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Home » Travel Guides » Serbia » 15 Best Things to Do in Subotica (Serbia)

15 Best Things to Do in Subotica (Serbia)

It’s easy to tell when Subotica in the north of Serbia had its golden age. Because this cultured city is bursting with playful Art Nouveau halls and palaces from the beginning of the 20th century. The tour de force is the City Hall and its 45-metre tower, but this is just one of many masterworks that you have to cram into a sightseeing tour.

Subotica’s places of worship, from the Art Nouveau synagogue to the 18th-century cathedral also deserve your attention. And on the fringe of the city among vineyards is Palić. This is a lakeside resort that also came to the fore in the early 1900s, and is now making a comeback.

Let’s explore the best things to do in Subotica :

1. Subotica City Hall

The majestic city hall is an Art Nouveau masterpiece, completed in 1912. Subotica’s central landmark was conceived by a team of Hungarian-Jewish architects, Dezső Jakab and Marcell Komor.

The pair were students of Ödön Lechner, who has been described as the “Hungarian Gaudí”. What you get is Art Nouveau’s sinuous decoration and use of wrought iron, ceramics and stained glass, combined motifs inspired by Hungarian folklore.

Show up at noon and you’ll be treated to an English-language tour of the opulent interiors, and you’ll be able to go up to the observation platform 45 metres above Trg Slobode.

2. Trg Slobode (Freedom Square)

Below the colossal town hall, and enclosed by elegant buildings like the People’s Theatre, is the city’s extensive central square.

This is a leafy space with lawns, paths traced by iron gaslights and a few monuments of its own to take in.

There’s a statue of Jovan Nenad, the short-lived Serbian Emperor who was killed in 1527 one year into his reign.

You can also idle for a moment beside the Green (1985) and Blue Fountain (2001), made with the same Zolnay tiles that adorn Subotic’s Art Nouveau masterpieces.

The square is also stages concerts and markets during the year.

And on an ordinary day people will meet up at Trg Slobode to stroll and chat in the greenery.

3. St Theresa of Avila Cathedral

The city’s Roman Catholic cathedral is from the 1770s, when Subotica was in the Habsburg Monarchy.

Theresa of Avila is also the patron saint of Subotica and appears on the city’s coat of arms.

The church, which in 1974 was raised by Pope Paul VI to minor basilica, has a Baroque design by Franz Kaufmann from Pest.

Despite its rather narrow plant the bell towers are 64 metres tall and if you look closely you’ll see the image of Mary on the roof between them.

Artists from Pest were also recruited for the interior decoration; see the paintings on the walls and above the central aisle, as well as the stone stele on the Perčić family tomb from 1824.

4. Subotica Synagogue

Another of Subotica’s Art Nouveau treasures is the city’s synagogue, finished in 1903 and also drawn up by Dezső Jakab and Marcell Komor.

It’s a synagogue that resembles no other, partly because there’s a state-of-the-art steel frame in its walls.

This gave the architects the freedom to create a self-supporting dome, painted with gold.

The carnations, peacock feathers and tulip motifs that show up here and there are all traits of the Hungarian Art Nouveau.

If you’d like to arrange a tour of the interior you can ask at the tourist office in Subotica’s city hall.

5. Municipal Museum

Even before you consider what’s inside, this museum has to be on your agenda for its architecture.

The Dömötör Palace, which once housed a printing press was designed in the Darmstadt Art Nouveau style by the Hungarian Vágó brothers.

Like all of their works the palace has their signature motif of two birds, so see if you can spot it on the facade.

The building was renovated to fit the museum a decade ago, and has a history exhibition on the lower floor and a gallery for regional art upstairs.

Check the windows, doors and stairway banisters for whimsical Art Nouveau fittings.

6. Modern Art Gallery

In the same vein, Subotica’s museum of modern art is a must-see for its splendid venue.

This is the Raichle Palace, taking the name of its designer, Ferenc Raichle.

The palace dates to 1904 and was intended as the architect’s home and studio.

It’s a building to relish, with glazed roof tiles, colourful arabesque patterns on the facade and a loggia under an intricate gable.

There are lots of surprises in store inside and in the palace’s garden.

But you can also peruse 1,200 works of modern art from the second half of the 20th century in the permanent collection, alongside temporary exhibitions.

