A day trip to Pula: the Roman Arena and more

Pula is Istria’s largest city, a port and naval town with a remarkable Roman heart. Its amphitheatre, the Arena, rises above the harbour like something from another age, and it still hosts concerts and films on summer nights. From our villas it is an easy trip south.

Getting there

Pula is about 55 km from Poreč, roughly 45 minutes on the Istrian Y motorway (tolled). Park in a paid car park near the Arena or the harbour and explore on foot.

The Arena

The Pula Arena was built in the 1st century AD, when Pula was the Roman colony of Pietas Iulia. It is one of the largest surviving Roman amphitheatres and among the best preserved: unusually, its outer wall still stands to its full height, including all four of its stair towers. Gladiator fights once drew crowds of over 20,000.

• Walk the arena floor and look up at the three tiers of arches.
• Go underground. The passages beneath the arena hold an exhibition on Roman olive oil and wine production in Istria.
• Come back at night. In summer the Arena is used for concerts and the Pula Film Festival, one of the oldest film festivals in the region.

The Roman city

From the Arena, walk into the old town:

• The Arch of the Sergii, a triumphal arch from the 1st century BC, marks the start of the main shopping street. A statue of the writer James Joyce, who lived briefly in Pula, sits at a café table nearby.
• The Forum, the old Roman square, is still the main square of the city. The elegant Temple of Augustus stands on one side, next to the town hall.
• The Twin Gates and fragments of the Roman walls appear along the way.

More in Pula

• The cathedral and the hilltop Venetian fortress (Kaštel), which holds the Historical and Maritime Museum, with views over the harbour.
• The market hall, a 1903 iron-and-glass building, is good for fruit, cheese and a fish market in the morning.
• The Lighting Giants: after dark, the shipyard cranes in the harbour light up in changing colours.
• Beaches: the Kamenjak nature park at Istria’s southern tip, about 20 minutes away, has wild coves and clear water.

Combine with Brijuni

The boats to the Brijuni National Park leave from Fažana, 15 minutes north of Pula. Visit the Arena in the morning and Brijuni in the afternoon. See our Brijuni guide.

Tips

• Go early. The Arena gets hot by midday in July and August.
• Check the events calendar. An evening concert in the Arena is unforgettable; book early.
• Opening hours and prices change by season; check before you go.

From the villas

Pula is about 45 minutes from Villa Duga, and a few minutes more from Villa Bina and Villa Cvita Domenica in Labinci. Pula is also the closest airport; see how to get to Poreč.