So many people rush to Rome to see the Romain Arena without knowing that such constructions can be found in so many other places, and such places include tiny little Pula, a city in the Istrian Peninsula in Croatia of only 90 000 people. Apart from the beachgoers coming for the Croatian sun every summer, the impressive Romain arena gets little attention to what it deserves. It is actually one of the best preserved Roman amphitheatres in the world.
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A Romain Capital with “Italian influenced” Croatia
Arriving in Istria from Dalmatia or the Zagreb Area will be somewhat of a shock. Pula, the biggest city in Istria and eighth in the country, definitely has an Italian flavour left from its past. In fact, it was part of Italy for so long that most people will speak Italian as a second language after Croatian. The City is beautiful but lacks the “Beach aspect” of most Croatian cities. This is due to its shipbuilding tradition which goes all the way back to Romain times.
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The whole beachfront is taken by the massive ships being renovated, which restrict access to the beautiful waters of the Adriatic sea for tourism, who rather choose other cities like Rovinj and Porec for their holiday. This makes Pula more of a day trip from other locations to visit the Arena, missing out on massive tourism opportunities that Croatia is benefiting these past few years. The Shipbuilding industry is a hot topic in Pula as the local government wants to move it to another area, to the benefit of tourism, which caused strikes while I was there. Still, even without a Beach near the center, Pula is definitely worth a stop for a few days!
The Arco dei Sergi
Best 2 Days Itinerary in Pula
The best way to start a visit of Pula is to arrive at the Arch of the Sergii, an ancient Roman arch & onetime city gate, originally constructed in 29 BCE. Have breakfast at Caffe Bar Uliks and continue on Sergijevaca street, the main pedestrian street of Pula which goes all around the Castle. Go all the way to the Forum Square and visit the Temple Of Augustus, a Majestic temple dating from 2BC on the former site of the Roman city’s Forum. See The Town Hall just next to it, and go around to see the back of it, looking much more Roman. From there, you can have lunch on the square and continue your visit to The church and Monastery of St. Francis.
In the afternoon, go straight to the highlight of Pula (and probably the main reason you came here); the Pula Arena. This Huge Roman amphitheatre also has an underground exhibition about ancient olive oil & wine production. For dinner, go to one of my recommended restaurants (see section below) such as Pecenjarnica Porat or Pizzeria Marco Polo for a great experience and culinary delicacies.
The Next day, Start with a visit to the Pula’s Marketplace and see the fresh fish arriving in town. Then go up towards the Venetian Fortress, a 17th-century baroque castle offering sweeping views from hilltop surrounds. Have a look at the nice panoramic views it has to offer. You can then visit the Historical and Maritime Museum of Istria. For Dinner, enjoy some more Istrian food by visiting what is known as the best pizza in town, at Pizzeria Jupiter.
See Through the Roman Arena
Top 10 Things to do in Pula
- Amphitheatre de Pula
- Arco dei Sergi
- Temple Of Augustus
- Kastel
- The Town Hall
- Pula’s Marketplace
- Museum Olei Histriae
- Monastery and Church of St. Francis
- Double Gate
- Marina Veruda
Top Rated and Recommended Cafes in Pula
- Rock Bar Mimoza
- Jazz Club
- Caffe Bar Cabahia
- Old Friends Club
- Caffe Bar Uliks
Top Rated and Recommended Restaurants in Pula
- Pecenjarnica Porat
- Pizzeria Marco Polo
- Kantina
- Pizzeria Jupiter
- Pizzeria Asterix
- Vodnjanka
- Bistro Odisej
- Kod Kadre
- Dva Ferala
- El Pulari Mexican
Pula In Pictures
Selfie with the Arena
Sea Front of Pula
Temple Of Augustus
Overview of Pula from the Kastel
Sunset on the Arena
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