7. Art Nouveau Tour

There’s still enough Art Nouveau heritage remaining to cram into a walking trip around the city centre.

All of this is in the Hungarian Secessionist style and dates to the end of the 19th or first few years of the 20th century.

One of the standouts is the Former Subotica Savings Bank, also the work of Dezső Jakab and Marcell Komor.

It went up after the Synagogue but before the City Hall.

Then on the cultivated Korzo Street sits the Former Golden Lamb Hotel, in the Jugendstil by Subotica native Titus Mačković.

And lastly, one of the earlier landmarks is the Leović Palace from 1893 by the Ferenca Rajhla Park, and unmistakeable for its gables.

8. Serbian Orthodox Church

In a city with large congregations of both Catholic and Orthodox Christians it can be enlightening to step inside the two main churches to compare the interiors.

The city’s Serbian Orthodox Church is tucked in a garden with mature trees and dates to 1726. It has the Baroque architecture that was prevalent in Central Europe at the time.

And although you wouldn’t knower to look at it, the tower is much newer and was raised in 1910. The current iconostasis was also crafted during these works, and this surrounds the gold-painted icons with dainty borders of gilded stucco.

9. Franciscan Church

Subotica’s Franciscan monastery has been at this location since 1723 and still has communities of monks and nuns.

The church here now is a little newer and boasts a Romanesque Revival design.

You’ll know this beautiful landmark by its twin pointed spires and circular apse.

The whole monastery was built over the ruins of a medieval fortress that had stood since the 1400s.

The friary attached to the church is still intact and has its own chapel with a painting of the Black Madonna on its altar.

10. Buvljak Flea Market

In a big compound a couple of kilometres west of the city is the flea market, open for business every day from 06:00 to 15:00. The market does a roaring trade most days, but is absolutely rammed with shoppers on summer weekends.

It’s a good if hectic way to get a snapshot of everyday life in the city.

You can buy almost anything under the sun, from clothing to electronics, and it’s also an affordable way to stock up on fresh produce or pastries.

Hungarians cross the border to shop here as due to a tax loophole they can buy Hungarian items cheaper in Subotica than in their own country!

On a lake next to the city, Palić is a sweet old resort that is practically a suburb of Subotica.

People began to flock to the lake’s shores in the 1880s to bathe in the mud, which was ascribed healing qualities.

And like Subotica Palić has its fair share of Art Nouveau heritage.

So you can come for the picturesque nature as well as the Grand Terrace, Women’s Lido and Water Tower all with that enthralling Hungarian Secessionist design.

On warm days there’s no better place to be: Whether you’re strolling on the promenade, lazing on the beach or making a splash on the lake, sailing, canoeing or fishing.

12. Palić Zoo

You may be hesitant about zoos, but the one in Palić is a pleasant surprise.

Apart from the bears, which are in rather cramped cages, Palić Zoo’s animals have roomy habitats and all look well looked-after.

And the park’s deep woodland gives you the feeling of being in wilderness.

There are almost 300 plant species, counting giant Lebanon cedars and sequoias.

And as for the animals there are elephants, zebras, lions and emus, to name some of the 65 species.

13. Ludaš Lake

Another shallow body of water lies on the other side of Palić, also a brief drive from Subotica.

Where Palić is touristy, Ludaš Lake is a serene nature reserve.

The lake is all about nature-spotting and quiet walks and bike rides.

On the lake’s shores are a few isolated villages, arable farms, water meadows and woodland.

And this broad variety of habitats attracts dazzling birdlife, and 140 of the 214 species counted at the lake are endangered.

Bearded reedlings, moustached warblers and white-headed ducks are some of the rarer species and are either permanent residents or stop by on migrations.

14. Wine Tours

Subotica’s sandy soils, hot summers and cool winters have nourished vines for more than 300 years.

The industry went into decline after the 1980s, but it has a new lease of life today.

New grapes varieties have been introduced, like Riesling, Merlot and Chardonnay, in addition to the local Kadarka (red) and Kevedinka (white).There are six wineries in within touching distance of Subotica, and what’s great is that the tourist board organises day-long wine trips on the weekend.

You’ll be picked up and taken to the Kelebija and Zvonko wineries, both of which have earned rave reviews for their fruity reds and crisp whites.

15. Gastronomy

In the north of Serbia there’s a slight Hungarian accent to the cuisine, and goulash, the fabled meat and vegetable stew is on the menu.

