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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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

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.

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 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!

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!