Feeling the need to travel, but only have time for a long weekend? I highly recommend a trip to The Istrian peninsula in Croatia. The Istrian peninsula is the largest peninsula within the Adriatic Sea and is home to some truly stunning locations. I had only been to Croatia one other time, and absolutely loved it, so a return trip to this beautiful country was a must. That and flights from London to Pula aren’t going to break your bank. I highly recommend Pula as a home base as it’s a short drive from the airport and is lively city to enjoy in the evenings. I also recommend renting a car if you are planning on visiting any other cities outside of Pula.
As with any short trip, planning ahead I feel is essential to ensure you are maximizing the time you have and if you like me, fitting it as must as possible while there. As a solo traveller I always find the best way to start my trip is by taking a free walking tour. These tours provide a great introduction to the sites of the city, provide some very interesting history and facts that you might not otherwise know without having your face buried in some travel guide book or searching consistently on the internet. Also, as the tours are free, being 100% tip driven, the guides really put forth an effort to make the tour interesting, entertaining and worth every minute of it. I booked my walking tour with Fat Cat Walks – Pula Walking Tour.
Another must do/see while in Pula is the Arena of Pula. It is the only remaining Roman amphitheatre to have four side towers entirely preserved. It was constructed between 27 BC and AD 68, and is among the world’s six largest surviving Roman arenas. While this isn’t quite the scale and magnitude of the Colosseum in Rome, it is still beyond incredibly impressive. And touring this Arena you can explore every corner and walk along the grounds and imagine the sensation previous Gladiators must have felt being surrounded by the cheering crowds. Now I was super lucky when I was here as I went first thing in the morning, during non tourist season and was one of the first people here. It was if I had the entire Arena to myself and it was pretty special.
Be sure to visit Pula Fortress and take in the landscape views of the city and the water from high above. The Fortress also contains a a small museum that provides some insight and history into the military defences as it was the main military port for Istria. Other sights to be sure not to miss during your visit to Pula include the Temple of Augustus, located in the old Roman Forum in the city, as it is one of the best preserved Temples outside of Italy. Also the Arch of the Sergii, known as the Golden Gate, was erected around 27 BC to commemorate three brothers from the Sergius family who fought in the naval battle of Actium (where the future emperor Augustus defeated Marc Antony and Cleopatra). It stood at the entrance to the city. There is also Zerostrasse and Pula underground tunnels, which is a series of subterranean tunnels, passage, and shelters that were constructed during World War I as a defence system. The tunnels currently are lined with pictures and historical insights about the construction and their significance to the city during war time.
Now Pula is not a large city and depending on your travel style, which if it is anything like mine, can be explored in 1 day. Knowing this and planning ahead I made sure to rent a car so I could venture out to some other Istrian cities further afield. My 2nd full day started off by making the short drive from Pula to Poreč. Poreč is a small town that is around 2,000 years old. It is set around a harbour protected from the sea by the small island of San Nicola. The main tourist site in Poreč is the the 6th-century Euphrasian Basilica, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Touring this Basilica provides some excellent panorama views of the city from the top of the bell tower. You can also find some excellent preserved gold mosaics throughout. I allowed myself about 3 hours in Poreč to tour the Bascilica, explore the narrow shopping streets in the old town and enjoy the views from the promenade. After this quick visit , I drove a further 26 miles to Rovinj. Parking can be quite challenging in these small towns, but I found some convenient parking in Mala Valdibora, which is is located right next to the northern port of Valdibora at the entrance to the city.
Rovinj is such a beautiful picturesque town, and even the views from the parking lot are stunning. My first tourist stop here was to the Church of St. Euphemia, which is at the heart of the historic city and perched on a hilltop as the highest church in Istria overlooking the Adriatic below. Walking through the Old Town is a must with it’s cobbled stone streets and charming shops. The harbour was my favortie spot, and I found a lovely table near the water where I stopped to enjoy a glass of Rose and enjoy a late lunch. There are many restaurants along the water that afford breath taking views of the colourful old town and harbour.
Both Poreč and Rovinj are incredibly charming, extremely picturesque and I would say a “can’t miss” on any trip to the Istrian Peninsula. I thought I’d leave a link to my favourite restaurant I tried while in Pula. Located not too far from the Pula market and very clean with super tasty food!! https://epulon-food-wine.business.site/.