Famously, this is seasoned with paprika, which is also a big ingredient in chicken paprikash, in which the meat is slowly simmered in a rich paprika sauce.

Now, you have to make sure to get your fill of all the goodies sold at typical Serbian bakeries.

Burek, a savoury filled pastry, isn’t exactly unique to Subotica, but you still have to taste one or two.

Some of the fillings are minced beef, cheese or mushroom, and sometimes your burek will be baked to order while you wait.

15 Best Things to Do in Subotica (Serbia):

• Subotica City Hall
• Trg Slobode (Freedom Square)
• St Theresa of Avila Cathedral
• Subotica Synagogue
• Municipal Museum
• Modern Art Gallery
• Art Nouveau Tour
• Serbian Orthodox Church
• Franciscan Church
• Buvljak Flea Market

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Why you must visit Subotica, Serbia: an art nouveau dreamscape

May 4, 2018 by Karen Turner 3 Comments

When I was researching my trip to Serbia, I was intrigued when I read about a city in Northern Serbia with art nouveau architecture. One of my favorite pastimes when traveling is to find beautiful architecture, so when I decided that I’d visit Serbia, I knew that I had to find my way to Subotica.  Keep reasons for reasons to visit Subotica, Serbia and a little miniature guide to Subotica with tips on things to do in Subotica, Serbia.

Subotica is quite different than other places in Serbia.  With stunning art nouveau buildings, a large Catholic population, and friendly people, Subotica is a nice change from other Serbian cities.  I simply loved walking around the historic center to experience the cheerful atmosphere and dreamy art nouveau architecture.  (I did edit the photos, but the buildings look every bit as beautiful in person!)  Although I already knew that I’d love Subotica, I truly felt like I was in a dream while walking around…

After choosing to visit Subotica, I spent a while trying to find good information about what you  even do once you arrive in Subotica, Serbia besides simply to go.  (I completely agree: you should visit Subotica simply for the architecture if it’s up your alley!)  I stopped by the tourism board office and ended up chatting with the kind workers who gave me some local recommendations.  I also ended up checking out some places recommended by the owner of my hostel in Novi Sad and Serbian followers on Instagram (thank you for the warm welcome!).   In this post, I’ll be focusing on the architecture of Subotica, however I include some some recommendations on things to see in Subotica, where to eat, and where to stay below.

The most beautiful buildings in Subotica, in my opinion, are the Subotica City Hall, the Subotica Synagogue, the Raichle Palace, the Former Subotica Savings Bank, the City Library, and the main churches.   Most are easily to spot as soon you enter the city.  The City Hall is the large tower on the left.

As soon as you walk from the train station, you will spot the Raichie Palace along with some other beautiful buildings. This stunning art nouveau building was built in 1904 by Ferenc Raichl to be used as his home.  You can now view modern art inside.  Just get there earlier than I did as I was rushed out as I tried to enter too late.

Afterward, follow Korzo to see Subotica’s ornate commercial street.  What makes Subotica so unique is that it has the Hungarian separatist style of art deco architecture, which has been influenced by Asian and folk influences.

Architects at this time were concerned that modern art would lose the touches that made culture and beauty unique.  Art Nouveau buildings built in this style typically were decorated with ceramics from Pécs, Hungary.  Despite quite a bit of time passing, these tiles’ colors have not faded!

The tourist information has a great PDF pamphlet that I’d recommend downloading prior to your visit, so you can enjoy the sights on your own.  Be sure to circle the City Hall to see the most beautiful buildings in Subotica and the city hall from all angles.  I heard the interior was incredible, but security wasn’t amused by my attempts to enter.

I was unable to visit the Subotica Synagogue, an art nouveau masterpiece that survived WWII as I was unable to obtain an appointment.  You must reserve ahead if you’re not visiting during the main tourist season (April to October).  Otherwise, you can visit during the day on Saturdays.  Historically, Subotica had the largest Jewish population in Serbia, however many perished during World War II.  The interior is absolutely beautiful in photos!

A miniature guide to Subotica

For a peak into an authentic art deco interior, consider stepping into Papillon Café (Dimitrije Tucović Street 11).  I had considered staying in Subotica, but ended up staying in Novi Sad.   Hotel Galleria came highly recommended to me if ended up returning.  (You’ll also find lots of affordable guesthouses .)

