restaurant
Konoba Batelina
The Skoko fishing family's konoba in Banjole near Pula: the day's own catch turned into legendary fish offal dishes and Istrian seafood that drew Anthony Bourdain. Dinner only, book well ahead.
5 km · about 10 min drive
EuropeCroatiaIstria
Pula
Istria, Croatia · Europe
About Pula
Pula is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Valbandon, 13km from Cape Kamenjak.
Pula is in Istria, Croatia, with about 52,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Valbandon, about 6 km away.
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, theRead more
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 It was the administrative centre of Istria from ancient Roman times until superseded by Pazin in 1991.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Pula?
Within an hour or so of Pula: Konoba Batelina (5 km), Cape Kamenjak (13 km), Rovinj (29 km), Lubenice (38 km).
Where is Pula?
Pula is in Istria, Croatia, about 6 km from Valbandon.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 52,220
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Croatia
- Region
- Istria
- Timezone
- Europe/Zagreb
- Coordinates
- 44.8683, 13.8481
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Croatia
HAK roadside assistance: 1987.
Full driving guide for CroatiaTags
Worth the detour from Pula
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
natural wonder
Cape Kamenjak
A wild rocky cape of hidden coves, cliff-jumps and crystal water at Istria's southern tip: drive the dirt tracks slowly.
13 km · about 25 min drive
landmark
Rovinj
A captivating Istrian fishing town with colorful houses tumbling down a peninsula into the Adriatic, crowned by the Church of St. Euphemia.
29 km · about 35 min drive
photogenic
Lubenice
A 4,000-year-old fortified hamlet perched 378 m directly above the sea on Cres island, its stone lanes ending at a cliff-edge view over Sv. Ivan cove. Summer evenings bring open-air concerts on the tiny square.
38 km · about 45 min drive
cathedral
Euphrasian Basilica, Poreč
A 6th-century Byzantine basilica glittering with gold mosaics, a UNESCO gem in Istria's old town.
45 km · about 50 min drive
landmark
Motovun
A captivating hilltop medieval town in Istria surrounded by truffle-rich forests and vineyards, known for its annual film festival.
52 km · about 60 min drive
tunnel
Učka Tunnel
A 5 km motorway tunnel bored beneath Mount Učka in 1981, linking inland Istria with the Opatija Riviera and sparing drivers the old switchback climb over Poklon Pass.
57 km · about 65 min drive
landmark
Grožnjan
A once-abandoned Istrian hill town repopulated by artists in the 1960s: now some 20 galleries and studios fill its Venetian stone lanes, with a summer jazz festival and views over vineyards to the sea.
58 km · about 65 min drive
Driving roads near Pula
- 57 kmUčka TunnelA 5 km motorway tunnel bored beneath Mount Učka in 1981, linking inland Istria with the Opatija Riviera and sparing drivers the old switchback climb over Poklon Pass.
- 71 kmKrk BridgeTwin reinforced-concrete arches leap from the mainland to Krk island; on opening in 1980 the 390 m main span was the longest concrete arch in the world, a dramatic gateway to the Kvarner islands.
Driving in Croatia
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.52/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€8.00/100km
When to drive here
April to October
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