Despite the turmoil from years past, Croatia is a very beautiful country. The coastal town in Pula is full of thriving businesses, electric nightlife, and ancient Roman Architecture.

Getting to Pula

There are several airlines that travel from the US (NYC) to Pula.  Currently United Airlines, Delta, American Airlines, Jet Blue, Lufthansa, KLM, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Swiss Airlines, British Airways and Iberia Airlines.  From my search I saw anywhere from 1-4 stops and 17 hour flight time with layover to 43 hours flying from New York City airports. Make sure to do your homework because flight times can vary greatly.

Where to stay

As a major European tourist destination, there are many choices for places to stay. Of course I would recommend any one of our beautiful vacation rental properties found on VRguest.com. There are plenty of other options ranging from low-key hostels to luxury hotels.

Once you’re here

Now that you’re here it’s time to take in the sights. The major tourist attraction here besides the beaches is the Roman-style amphitheater that dominates the landscape. The Pula Arena was built from 27 BC- 68 AD, and it is the best preserved ancient monument in Croatia. The Arena is the only remaining Roman amphitheater to have four side towers and with all three Roman architectural orders entirely preserved. Getting inside to view the arena is fairly inexpensive, it starts at about $8 a ticket for general admission. You can also schedule a walking tour of the city which includes the arena and a few other local attractions.

The Arch of the Sergii is another popular sight to see. It is an Ancient Roman Triumphal Arch that was built in 29-27 BC to commemorate the three brothers of the Sergii Family. The Sergii’s were a powerful family of officials in the colony and retained their power for hundreds of years.

Some of the more modern attractions are the Austro-Hungarian Fortresses. There are 40 fortresses in Pula and one of the most well reserved is the Punta Christo Fortress. It was built in four phases from 1836-1883 and is over 100,000 square feet in size with over 270 different spaces. It is the largest and the strongest modern armored fortress of it’s kind in the area. The Fortress was abandoned for some time but is now occupied during the summer months for various cultural programs, concerts, festivals, jazz nights, exhibitions, performances and  workshops.Temple of Augustus is in the heart of the city’s main square and central meeting point for the people, a space for public gatherings, political acts, religious practices, and the core of city life. It was built for first Roman emperor Augustus however the exact date of it’s construction is unknown, best guess puts it between 27 BC and 14 AD. It was the gathering place for any important events that took place over the last 2000 years. There is an inscription on the top that states that the temple was dedicated to “the goddess Roma and the Emperor Augustus, son of divine Caesar, the father of the homeland”. Next to the Temple is the Communal Palace. As the city prospered there was a need for a town hall so this building was constructed. it was finished by 1296 but has seen many reconstructions over the last 800 years.Built from 1630-1633, the Pula Kastel was constructed to protect the Pula’s harbor as well as the rest of the upper Adriatic Sea. it currently holds the Historical Museum of Istria which has more than 75000 objects within 15 collections of cultural, historical, political, military importance. It is known for hosting many gatherings, concerts, shows and movies, mostly during the summer months.

Thanks to Samuel and Audrey for this great video of things to do in Pula.