I ended up having a meal at  Gostiona-Vendeglo Gurinovic  (Bajski Put 32) as I was interested in trying the regional dishes that are harder to find outside of Vojvodina although an Italian restaurant was also recommended to me by my host.  I also had a coffee at  Poslasticarnica Ravel because you can never not drink enough coffee in Serbia!  

If you have extra time, Palić lake comes highly recommended by locals for relaxing and wine tasting. This easy day trip from Subotica is perfect for a day of relaxing by the lake, biking, and general recreation activities. 

The area produces wine as well as rakija (probably not a surprise).  I left Serbia with a bottle of quince rakija as I enjoyed it more than I expected as a sipping drink.

How to get to Subotica, Serbia by train or bus

If you’re coming from Belgrade or Novi Sad, you have the option of the train or the bus.  The train is about 2-3x as slow as the bus, just ask before you get on the bus if it’s the direct bus that goes on the highway.  I ended up taking the train, which every Serbian that I met winced at. 

It was about 800 dinars for the direct bus from Subotica to Novi Sad, if I recall correctly.  If you’re heading south from Hungary, it’s possible catch the train from Budapest to Subotica. Just be prepared for a delay at the border. Note: The bus station is a ten minute walk from the city center (Glavna Autobuska stanica).

Have you visited Subotica, Serbia?

In case you missed it, the tourist information has a great PDF pamphlet that I’d recommend downloading on your phone prior to your visit, so you can enjoy the sights on your own.  Any tips about Subotica welcome!

About Karen Turner

New Yorker–born and raised. Currently living in the Hague, the Netherlands after stints in Paris and Amsterdam. Lover of travel, adventure, nature, city, dresses, and cats.

Reader Interactions

May 5, 2018 at 8:55 am

Wow I absolutely love this! I think I’ll need to add Subotica to my bucket list, I’m a massive sucker for Art Nouveau architecture and would not have known about this lovely city if I didn’t stumble across your article. Thanks for sharing!

January 21, 2020 at 7:11 pm

I”m heading to Serbia in April and Subotica is on my list. Should we stay for a night or just do it as a day trip from Novi Sad?

January 22, 2020 at 12:05 pm

You can do it either way, but it is possible as a day trip, yes. My train was very slow, so that’s why I recommend an overnight trip.

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Travel | Travel: How to go on a high-class golf vacation…

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Travel | travel: how to go on a high-class golf vacation without landing in the financial rough.

One of the beauties about golf, besides the azalea-flanked 13th hole at Augusta National Golf Club, home of this week’s Masters, is that unlike most professional sports, you and I can actually  play where the pros play.

Is surf-hugging Pebble Beach Golf Links too beautiful to only watch on TV every February? Then go online and get a tee time for a gorgeous California course that has made U.S. Open champions of such greats as Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Tiger Woods, and has hosted an iconic pro-am annually since 1947. Feel like playing 18 in the Hill Country home of the Texas State Open? The Ram Rock course, considered the most difficult among the four at renowned Horseshoe Bay Golf Resort outside of Austin, welcomes all from hacker to scratcher. Same with Hawaii’s paradisal Plantation Course at Kapalua, which hosts the wintertime Sentry Tournament of Champions, and The Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Florida, home of one of the most esteemed stops on the PGA tour.

Unfortunately, for us golf lovers not among the top 1%, water hazards and sand traps aren’t our only obstacles. It takes a lot of green to play the greens. A round at Sawgrass, for example, can set one back a grand at peak tee times, making Pebble Beach sound like a bargain at $675. Another reality is not every prestigious or pro-played golf course puts out the welcome mat for us commoners. Teeing off at Augusta National, for one, pretty much requires being besties with a club member or past Masters champion.

The good news is we club-swinging stalwarts have alternatives when hankering to play legendary links. The U.S. is dotted with them, but if we take our virtual golf cart to the warm-weather golfing meccas of California, Hawaii, Texas and Florida, our GPS system can locate less forbidding championship courses that are also vacation-worthy because they’re linked to topnotch resorts with accommodations, dining and activities to match.

