Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
In the mid-19th century, Italian unification forced the Austrian Habsburgs—whose navy
had been based in Venice—to look for a new home for their fleet. In 1856, they chose Pula,
and over the next 60 years, the population grew thirtyfold. (Despite the many Roman and
Venetian artifacts littering the Old Town, most of modern Pula is essentially Austrian.) By
the dawn of the 20th century, Pula's harbor bristled with Austro-Hungarian warships, and
it had become the crucial link in a formidable line of imperial defenses that stretched from
here to Montenegro. As one of the most important port cities of the Austro-Hungarian Em-
pire, Pula attracted naval officers, royalty...and a young Irishman named James Joyce who
was on the verge of revolutionizing the literary world.
Today's Pula, while no longer quite so important, remains a vibrant port town and the de
facto capital of Istria. It offers an enjoyably urban antidote to the rest of this stuck-in-the-
past peninsula.
Planning Your Time
Pula's sights, while top-notch, are quickly exhausted. Two or three hours should do it: Visit
the amphitheater, stroll the circular Old Town, and maybe see a museum or two. As it's less
than an hour from Rovinj, there's no reason to spend the night.
