To enjoy Pula to the maximum you need not less than 4 days. We will share with you here our trip to Pula in the Easter which started with us heading to the bus station “Autobusni Kolodvor”. We booked our bus few days before the trip and the ticket was 171 kn per person. As we traveled to Pula at night we couldn’t see much but we noticed the bus going through many tunnels. The whole trip was about 5 hours. This all changed on our way back to Zagreb as not only it was daylight but also the bus had a different route through the hills and the view of the sea was magnificent.
Pula is not a big city and if you find a hotel / hostel in the city center you will find most of the attractions on a walking distance.
Visiting in the Easter and at that time of the year was good to avoid the crowd which begins in May and continues in summer time. The disadvantages are the cold water and the sleepy restaurants which only opens in the season. But you could still have a great meal in the available restaurant options and instead of swimming you can go for many excursions, in addition to all the other historical attractions which gives the city its charm.
The Flanaticka Ulica is the main shopping street in Pula, and on Saturday you can visit the flea market there which has a selected items priced quite high. Nearby is the main market with all the fresh vegetables, fruits, flowers, fish…etc. You can find also some good restaurants which offers meals in the range of 50 kn
Being in the center you can visit as well the Triumphal Arch of the Sergi or (the Golden gate) which was built in honor of three members of the Sergi family who had high positions in Pula around 29 B.C
Temple of Augustus – is dedicated to goddess Roma and Emperor Augustus. It was constructed between the year 2 BC and AD 14. Nowadays, it houses a collection of ancient stone and bronze sculptures ticket is 10 kn
Few Kilometers up you will reach the Kastel or the Castle and for only 20 kn you can enjoy Istra museum with pieces that goes back to the world war II. Then comes the exciting part when you reach the castle walls and get a great view of the city and the coast. If you are more daring you should climb up the fortress dating from the pre-Roman and Roman period and there you are on top of the highest point in Pula.
Just below the Castle you will find the small Roman theater, when we visited, it was empty of people and we had the whole place for ourselves which can never happen in summer.
You may also reach the small Roman theater from another route where you can pass by the Twin Gates and City Walls as in ancient and medieval times, the whole city was surrounded by walls and could be entered through about ten gates.
A similar location to the small Roman theater with great value and a main landmark of the city is the Amphitheatre, a monument, which was once the site of gladiator fights. It was built in the 1st century AD so it is more than 2000 years old!
A hidden place is the mosaic floor we hardly found it in the forum part. After asking around and following the arrows, finally we were there. A detailed mosaic work in a whole floor presenting the mythological scene of the “Punishment of Dirce”(Amphion and Zethus are tying Dirce to an enraged bull, since out of envy Dirce had been cruel to their mother Antiope.)
This treasure was found after the bombing of the World War II as it revealed this Roman house that was buried under a block of houses.
You will probably want to see the shore and on your way you will come across the Clock Tower and Cathedral of Pula. The great thing is that all what we mentioned is just nearby and close to each other. You can have a full tour without a need for a guide. Just on the other side of the road across the clock you will see boats, ships and a long passage digging its way into the sea where you can enjoy the view and feel more close to the nature with all those seagull birds flying around.
There are many other touristic activities you could also check out such as cave exploration, Biking tours, Quad tours, visiting Brijuni islands, …etc, But we preferred for our short trip to stick to the city center, enjoy a relaxing walk around and the delicious food. We wouldn’t have missed the Orada fish and the pasta with truffles which is the specialty of Istra.
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