Where are these swinging Shangri-las? This question is well-timed. Aware that golf fever is peaking with this week’s Masters and next month’s U.S. Women’s Open — we’re in the heart of the PGA, LPGA, PGA Champions and LIV tours, as if you didn’t know — we’ve scouted the four aforementioned states for resorts that are well above par even if your score isn’t under par. Quality doesn’t come cheap, but unlike some of the more hoity-toity clubs, this quartet of courses will welcome you with open arms, which, if you listen to Tiger, should be wide on the backswing to allow your muscles to stretch to their full potential.

Traveling west to east ….

Ko Olina Golf Club

Golf in Hawaii is nearly as kingly as Kamehameha, so playing a tropics-kissed course that’s drop-dead gorgeous isn’t hard to do in the Aloha State. What isn’t as easy as Sunday morning is finding a premier property with a cool, unpretentious vibe. That’s Ko Olina Golf Club on Oahu. Perennially ranked among the nation’s top resort courses, Ko Olina ( koolinagolf.com ) is a judgment-free zone with great taste in its partnerships with the Four Seasons Resort at Ko Olina, the choice property within the master-planned oceanfront community, and an on-site Roy’s Hawaiian fusion restaurant that might be the best in the chain.

The Ted Robinson-designed course is decked with stunning water features, multi-tiered greens and generous landing areas. Here is where retired LPGA phenom Michelle Wie developed her game, and there’s a statue of her out front to prove it. The pro shop is consistently ranked among the best in the U.S., and with the rental clubs being TaylorMade graphite, it’s tempting not to schlep your set. Inclusive of cart rental, a logoed tumbler and a basket of range balls, adult fees are no higher than $255, and go down to $190 after 1 p.m.

A short shuttle ride or stroll away is the 371-unit Four Seasons ( fourseasons.com ), which offers digs and dining befitting the five-star brand, and serves as a model for luxury Hawaiian resorts striving to appeal to everyone from young families to honeymooners to seniors. An impressive schedule of daily activities is augmented by R&R offerings that include the five-star Naupaka Spa, inviting lagoons and pools, and first-rate horseback riding in the scenic Waianae Mountains.

The Links at Spanish Bay

Having recently walked the storied course and hallowed halls of the 146-year-old Royal Troon Golf Club, which in July will host its 10th Open Championship, this unworthy duffer can now distinguish between a “Scottish-style links” course and the real deal. While the landscape between Pebble Beach and the south Ayrshire coast has little in common besides a shoreline, getting in a round at The Links at Spanish Bay does hint of playing Royal Troon’s Old Course.

Helping get in the Scottish spirit is a bagpiper who plays for about 45 minutes before sunset from the first tee to the second. Fee-wise, guests staying at The Inn at Spanish Bay pay $350, which includes a cart. It’s a stately and elegant hotel with 269 rooms, and has reciprocity with other Pebble Beach Resorts facilities ( pebblebeach.com ). Overlooking spectacular sand dunes with an endless view of the Pacific costs just north of $1,000 a night, but that’s less than the rates at the sister properties, The Lodge and Casa Palermo.

Snob factor aside, “better” and “best” don’t get much more than “good” — not when Spanish Bay’s lowest-price room still comes with a romantic fireplace, reading nook, choice of nine different types of pillows and other niceties.

Lost Pines Golf Club

The phrase “everything is bigger in Texas” certainly applies to the list of activities at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa ( lostpinesresortandspa.com ), a Hill Country jewel along the banks of the Lower Colorado River. On more than 400 glorious acres just outside Austin, you can fish, ride horses and ponies, pet goats, alpacas, pigs and donkeys, say “howdy” to morbidly named Texas Longhorns (Chuck, Sirloin, Brisket, T-Bone and Ribeye — really?), go on a wagon ride and hay ride, trap shoot, fire off BB guns, slingshots and arrows, throw tomahawks, swim, float on a 1,000-foot, palm tree-lined lazy river, play tennis and pickleball, and, oh yeah, golf.

Deep in the heart of Texas is a 7,200-yard course well-described by the club’s lead golf instructor as “undulating and isolated.” Green fees top at around $200. A recent multimillion-dollar makeover included a redesign of holes 10 through 13, rebuilt bunkers and a name change from Wolfdancer. Designed by golf architect Arthur Hills, Lost Pines is a par-72 beauty graced by rolling prairies, wooded ridgelines and groves of native pecan trees.

