Pula fits into a single day better than almost any city its size, because the Roman core, the market and the beaches all sit within a twenty minute walk or a short bus ride. This plan opens the Arena at 8am, uses the tunnels to dodge the midday heat, and ends with a swim. It is about eight hours on foot, with one bus trip at the end.
8:00: Arena at opening
Arrive as the Pula Arena opens. Entry is about €10 to €15 for an adult, and the morning light on the stone is the best of the day. You get the floor and the underground chambers to yourself before the coaches arrive. Give it an hour.
9:15: Down to the Arch of Sergii
Walk down through the old town to the Arch of Sergii, the free Roman triumphal arch at the eastern gate. It frames the start of the main shopping street, and the James Joyce statue is a minute away on the lane where he lived. Five minutes is enough.
9:30: Forum and the Temple
The Forum is the Roman square and still the city’s gathering place. At the eastern end stands the Temple of Augustus, a first century AD building rebuilt after 1944 bomb damage. The temple entry is about €2 for an adult. Ten minutes inside, then coffee on the square.
11:00: Market hall lunch
The covered market, the Tržnica, sits just behind the Forum. This is where you eat well and cheap: a plate of fuži or a burek from a stall, or sit at a nearby konoba. The market itself is free to walk and the produce is the honest heart of the city.
12:30: Zerostrasse in the heat
When the sun is high, go underground to Zerostrasse. The First World War tunnel network stays cool, and entry is €7 for an adult, €3 for children, students and over 65s. Last entry is 75 minutes before close. Allow thirty minutes.
14:00: Bus 2 to Ambrela
Take city bus line 2 from the centre out to the Verudela peninsula and Ambrela Beach, a Blue Flag pebble bay with a shallow entry, a lifeguard from 10am to 6pm in season, and showers and sunbeds to hire. Swim, then stay for the west-facing sunset. A single ticket on the bus is about €2.50 bought on board, slightly less at a kiosk.
The whole day
Arena, Arch, Forum, Temple, market, tunnels, beach. Eight hours, one bus, no car needed. For a slower version spread across two days, see two days in Pula. More routes live on the things to do page.
