! Our next stop — Skopje, North Macedonia! Stay tuned!