Apparently, those homegrown pecans aren’t good enough for the nuttiest dessert served at Maude’s, a bastion of Southern hospitality ironically named for the Texas-sized pecan tree that towers over the outside tables. But like nearly everything guests taste, touch and see at the 490-unit resort, the headline ingredient of the yummy bourbon pecan pie is still locally sourced. Deliciousness continues with the lamb sliders, artisanal charcuterie and flawless libations that include a killer carajillo. Take one sip of their version of this classic Spanish coffee-based cocktail and you may never order an espresso martini again.

Before we leave Lost Pines, hoping to return again, a shout-out to Sushi By Scratch for a new-wave spin on the Japanese dining experience of omakase, where it’s basically chef’s choice through 17 individually paced pieces of nigiri, A5 wagyu beef and other delicacies. Seatings are limited to 10 patrons, each paying a minimum of $165 for this event meal. Sushi By Scratch’s Lost Pines location is one of 10 in the U.S., four of which are in California.

The Boca Raton

It’s hard to imagine a classier, cleaner and more comfortable resort than The Boca Raton ( thebocaraton.com ) in South Florida. This place is so exquisite after a history-respecting, $200-million reimagination, if it weren’t for the bill at the end it could qualify as heaven on Earth.

Dating back to 1926, The Boca Raton’s rich golf heritage includes Tommy Armour and Sam Sneed serving as its first two golf directors — 10 majors won between them. The resort’s Harborside Golf Course, exclusive to members and guests, is dedicated to these two legends. The par-71, 18-hole championship-level course features 12 acres of water, some put to use for a signature island-green finishing hole. From June to October, green fees are $210. That includes a golf cart and — get this — the food and beverage cart. We’re talking Asian shrimp salad, roasted turkey shawarma, rotisserie chicken salad and more delivered on the course by a pleasant attendant, and just for the asking. As we said, classy.

So is the adjacent high-tech driving range. Included in the resort fee are hitting stations powered by state-of-the-art Toptracer technology designed to perfect your swing. A monitor displays helpful data related to your golf ball’s speed, distance and spin rate. The digital gaming options are a blast.

Taking off the cleats, also on the resort’s 365 acres are five hotels within a hotel that make up 835 total rooms. The adults-only Yacht Club claims 112 of those units, all chic suites with private balconies and views of Lake Boca Raton, the Atlantic and a yacht-lined marina. Amenities include a butler, exclusive dining and an invitation to explore the South Florida coast while behind the wheel of a $200,000 Aston Martin DBX. Which begs the question: Do we dream about buying that or membership into the Augusta National Golf Club?

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Unrwa vital to avert starvation in Gaza, says agency official

Comments by Sam Rose, of the UN body for Palestinian refugees, come amid fears Israel plans to squeeze agency out of Gaza

• Middle East crisis – live updates

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees must remain “the backbone of any humanitarian response” for the 2 million people in Gaza if mass starvation is to be avoided, the Unrwa director of planning, Sam Rose, says.

Israel is continuing to impede Unrwa convoys to northern Gaza, where 300,000 people are facing famine, he said. “Our space is continuing to be squeezed at a time when the international community urgently needs to get as much assistance as possible to people in the north.”

More than half of the 16 countries that suspended funding to Unrwa – the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East – after Israel claimed 12 of the 13,000 Unrwa staff in Gaza had taken part in the attack on Israel on 7 October have already decided to resume funding.

However, the US Congress has passed a law banning US funding of Unrwa – normally worth more than $300m (£236m) a year – until at least March 2025. Germany has provided €45m (£39m), but not as yet to Unrwa’s Gaza operations. No decision has yet been made by the UK on funding resumption.

An independent report due to be published on 20 April written by the former French foreign minister Catherine Colonna is not expected to recommend the closure of Unrwa, but to provide clear procedures to ensure the organisation’s neutrality.

There are fears in the aid community that regardless of decisions on the resumption of funding and the opening of new aid crossings, Israel intends to act on its plans to try to squeeze Unrwa out of Gaza permanently. Israel resents that the UN body provides welfare and humanitarian services for Palestinian refugees and their descendants. In Gaza, it claims the agency is entangled with Hamas, which has run Gaza since 2007.

Unrwa says it has to maintain indirect links with de facto authorities in Gaza to distribute aid, just as all UN aid agencies do around the world. Israel has briefed reporters that it aims to phase out Unrwa’s operations across Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem.

