Pula is a harbour town with a Roman amphitheatre far larger than the place around it suggests. You can see the essentials in a day, provided you keep to the order and do not plan the afternoon in full sun.
Start at the arena
The amphitheatre stands at the edge of the centre and is almost as impressive from outside as from within: the outer wall survives to its full height, which is true of very few Roman arenas. Go early — not only for the crowds, but because there is almost no shade inside.
The forum and the Temple of Augustus
From the arena it is a quarter of an hour on foot to the forum, the old market square that is still the heart of the town. At the far end stands the Temple of Augustus, small and pale, with the town hall built against it in the Middle Ages. The terraces on the square make a good first stop.
Up through the old town
The lanes between the forum and the hill climb slowly towards the castle, with a view over the harbour. On the way you pass the Arch of the Sergii, a Roman triumphal arch that now stands in the middle of a shopping street. That contrast is typical of Pula: the ancient is not set apart in a park here, it simply stands among the buildings.
Where to get out of the sun
Beneath the town runs a system of tunnels from the First World War, dug as shelters. They are cool, short and a relief on a hot afternoon — including for children who have had enough of the heat.
Where to stay
Villa Karla
When to go
Outside July and August a full day is ample and you will have much of the town to yourself. In high season it pays to set out early and be indoors, or underground, around midday.