--- title: "Pula – what is there, and how you get there | Mixroutes" description: "Pula, Croatia: Pula, also known as Pola, its Italian name, is the largest city in Istria County, western Croatia, and the seventh-largest city in the…" url: "https://www.mixroutes.com/notes/pula" markdown: "https://www.mixroutes.com/notes/pula.md" image: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Pula_Aerial_View.jpg" --- City in Istria County, Croatia # Pula Pula, also known as Pola, its Italian name, is the largest city in Istria County, western Croatia, and the seventh-largest city in the country, situated at the southern tip of the Istrian peninsula in western Croatia, with a population of 52,220 in 2021. ![Pula](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Pula_Aerial_View.jpg) Pula · Wikimedia Commons The place Pula, also known as Pola, its Italian name, is the largest city in Istria County, western Croatia, and the seventh-largest city in the country, situated at the southern tip of the Istrian peninsula in western Croatia, with a population of 52,220 in 2021. It is known for its multitude of ancient Roman buildings, the most famous of which is the Pula Arena, one of the best preserved Roman amphitheaters. The city has a long tradition of wine making, fishing, shipbuilding, and tourism. It was the administrative centre of Istria from ancient Roman times until superseded by Pazin in 1991. Adapted from [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pula), CC BY-SA 4.0. What is there ## Worth seeing in and around Pula 10 places within 25 km that the world writes about, in the order of how widely: the ones a visitor has heard of first, then the ones only a local would name. 1. University of Pula Juraj Dobrila University of Pula, public university located in Pula, Croatia, established in 2006. 700 m · public university in Pula, Croatia (est. 2006) · [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Pula) 2. Temple of Augustus The Temple of Augustus is a well-preserved Roman temple in the city of Pula, Croatia. Dedicated to the first Roman emperor, Augustus, it was probably built during the emperor's lifetime at some point between 27 BC and his death in AD 14. 300 m · Roman temple in Pula, Croatia · [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Augustus,_Pula) 3. Stadion Aldo Drosina Stadion Aldo Drosina is a multi-use stadium in Pula, Croatia. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of NK Istra 1961 and NK Istra. 1.1 km · football stadium · [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stadion_Aldo_Drosina) 4. Pula Cathedral The Pula Cathedral or fully the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a co-cathedral in Pula, Croatia. Along with the Euphrasian Basilica it is one of the two official seats of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Poreč and Pula. 200 m · co-cathedral in Pula, Croatia · [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pula_Cathedral) 5. Chapel of St. Mary Formosa The Basilica of Santa Maria del Canneto, or Santa Maria Formosa, was a sixth-century Byzantine church. It was erected in Pola under the patronage of Maximianus, bishop of Ravenna. 300 m · church building in Pula, Croatia · [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Maria_del_Canneto_(Pula,_Croatia%29) 6. Franciscan Monastery in Pula The Monastery and Church of St. Francis in Pula, Croatia, are located on the western slope of the Pula hill, halfway between the Forum and the medieval fortress at the top, on the site where the early Christian complex of St. 600 m · church building in Pula, Croatia · [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monastery_and_Church_of_St._Francis_in_Pula) 7. Fort Bourguignon Fort Bourguignon is one of many fortresses in Pula, Croatia that were built by the Austrian Empire in the second half of the 19th century. 2.8 km · Fort in Pula, Croatia · [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Bourguignon) 8. Istrian National Theater The Istrian National Theater is a city theater and cultural institution in Pula, established by a decision of the National Committee of the City of Pula on March 19, 1948. The INK is housed in a multi-purpose building, whose former name was Politeama Ciscutti. 400 m · theatre in Pula, Croatia · [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istrian_National_Theater) 9. San Spirodine Church The Saint Spyridon Church is a Serbian Orthodox church in Peroj, Istria, Croatia. The permission to build an Eastern Orthodox church in Peroj was granted by the Republic of Venice in 1788, 130 years after the initial settlement of the local Orthodox community. 