Holidays

Pula

PULA, a town and port in the south-western part of Istria. Situated in the inner part of a bay, divided by the islands of St. Catherine, St. Andrew and Uljanik into three port basins. According to the size of the con-structed coast and level of equipment, Pula is the most important and biggest port in Istria, and the well-protected Pula Bay places it among the best natural harbours on the Adriatic.

Due to its size, exposed location, two accesses (the one directly from the sea and the other through the Fazana Strait), low coastline and easy construction of fortification systems, provided the Pula Bay a special strategic importance.

The landscape of Pula includes low and open relief largely covered by red soil. The original forests of oak have been reduced to low shrubs; the surroundings of Pula was reafforested with pine. The average air temperature in January reaches 5 °C and in July 23.2 °C; the average annual rainfall attains around 800 mm.

In winter, the bora and the sirocco blow; the bora is sometimes extremely strong, and blows in the outer port.

Pula is the economic centre with developed shipbuilding industry (Uljanik), textiles, metal industry and building trades as well as glass manufacturing. Tourist centre (marina).

Pula is also a centre of sport tourism because domestic and international sports teams and athlets find the favourable climate, quality sports facilities (tennis courts, sports halls, football stadiums, football fields, track-and-field courses, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, water sports facilities, etc.) suitable for winter training season. Apart from the traditional sports on the ground, there are opportunities to enjoy a variety of water sports.

The importance of Pula as a traffic intersection in the whole Istria has particularly increased by the modernization of the airport. Situated on the main road (M2, E751), and connected with Divaca, Slovenia, by a railroad.

Today Pula offers a variety of excellent opportunities for tourists. Together with well-equipped hotels and other types of accommodation facilities, the tourist offer includes many sports grounds, recreational facilities and entertainment programs, terraces with live music, discotheques, casinos, inns and restaurants, as well as diverse excursions.

The town disposes of two marinas, so that yachting tourism is increasingly developing. Pula ACI Marina has 294 berths in the sea and 100 places on the land, provided for the vessels of a length between 6 and 18 m; Veruda Marina has 610 berths in the sea and 150 places on the land; vessel length between 6 and 15 m.

Pula is also a well-known congress centre (the large congress hall in Hotel Histria). The town can be reached by various means of transport, and there is an airport in the immediate vicinity of Pula (6 km), constructed to meet the requirements of international air traffic