Already in Pula and looking for something to do? Good. You are in the right place.
Most of what makes Pula interesting does not require advance planning. Here is what is worth doing today, depending on what time it is and what kind of day you want.
If it is morning
Go to the water before anything else. Lungo Mare is a coastal path on the western edge of the city. Pine trees, the Adriatic sea, almost no tourists before ten in the morning. Swim, walk, or just sit. Free, five minutes from the centre.
The green market opens early. You can find fresh fish, local cheese, honey, olive oil, and fruit from producers who have been coming here for years. Eat breakfast here. If you need lunch, the fish fast food on the upper floor is where locals eat. Simple, good, cheap.
If it is afternoon
Walk the old town. The Roman Forum, the Temple of Augustus, the Portarata. None of it takes more than an hour and all of it is free from the outside. Find the Punishment of Dirce mosaic beside the car park on Ulica Sergijevaca, a third century Roman floor mosaic left exactly where it was uncovered after World War II bombing. Almost nobody finds it without being told where to look.
If it is evening
This is when Pula is at its best, and this is when you should book La Yugo Vita.
La Yugo Vita is a private two-hour ride through the Yugoslav-era history of the city in a restored 1979 Zastava 101. The shipyard, the workers’ housing, the military zones, Karlo Rojc. A local guide, a vintage car, and a version of Pula that most visitors never find. Best after 7pm when the light is right and the streets are quieter.
Same day bookings are welcome. Send a WhatsApp message to +385 91 620 0940 and we will confirm within a couple of hours.
Book La Yugo Vita here.
If it is raining
La Yugo Vita runs in good weather only. On a rainy day in Pula the best options are the Zerostrasse, the underground WWI tunnels beneath the city centre, open to visitors and genuinely atmospheric, and the Archaeological Museum of Istria near the Arena, which covers the city’s history from prehistoric times through to the medieval period.
A note on timing
Pula works at its own pace. Do not try to do too much in one day. Pick two or three things, do them properly, eat well, and end the evening in a car that has been turning heads on these streets since 1979.
