I hadn’t heard much about Pula until I attended the MissAdventure Festival hosted by Paola Crevatini Rebsamen, founder of @femmetravel.

Both Pula and the Festival turned out to be amazing experiences!

This post contains information compiled from my own research and trip, followed by the contributions of ten women from 7 countries. Maja is a native of Pula.  Their helpful answers are below my review, followed by their Instagram accounts at the bottom.

My review

I loved everything about Pula. The easy, relaxed vibe was the first thing I noticed. I was visiting in May and peak season is June, July and August. I enjoyed that everything was within walking distance and I loved the car free zone in the old town.  The locals were very kind and helpful. The cafes and restaurants with outdoor patios were so inviting. The small shops and boutiques had many beautiful things to offer. There was beauty and colors everywhere. Pula Marina with the boats and yachts was a beautiful area to walk by and watch the sunset. Pula Arena is magnificent.  Somehow every road leads to it, so it is appropriate that it is called the heart of the city.

I learned how to distinguish the quality of olive oil by tasting and differentiating several factors at the museum called House of Istrian Olive Oil. It changed the way I look at olive oil. Personally olive oil has been a  favourite oil  and now I value high quality olive oil and the work that goes into it even more. Plus I know how to taste the quality now 🙂

Food: I loved the healthy and delicious vegetarian options and smoothies at Fresh Sandwich and Salad Bar. It is more of a takeaway place. They only accept cash. Another place I enjoyed eating at was Restaurant Orfej (say hello to Cristina and Marina when you visit) that was only a minute’s walk from where I was staying. The service was so friendly and the food delicious. If you are vegetarian or vegan most restaurants will offer you options.

Transport: When arriving at the airport, it is easy to get a taxi right outside. The price to the city is around Can$ 30 or US$ 20 to the city which is a 15 min drive from the airport. Taxis only accept cash in Kunas, Euros or US$. You can change your currency at the airport and at many places in the city.  Uber is available, but has a longer waiting time.

Stay: I rented an apartment as did many of the women.  They can be found on many sites like www.airbnb.com, www.booking.comand www.expedia.com

Language:English is widely spoken in Pula. Many instructions are written in four languages – Croatian, German, Italian and English.

Sightseeing: There is so much to do and there are many different kind of activities available in and around Pula. Some recommended places are Brijuni National Park, Plitvice Lakes, Rovinj, Groznjan, Motovun and Hum, the smallest town in the world.

Venice is a 3 hr ferry ride, Trieste in Italy is a 1 1/2 hour drive and Bled in Slovenia is a 2 1/2 hour drive from Pula.

Below are the answers from the contributing women. You will find different recommendations from healthy choices to gourmet food, from thrift shop to luxury stay. 

What did you enjoy most about Pula?

Ru – The location. A tiny city surrounded by beautiful sea views

Kace – Getting around. Something I look out for when I travel is the ease of moving around. In Pula it was very easy. I was able to walk to a lot of the great monuments like the Amphitheater, Arco de Sergii and Temple of Augustus. If you need to get  somewhere a little further, the taxis are inexpensive and services like Uber and Cammeo are also available in Pula.

The locals were friendly and helpful when asking for directions or recommendations on where to go. I have a list of places i Have to visit next time I’m in Pula just from recommendations.

Kathy – The old stone buildings and scattered Roman ruins, all within walking distance. I also enjoyed the olive oil museum and bought lavender and olive soap. They are big into lavender and it has good healing properties for the skin.

Dolores -The main reason why I enjoyed staying in Pula so much is the first MissAdventure Festival organized by Paola Crevatini Rebsamen. It was an amazing three days with women from all over the world and many instructive lectures.

Maja – My favorite thing about Pula is nature and the architecture! I have lived here for 32 years and each time I go to the beach or for a walk in nature, I’m blown away by how beautiful it is. Still can’t take it for granted. Also, the old city is so picturesque and feels like a movie set always.

Jordan – The olive oil museum and the fantastic Roman ruins

Sandra – The Mediterranean feeling and the people I met

Genesis – The Amphitheater

Jessica – The food and warmth of the people

What restaurants did you love eating in and what did you enjoy eating?

A popular choice was Bistro Alighieri. Seafood was top of the list followed by pasta and pizza.

Dolores –  I would definitely recommend Orfej restaurant located in the centre of Pula. I enjoyed eating grilled calamari with  olive oil and cooked potato. We stopped there for dinner and had an amazing time.

Maja – My favorite food place is Fresh.  It’s a sandwich/salad bar with healthy meals and beverages. I always go there if I’m eating on the go. My favorite things are avocado & chicken tortilla, detox smoothie and the chocolate brownie!

Jessica – Epulon, a family restaurant with a gourmet touch and the most amazing place! Restaurant Lanterna, a gourmet experience that deserves Michelin stars!. If you visit it, try their crispy octopus.

Tips and recommendations

Sandra – Definitely check out the Roman ruins like the Amphitheater, Temple of Augustus, the Castle and the smaller ruins.

Genesis – If driving in from Italy, you have to have a ‘Vignette” which is a tolling sticker to drive in Istria, If not you could risk a Euro 150 fine.

Kathy – Rent an apartment. Pula has plenty of options.

Ru – Spend more than a day here. Rent a car and drive around the beautiful scenery of Pula’s countryside.

Jordan  – Go Kayaking at the coast. @sporttourism can set it up for you.

Kace – For Nature lovers visit Kamenjak. It’s 10 km from Pula. You can take the bus line 28A from Pula. It’s absolutely beautiful. You can rent a bicycle and ride around the island, visit sea caves, cliffs and canyons. It makes for a fun day out.

Maja – There is a new thrift store open near the main bus station. It has so many gems to pick from , lots of clothes and accessories for low prices. Very interesting pieces. It is my favourite place to shop right now. 🙂

Jessica – To stay, I highly recommend Hotel Valsabbion. It is by far one of the most amazing places I have ever stayed (and I have been to Burj Al Arab!) You will love the place and their breakfast. I recommend booking the suite with private swimming pool, it has a spectacular view.

Dolores – Pula is the largest and the oldest city in Istria with a 3000 years old history and beautiful examples of Roman architecture. From sightseeing and beaches to great gastronomic offers, there is so much to see and experience in Pula.  If you ever come to Istria or Croatia in general, you should definitely visit this historic city. Here are some recommendations:

–Roman Amphitheatre

–Zerostrasse 

– Aquarium Pula

–The Small Roman theater

– Castle Belaj – an hour from Pula

Instagram links

Thank you to the wonderful women whose valuable contributions are included in this post. You can follow their adventures at the links below.

Ru – @travelwith_ru

Jordan – @_wanderlustre

Kathy – @kathymarie_z

Kace – @amawander

Genesis – @leisaraofficial

Sandra – @missroamingworld

Jessica – @luxtraverella

Maja – @mayamilocanovich

Dolores – @btw_mag

Fatma – @fatma.zaidi

We all loved Pula and some of us will return to visit again!