Find the review of our day in Pula,Croatia.The places that we visited, our accommodation, where we ate and the beach where we bathed!
Sommaire
The market
To start the day, nothing better than a walk to the market to enjoy the morning freshness and meet the locals.
The market is near the city center and has several car parks nearby, which allows you to park next to it and then to visit the city on foot.
In June, it is possible to find many fruits and vegetables on the market stalls. You can also find local sheep cheeses or chilli sauces.
Another specialty of the country is olive oil, to buy one of quality and avoid scams the best is to buy it directly to the peasants who sell it in addition to their produce of fruits and vegetables.
Even if you do not speak the language, the oil is visible on their shelves, in clear plastic bottles.
The covered market hall hosts on one side the butchers and the other fishmongers. On the first floor, several terraces and cafe allow you to cool off.
The Golden Gate
Just on the other side of the hall, a pedestrian street takes you to the city center and the Golden Gate
The triumphal arch of the Serges, more often called Golden Gate is a remnant of the Roman era. It was built at the end of the 1st century BC. It marks the entrance to the old town and the pedestrian zone.
Continuing along this street you will find souvenir shops, restaurants and the tourist office (where you can pick up a map of the city).
The temple of Augustus
Right next to the tourist office, is the temple of Augustus built between the year 2 BC and 14 AD. The entrance cost 10 Kuna, and given the size of the place, admire it from the outside is more than enough.
From here, it is possible to follow the rising streets to reach the castle and admire the view of the city from the ramparts.
We preferred to go to the port.
The port
As soon as you leave the city center towards the sea, you can see a huge container boat under construction and in the distance the cranes of the shipyard.
These cranes, called “Lighting Giants”, illuminate at nightfall in different colors to brighten up this area. Unfortunately by day they are not very beautiful …
Continuing along the dock we arrive at the port where you can cross a few fishing boats but especially boats offering trips to tour the islands of Brijuni.
These boats do not allow to dock on the islands in question, they go around, offer catering on board and allow to observe the dolphins and fish. Some even have a glass bottom to enjoy the view 🙂
Prices vary from one boat to another depending on size and catering, the prices are surely negotiable and even more outside summer! Price example: 220KN / Pers (30 €) for 2h of ballad with food and drink.
Avoid going through here if you do not want to be hailed by the people of the differents boats…
Continuing along the quay, we finally arrive at the main attraction of the city.
Pula‘s Amphitheater
To finish the visit, if there was only one thing to see in this city, it is the amphitheater.
The entrance fee is 50KN / adult (7 €) but it is possible to see the interior by going around the building. A staircase on the left gives access to the elevated part of the street that runs along the arena and provides a bird’s eye view of the interior.
It can be found on the Croatian bill of 10 Kuna.
Where to eat ?
After all this walk we decided to eat at the PJ Bistro near the amphitheater, down to the harbor and close to a park with children’s games. Perfect for keeping the children busy before or after the meal.
Here the meal cost us 55KN (7.5 €) for a pizza and 45KN (6 €) for a Greek salad. It is not cheap for a country like Croatia but it was good!
The beach
There is no beach directly accessible from the city center. We went to the village of Banjole. Along the sea, it is possible to find coves everywhere that allow you to enjoy this transparent and warm water.
And if you can, wait for the sunset to see beautiful colors appear in the sky.
Where to sleep ?
We are not big fans of hotels and have decided to choose an Airbnb outside the city since we had our car.
We chose this apartment: Appartement Sandy Bay 2+1 5 minutes from the beach, swimming pool and parking space in the residence.
If you do not have a vehicle, you will have to find an apartment in town.
If you wish to benefit from 25 € of discount during your first trip, it is here on Airbnb.
How to come to Pula?
By car, Pula is at:
3h from Zagreb, Croatia
3h from Ljubljana, Slovenia
3h from Venice, Italy
By boat :
It is possible to cross with the ferry from Venice in about 3 hours.
By plane :
There is an airport in Pula, flights are mainly operated by low-cost airlines. You can have more information on existing flights directly on the website of Pula airport.
Practical information :
Remember to get local currency, the Kuna, before arriving in a parking lot where the parking meter does not accept credit cards, the price of parking is very low and it would be a shame to have a fine when looking for money.
It is possible to pay directly in Euro in many restaurants in the city.