Things to do in Pula Croatia

I enjoy visiting the Balkans, and managed to find a £50 return fare to Pula Croatia. That’s an amazing deal to fly to a coastal city in the middle of summer! The annoying thing was that I could only stay for 2 full days due to the flight schedule and price. I would have had to pay an extra £150 for the flights if I stayed for 2 additional days. So I decided to make do with the £50 deal and embrace the time I had. Pula is a small city and 2 days were enough to see almost all of the main attractions and enjoy some time at the beach too.

Pula Arena

Did you know that Rome isn’t the only place in the world with a Colosseum? There are many different ones around the world, and I discovered one in Croatia. Pula Arena is said to be one of the best-preserved amphitheatres in the world (considering how old it is). It was constructed between 27 BC and AD 68 for gladiator contests and other public shows. The Pula Film Festival is hosted annually in this amphitheatre. This is the city’s main attraction and features on many of the souvenir fridge magnets. I went during travel peak season, and only around 10 people were in the queue. There is a small underground museum in the arena with many historical items from when the city was under Roman occupation.

Price: Approximately €10

Zerostrasse

If you are looking for things to do in Pula Croatia, these underground tunnels are the perfect spot to cool down on a hot day. The tunnels were built during the First World War by the Austro-Hungarian empire, to provide shelter during air raids. There are multiple entrances/exits around the city, and there is a lift inside that takes you straight up to the citadel. The floor was quite wet inside and the ceiling was dripping, so I would recommend wearing some protective shoes when you visit.

Price: Approximately €7

Pula Citadel

The Venetians constructed Pula Citdael in the 1600’s. It is a French style fortress that was created to surveil and protect the city from potential invaders. This is a picturesque attraction to visit, as it offers amazing views of the whole city, it’s harbour, and the surrounding countryside. When I checked online beforehand, it did say there was a fee but nobody asked for it. From what I could see, people coming directly from the streets had to pay to enter. Everyone who arrived in the lift from Zerostrasse underground tunnels gained direct access without paying extra money.

Price: Approximately €6

Temple of Augustus

The Temple of Augustus is a well-preserved Roman monument in Pula. It was created as a place of worship for Emperor Augustus and the goddess Roma, reflecting the Roman practice of deifying their emperors. Unfortunately, this temple suffered a lot of damage during World War II, but has been carefully reconstructed. There is a small museum inside with a collection of Roman sculptures. I had a peek through the door, but didn’t feel like going inside.

Price: Approximately €2

Arch of Sergii

When visiting Pula it would be very hard to miss passing by The Arch of Sergii (also known as the Golden Gate). It’s another piece of Roman architecture in form of a pretty arch. It leads to Sergijevaca Shopping Street, which is where you will find many souvenir shops and some restaurants. I would like to recommend a restaurant which is right next to where I took this photo. It’s called Rustica, and despite being in the middle of a touristy street, it was the cheapest place I ate during the whole trip. The staff are friendly, and the food is tasty too. I ate here twice during my stay :).

Price: Free

Ambrela Beach

It is essential to have Ambrela Beach on your list of things to do in Pula Croatia. This is probably the most peaceful beach I have ever been to. The water is crystal clear and the view is amazing! They have toilets and showers too which is always helpful. The only downside is there wasn’t much choice of food or drink. There is one restaurant behind the beach (Ambrela Beach Bar) and I don’t think it’s worth it. I only ordered a cocktail from there and it was awful. I took a taxi back to my accommodation and went to a local restaurant for lunch instead.

Price: Free

Istrian Olive Oil Museum

This museum was very interesting and describes the history of olive oil in the region. I chose the ticket option which included olive oil tasting and it was so worth it. The lady taught us how to determine the quality of good olive oil through tasting and reading labels. It was shocking to realise that 90% of olive oil on shelves is terrible quality and dangerous for your health. I already knew most “extra virgin” supermarket olive oil is fake, but I didn’t realise the stuff I was buying from the organic shop was not much better. Real extra virgin olive oil has a bitter spicy aftertaste.

Price: Varies depending on ticket type (approximately €12-25)

Try a Traditional Dish

Pula is located in the Istria region of Croatia, which is famous for Fuzi. This kind of egg pasta is shaped like a wonky tube. Since truffles are also well-known in this part of Croatia, I decided to try this dish at a restaurant, combining the two. There is a festival dedicated to fuzi and other traditional pasta that takes place every July in the village of Žminj. Talking of Balkan food…you might want to read my guide on things to eat in Bosnia.

I hope you enjoyed this post about things to do in Pula Croatia. On my way to the airport, my taxi driver gave so many recommendations for things to do in this region of the country. So now I’m kind of itching to fly back there and spend a whole week. The weather in Britain this “summer” has been quite disastrous, to say the least, so I’m in need of some more sun-induced vitamin D!