Rose, who has worked in Gaza, warned: “It is also becoming increasingly difficult for Unrwa to operate in East Jerusalem, because our international staff aren’t getting visas and our own national staff aren’t getting permits to come into the city. Imports have also been restricted and a bank account with an Israeli bank has also been frozen. So whilst the attention is on Gaza, what’s happening in the West Bank cannot be overlooked.”

He said Unrwa welcomed reports of an Israeli cabinet decision to open new crossings, including the port of Ashdod, but that the organisation was waiting to see how and when this would materialise. “Let us see what happens, but in the past what they have publicly said they’re going to do, they have now been doing.” Increased, sustained and predictable access is essential for humanitarian aid and, more importantly, for the commercial sector, to prevent an already catastrophic situation from becoming worse.

After last week’s icy phone call between the US president, Joe Biden, and the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, 419 trucks entered Gaza on Monday, a record number for a single day since the war began.

Rose said that Unrwa could not simply be switched off by Israel. A new agency would have to hire the same staff and use the same infrastructure and yet not have the same networks or understanding of conditions on the ground. “The simple reality is that no other UN organisations are set up to deliver education to hundreds of thousands of children or healthcare to over 1 million.”

He added: “Unrwa is a 75-year investment by the international community. This shouldn’t be about what we can replace, but what the international community can do to make sure that this war is the last war, to safeguard the lives, freedoms and the future of Palestinians and Israelis by refusing a return to the status quo.”

He said the organisation had funding until May but needed to buy food for 1.1 million people to be distributed in the summer.

The US state department spokesperson Matt Miller appeared to endorse Unrwa’s future role, saying: “We have repeatedly made clear to the Israeli government the important role that Unrwa plays in delivering humanitarian assistance and said that that work should continue unhindered.”

Rose, just back from Gaza, where he said lawlessness and suffering were catastrophic, added: “People are wandering around looking for water, looking for food. Even international staff, who are very privileged in the context of Gaza, come out hungry most times because there’s so little food. We can’t bring much in ourselves and there’s very little in the market at prices anyone can afford.

“And then there’s just a sense that the longer it goes on, the more and more people are just exhausted. Every time you’re woken in the night by an air raid or a tank shell, you’re not starting from zero, you’re in a slightly worse place than you were a time before. People are often coming to work traumatised and in a state of shock.”

He continued: “I don’t want to talk blithely about these things. But one can imagine soon just a total breakdown for lots and lots of people. There’s only so long you can cope with the misery. We’ve got staff who come to work to forget about what is going on outside because there’s a structure and you can forget about the fact that outside, there’s no clothes for your kids, no medicine, no food, and sanitary conditions are appalling.

“So many of their colleagues have had somebody killed and they lost their homes, and they lost everything. They’ve literally got the bags that they were carrying, and, you know, staff that were relatively well off have moved 10 or 15 times because they just followed the conflict around. Many are in tents because they are safer than if you are in a building that has an internet connection, and somebody latches on to that internet connection as a target, then the building could go up.”

There is no real education and prospects for a resumption any time soon are extremely limited, as most of Unrwa’s nearly 300 schools are either being used as shelters by hundreds of thousands of displaced people or have been damaged or destroyed.

“Anyone thinking rationally wants to get out of this, or is unwilling to come back home since they’ve lost everything. Palestinians highly, highly value education and take it very seriously, and lots of people are leaving, people just want to get their kids out. They know the numbers of buildings that have been destroyed, and all the universities have been flattened, and it’s currently hard to see a long-term future.”

Doubtless many Palestinians find it difficult that it took the deaths of western aid workers for Biden to issue warnings to Netanyahu that the Israeli prime minister heeded.

“Palestinians are not idiots,” said Rose. “They are well educated, they’re very worldly given the fact that they’ve never been allowed to leave their world.”

Guardian Newsroom: Crisis in the Middle East On Tuesday 30 April, 7-8.15pm GMT, join Devika Bhat, Peter Beaumont, Emma Graham-Harrison and Ghaith Abdul-Ahad as they discuss the fast-developing crisis in the Middle East. Book tickets here or at theguardian.live

• Israel-Gaza war
• United Nations
• Palestinian territories
• Middle East and north Africa

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‘Jet Lag: The Game’ Creators to Launch New Travel Competition ‘The Getaway’ on Nebula This Summer (EXCLUSIVE)

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Jennifer Maas

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The “ Jet Lag: The Game ” creators Sam Denby, Ben Doyle and Adam Chase have set their next reality travel competition series, “ The Getaway ,” to debut this summer on indie streamer Nebula .

