Pula Arena is the most famous and most important monument in Pula. It is considered to be a city simbol as well as the starting and ending point of every sightseeing tour. It was built in the 1st century AD during the reign of Emperor Vespasian, at the same time as the magnificent Colosseum in Rome. It was used as a gathering place for the crowds and the place where gladiator fights took place. Nowdays it hosts exhibitions, concerts, famous Pula Film Festival and a manifestation Spectacvla Antiqva.

Lighting giants are Pula’s latest attraction, a stunning lighting display at the city’s Uljanik shipyard, one of the world’s oldest working shipyards. Renowned lighting designer Dean Skira has lit up the shipyard’s iconic cranes in 16,000 different colour schemes, which come alive four times every evening on the hour.

The Brijuni island group lies off the southwest coast of Istria in the vicinity of Pula. As the only National Park in Istria, Brijuni with its 14 islands covering an area of 736 square hectares presents a unique play of nature that brings together remarkable animal species and rare and rich flora all at one place. It ranks as one of the loveliest archipelagos in the Mediterranean. Brijuni are established as a National Park since 1983.

For seclusion, head out to the wild Rt Kamenjak on the Premantura Peninsula, 10km south of Pula. Istria’s southernmost point, this gorgeous, entirely uninhabited cape has lovely rolling hills, wild flowers (including 30 species of orchid), low Mediterranean shrubs, fruit trees and medicinal herbs, and around 30km of virgin beaches and coves.