Pula (Croatia)

...my sailing trip this year, Pula was our last port of call. A beautiful city with much to do, the visit was much appreciated by everyone who went with me.

Pula, the largest city in the Istrian peninsula, has been in existence for almost three thousand years. As well as making it one of the oldest cities in Croatia, its long life is the main reason why the city boasts such a rich and diverse range of historical and cultural attractions.
...established around 177 BC gave Pula special importance and boosted the growth of the city. The influence of the Romans was probably the most important influence in the city's history, and this can be seen in its wide range of attractions.

The major attraction of the city is its amphitheatre. Situated right outside Pula's harbour, it is one of the six largest amphitheatres in existence today, although less well preserved than its counterpart ... more

On my sailing trip this year, Pula was our last port of call. A beautiful city with much to do, the visit was much appreciated by everyone who went with me.

Pula, the largest city in the Istrian peninsula, has been in existence for almost three thousand years. As well as making it one of the oldest cities in Croatia, its long life is the main reason why the city boasts such a rich and diverse range of historical and cultural attractions.

The Roman authority in Pula which was established around 177 BC gave Pula special importance and boosted the growth of the city. The influence of the Romans was probably the most important influence in the city's history, and this can be seen in its wide range of attractions.

The major attraction of the city is its amphitheatre. Situated right outside Pula's harbour, it is one of the six largest amphitheatres in existence today, although less well preserved than its counterpart in Rome. The structure is well worth a visit: its size is incredibly impressive, and it is amazing to see an amphitheatre with the whole circumference still at its original height. However, you can only walk around the centre of the arena, and a few underground sections which contain Roman archaelogical finds, and which sometimes house exhibitions of local art. Well worth seeing, and the best part is that admission is only around a pound!

Another Roman attraction is the castle, which doubles up as the Historical Museum of Istria. Built by the Venetians in the 14th century on the ruins of the Roman Capitol, the museum mainly houses objects of maritime importance, as there is not enough room to catalogue the whole of Istria's history! The museum features such artefacts as naval uniforms, plans of ships and shipbuilding tools, and costs around £3 for admission. If you don't want to visit the museum, then I highly recommend at least walking around the tops of the walls, as they give a great view, not only of the outside of the museum, but of the city and of the ocean.

The Temple of Romae and Augustus is also worth a visit. Built in the 1st century AD, I'm amazed the place is still standing! The building is only 17m, long and 6m wide, but is an impressive example of Roman architecture, and also houses a mini museum.

Other sites worth visiting include a Roman arch in the city centre, the Twin Gate, and the Gate of Hercules. The only disappointment was the cathedral: you have to pay to go in - it's only about 50p, but it's really not that interesting. The interior is very plain and boring, and it's definitely the least exciting cathedral I've visited!

If history isn't your thing, then I can thoroughly recommend just walking around Pula's coastline. The sea is an amazing colour, and you'll also find some nice parks to sit and relax in - just make sure you're away from the noisy and slightly smelly shipyard!

The Brijuni National Park, just off the coast of Pula, is also good for a visit - there are several excursions a day to the islands, which are pretty expensive, but worth it just to see the unspoilt beauty of the place, and the masses of Roman ruins. Children will also love the islands, as they house a safari park containing many exotic animals (many of them gifts from various heads of state!), as well as a wide range of native animals such as deer and peacocks.

If you're after a beach holiday, then try the beaches in the Veruda Marina, just outside Pula - not only are both the beaches and the water incredibly clean, but you also have an excellent view of the yachts entering and leaving the marina.

Water sports, understandably, are also popular here: there are several diving centres around Pula, and, obviously, yachting is another good way to see the Istrian coastline. There are several boat excursions to various places, details of which can be found in the tourist information office in the city centre.

Souvenir shopping is also easy in Pula: there are a number of shops selling traditional handicrafts such as embroidery and ceramics, as well as local produce such as Croatia's delicious cheeses (the sheep's cheese from the island of Pag is definitely worth a try!) You'll also find department stores and chain stores along with the individually-owned shops: Pula is an important city, and its shopping facilities reflect this fact.

Accommodation should be easy to find in Pula: being a very tourist-oriented city, there are hotels and guesthouses that cater for all budgets.

You'll also have no problems finding somewhere to eat in Pula. In fact, Croatia's best restaurant, Valsabbion, is in the city, so if you're feeling rich, give it a try! Fish dishes are a speciality in Pula, being so close to the sea, and mixed grills frequently appear on menus, although you're not always told what type of meat they contain! You may also be either thrilled or very disappointed to hear that McDonalds have expanded as far as the Istrian peninsula...

If you're after nightlife, check to see whether there are any concerts on at the amphitheatre (usually summer only), or watch a film at the open-air cinema at the Historical Museum. Pula also boasts two main nightclubs, and a huge casino in the Veruda Marina.

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The cheapest way to reach Pula is to fly to Trieste or Ancona in Italy (both served by Ryanair) and then get a bus, train or ferry to Pula. There are also flights directly to Pula, but the city is not served by that many airlines, meaning the prices are fairly high, and even worse in the height of summer. The most likely way you'll reach Pula by plane is to fly to Zagreb and on to Pula from there - in winter it'll cost you around £330 return, in summer it will probably be more. We flew to Venice Treviso with Ryanair, then got a coach to Pula (ferry back to Venice on the way back) and ended up paying no more than £100 for our travel.

The airport is at the south of the peninsula, and is around 5 miles from the city of Pula itself, meaning you will need to take a taxi if staying in the city.

The airport is of a reasonable size, and has a car rental outlet, shops selling newspapers and cigarettes, a miney changing office, a duty free shop, and bars which are open from 6am!

The best time of year to go weather-wise is obviously summer: temperatures usually reach around the mid-thirties, sometimes higher. The worst time of year to go is probably the time we went - the second week of September. Around this time of year in this region of Croatia, the bora strikes. This is a cold and dry north-easterly wind, which blows up without warning (fine weather is usually a sign that the bora is about to strike!) and can reach up to 9 on the Beaufort scale ("severe gale"). This wind usually brings things to a complete standstill, but may last less than a day. If you're planning on a sailing holiday, as we did, make sure you're familiar with the bora before you go, so you don't almost get yourselves killed, like we did when trying to get into a harbour with a very narrow entrance in very high winds.

So, my verdict? I spent a very enjoyable few days in the city: there's so much to see, and you really get a feel for the culture of the place. It's certainly an experience seeing modern mobile phone shops alongside the amphitheatre, the busy marina alongside buildings with bullet holes and other war damage. I'd say the ideal length of time to stay in the city is around three or four days in order to see everything, and it's a great place to stay if you're planning on venturing out to other places on the Istrian peninsula. Not only does Pula have a lot to offer tourists, but the cost of living and of visiting its attractions is incredibly low!

Highly recommended. 

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