The show, which unlike “Jet Lag” (where episodes drop later on YouTube) will be available exclusively on Nebula, follows six creators on a road trip through the American West as they compete in a game of social strategy and deception.

Popular on Variety

Though it’s from the same team that makes “Jet Lag: The Game,” “The Getaway” is a separate project from that travel competition series, which just concluded its Switzerland-set ninth season. Season 10 of “Jet Lag,” which will take place in Australia, is already in the works.

Denby, who is also chief content officer at Nebula, will executive produce “The Getaway” alongside Nebula CEO Dave Wiskus and vice president of production Trenton Waterson. Denby will direct, with Doyle and Chase heavily involved in production. Valentina Vee is serving as DP.

“The Getaway” is among several originals recently picked up as part of Nebula’s 2024 programming slate.

“’The Jet Lag’ team told us they had an idea, so we greenlit it,” Wiskus said.

“We’ve been working on this show for the better part of a year so it’s extremely rewarding to see it coming together,” Denby added. “We’ve taken everything we’ve learned from producing ‘Jet Lag’ to the next level to create an exciting new spin on a travel competition series that viewers won’t want to miss.”

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This new Phoenix hotel was just named one of Esquire's best of 2024. Here's why

The first hotel from an acclaimed Phoenix restaurateur was named one of Esquire's 41 best new hotels in North America and Europe for 2024.

Esquire included The Global Ambassador in Phoenix on its list of the world's best hotels for 2024. The Global Ambassador was one of 31 U.S. hotels on the list.

This is Esquire's third annual best hotels list and the first to feature an Arizona hotel.

The 141-room Global Ambassador is the brainchild of James Beard Award-nominated restaurateur Sam Fox, whose portfolio of restaurants includes Culinary Dropout, Blanco Tacos and Tequila, Olive & Ivy, Flower Child and North Italia. The hotel, inspired by Fox's world travels and featuring five restaurants , opened in December 2023 after nearly a decade in development .

VAI Resort coming soon: New Arizona mega-resort will rival Vegas and Southern California

Sam Fox: "We poured our heart and soul into creating this hotel"

Fox, in a statement provided to The Arizona Republic, said the recognition from Esquire acknowledges the work he and his team put into The Global Ambassador.

“Wow! We’re thrilled to be recognized as one of Esquire’s Best New Hotels in North America," he said. "We poured our heart and soul into creating this hotel, and we continue to work tirelessly every day to provide our guests with an unparalleled experience. This is an amazing acknowledgment of the efforts put forth by our team and we look forward to creating even more memorable moments for our guests in the years to come.”

What Esquire liked about The Global Ambassador

Fox spoke of The Global Ambassador's food-first approach in interviews with The Republic ahead of the hotel's opening. "Sometimes I forget that we even have rooms here because we lead with food and beverage, that happens to have hotel rooms around it," he told dining reporter Endia Fontanez.

Esquire was complimentary of that approach, describing it as "less a hotel than a collection of places to eat with a place to sleep between meals."

In his summary of The Global Ambassador, Esquire writer Joshua David Stein compared the variety of international cuisines represented in its restaurants to the Disney theme park ride "it's a small world." He named three restaurants as highlights: the Mediterranean rooftop restaurant théa (where he enjoyed "flaming saganaki against the sunset"), the French steakhouse Le Âme, and the Peruvian/Mexican poolside bar the Pink Dolphin.

First Arizona hotel recognized on Esquire list

The Global Ambassador is the first Arizona hotel included on Esquire's annual best new hotels list since the first one was published in 2022.

Hotels that Esquire selected for inclusion "prove that a hotel that goes against the grain of ho-hum luxury can change the vibrations of its neighborhood and its city" and the way people see a destination, according to Kevin Sintumuang, Esquire's Lifestyle & Culture Director.

Other hotels on the 2024 list include the newly reopened The Lafayette in San Diego (named the best new hotel of the year); the Fontainebleau Las Vegas; Drift Palm Springs in Palm Springs, California; Field Station Moab in Moab, Utah; and Mollie Aspen in Aspen, Colorado.

Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who’s covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at  [email protected] . Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:  @salerno_phx .

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