Pula Region

Pula is the largest town on the Istrian peninsula. The town of Pula is famous for its rich heritage from the past as well as for its intensive efforts to develop further and fullfil its main branch of services, tourism. A part of Pula's offering to tourists is of course dependent on its cultural-historical monuments from which most date back to the time of ancient Rome. Apart from the Roman amphitheatre, there is the Arch of Sergii from the 1st century B.C., the gate of Hercules and The Twin Gates, the town's walls, Augustus' temple, the small Roman theatre, and the Forum which today is one of the main gathering places for citizens and tourists alike. Pula offers its visitors a rich programme of entertainment, beginning with concerts, performances and exhibitions within its cultural summer festival, but also out of the  tourist season, of which most are held in its unrivalled arena. In Pula itself there are a few beautifully equipped tourist complexes, which aside from the quality of their facilities offer visitors everything they need: nicely-kept beaches with all facilities, cafes, restaurants, shops, and a whole array of sport and entertainment facilities. Pula as a centre of tourism, cultivates its rich gastronomy, with traditional Istrian dishes which are offered in a wide fan of fish and seafood, meat dishes and local pastry, and all of this seasoned with fine olive oils or the highly esteemed ingredient typical of and exclusive to this region – truffles. The tradition in wine is also very old, so that on a table groaning with food one usually can find very sophisticated wines.

The Medulin Riviera extends from Pjescana Uvala found to the south of Pula and continue almost to its outskirts, through the small fishing villages of Vinkuran, Banjole and Pomer, to the Cape Kamenjak Nature Park in Premantura and Medulin on the eastern side of the riviera. Medulin is the biggest settlement, once a fishing village, today it is an important tourist settlement, in which everything is focused on tourism. This region can boast of an extremely indented coastline with a large number of islets, reefs, coves and bays, and here there is a unique and fascinating coastal phenomenon -  a sand bank which connects the island with the mainland – the so-called primosten or tombolo. The beaches here are almost as if they have been created to suit every taste – from sandy ones, to pebbled and rocky ones; those exposed to the sun or hidden in the comfortable shade of pine trees; public beaches on which the summer frenzy reigns, or those Robinson Crusoe ones where it is just you and the sea. Along the whole riviera you can find accomodation in some of the hotels in Pjescana Uvala or Medulin, in the campsites of which the majority are on the Premantura peninsula and neighbouring Pomer, or in some private accomodation. Here there are also well-maintained marinas for sailors – Veruda in Pjescana Uvala or the Pomer marina. On the peninsula of Premantura there are no hotels, given that its southern part, Cape Kamenjak is a protected nature park where building is not allowed. In this small space grow around 530 varieties of plant, of which 20 are orchids, among them some endemic ones. This is the ideal spot for all those who like nature and life in the wild. The special attraction is the possibility of renting the lighthouse on the Porer islet is included, and as an indication of how care is taken of every guest, there is a beach here equipped for blind people. The winds around Cape Kamenjak are good enough for fans of water sports, such as windsurfing and kitesurfing. A special attraction for visitors is night jumping from high rocks into the sea, as well as watching jumpers who are holding lit torches in their hands. The gastronomical offer is more than excellent – in the fishing villages are the best fish restaurants, and in the Pješćana Uvala can be found two of the best restaurants in Croatia, as a large number of food guides have pointed out.