Pula, our hometown

Delecta Cruises is seated in the northern Croatian coastal town of Pula, an administrative centre of the region of Istria.

Please keep in mind though that our hometown is rarely included in the small ship cruise itineraries when it comes to cabin charters, the reason being lenght of the Croatian coast which is 1,773.3 kilometers not counting the total lenght with 1.246 islets. Since our ships do not sail over night, a feasible cruise duration from Pula as the northernmost to Dubrovnik as the southernmost port or reverse would be two weeks. Such a cruise is an amazing experience and covers the entire Croatian coast. One week cruise itineraries starting in Pula are also a great option when having Zadar or Split as disembarkation ports.

Pula is 3000 year old town which can be testified by number of archeological sites that were excavated not only in the Old Town area but also in its surroundings. The town itself is located at the and of a deep natural bay which is well protected from unpleasant northern wind called „bura“. In the past the bay of Pula also served as natural defense system. Along the bay of Pula seven hills are situated and among them, the so called - central city hill – is extremely important one. On its top, slopes and plain under the central hill Pula had developed in pre-historic times and continued to exist during the Roman and medieval times being part of the Venetian Republic. In the 19th century, a barely alive settement that suffered severe malaria epidemics and with the population of only about 600 was chosen among several towns on the Adriatic to house Austro-Hungarian naval harbour and this is when Pula really started to grow. From the position of the central hill the town spread over another six hills thus becoming known as -a town on seven hills-. New settlers were arriving at the time looking for jobs in new growing industries so by the begining on the 20th century the population reached 50.000.

What really sets Pula part is a mixture of different architectural influences. The main city square, Roman Forum, is a great example of buildings that were built in the span of 2000 years standing next to each other. However, Pula is widely known as Roman city which flourished at th time of emperor Augustus.
What attracts visitors from all over are the Roman monuments in Pula; Augustus Temple, Triumphal Arch, Hercules Gate, the Roman city walls but most of all it is the sixth largest and one of the best preserved Roman amphitheatres in the world by the locals known as – Arena- that acquired its final shape in the second half of the 1st century AD. Once used for gladiatorial games accommodating up to 22.000 spectators today it is one of the most amazing open air stages.

Visit our hometown of Pula as a part of your pre/post cruise land extension that we will carefully tailor for your . We look forward to welcoming you!