9.7 km · church in Peroj, Croatia · [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Spyridon_Church,_Peroj) 10. Aquarium Pula Aquarium Pula is an aquarium in Pula, Croatia. The aquarium has 211 species of animal, including blacktip reef sharks, caimans and a centre for the rehabilitation of turtles. 4 km · Aquarium in Pula, Croatia · [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquarium_Pula) Ranked by the number of language editions of Wikipedia with an article on each, from Wikidata; the sentences are the openings of those articles, CC BY-SA 4.0. Do ## Things to do Watch an event at the Arena. The Roman-era Arena regularly hosts concerts, sporting events, and even gladiator battles. Football: NK Istra play soccer in HNL, the top tier. Their Stadion Aldo Drosina (capacity 8900) is 1 km southeast of old town centre. Ride a boat to Brijuni from Fažana. These islands, famous for their scenic beauty, are a holiday resort and a Croatian National Park. 1. Dari Sališ Chill on benches, enjoy a picnic, and watch kids bike on the grounds of a former luxury Von Trapp garden. From [Wikivoyage: Pula](https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Pula), CC BY-SA 4.0. Not yet checked by us. Eat ## Where to eat = = 1. Restaurant Orfej Great seafood in the centre, and cheaper than surrounding restaurants. 2. Popaj Maksimijanova ul. 3. Furia Narodni trg 9. 4. Kod Kadre Ul. 5. Pizzeria Asterix You should try the Asterix pizza, which means you can have a pizza divided into thirds, with a different toppings on each one. From [Wikivoyage: Pula](https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Pula), CC BY-SA 4.0. Not yet checked by us. Go there ## Getting to Pula **Airports:** Pula (PUY), 7 km · Rijeka (RJK), 69 km · Trieste (TRS), 111 km\ **Stations:** Pula Airport, 6.6 km\ - Rijeka(Omišalj) → Pula Train, bus, flight, ferry and road, side by side [Guide](https://www.mixroutes.com/routes/rijeka-omisalj-to-pula) [Today](https://www.mixroutes.com/results?from=Rijeka%28Omi%C5%A1alj%29&to=Pula) - Zadar → Pula 138 km · quickest by road, 5h 8m · €40–55 [Guide](https://www.mixroutes.com/routes/zadar-to-pula) [Today](https://www.mixroutes.com/results?from=Zadar&to=Pula) - Velika Gorica → Pula 198 km · quickest by road, 3h 40m · €27–38 [Guide](https://www.mixroutes.com/routes/velika-gorica-to-pula) [Today](https://www.mixroutes.com/results?from=Velika+Gorica&to=Pula) - From anywhere The planner compares every way there from wherever you are. [Plan a trip](https://www.mixroutes.com/?to=Pula) Road and air are today’s quick answer; timetabled trains, buses and ferries load on the results page from the operators’ feeds. Not yet researched ## No local-transport research exists yet for Pula Our researched notes are written from a sourced entry: every shared taxi, boat and village bus with its operator, its rule, its fare and the year we saw it, and what could not be confirmed. Nobody has done that work for Pula. What is above is what we hold from open sources; nothing here pretends to be more. What Wikivoyage says about moving around - Get in {{listing | type = go | name = Pula Airport | alt http://www.airport-pula.hr | email | lat = 44.893611 | long = 13.922222 | directions | tollfree | hours | wikipedia = Pula Airport | lastedit = 2025-02-08 | image = Pula Airport aerial.jpg | wikidata = Q389327 | content = Pula has its own international airport with scheduled and charter flights. - Get in Venezia Lines ferry connects Pula with Venice. From [Wikivoyage: Pula](https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Pula), CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us; that article was last edited 2026-05. The nearest places where the work is done 1. [Hvar](https://www.mixroutes.com/notes/hvar) HR 8 ways of moving, 27 sources 285 km 2. [Cinque Terre](https://www.mixroutes.com/notes/cinque-terre) IT 7 ways of moving, 23 sources 338 km 3. [Korčula](https://www.mixroutes.com/notes/korcula) HR 9 ways of moving, 33 sources 338 km 4. [Mljet](https://www.mixroutes.com/notes/mljet) HR 9 ways of moving, 28 sources 378 km 5. [Zermatt](https://www.mixroutes.com/notes/zermatt) CH 8 ways of moving, 26 sources 492 km If you know how people move in Pula – the stand, the rule, the fare – [tell us](https://www.mixroutes.com/report?key=blog%7Cpula&title=Pula&sub=Field+notes&back=%2Fnotes%2Fpula), and the note gets an entry. 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