Discover Roman History in Pula & visit the Meneghetti Winery
Departing Rovinj in the morning with your private car and driver, within about 30 minutes, arrive in Pula, the most visited city in Istria!
Pula is home to impressive Roman ruins, including the Arena, the Triumphal arch of the Sergii, and the 2000-year-old Temple of Augustus, as well as medieval citadels, churches, the Cathedral, and the Franciscan Church and Monastery.
Your professional, local guide will lead you on a private walking tour of the city. Stroll Sergijevaca Street, the iconic ambulatory road, discover quaint boutiques, lively bars, and intimate restaurants.
After defeating the Illyrian Histri tribe, the Romans settled in the Istrian peninsula, turning Pula into an important administrative centre and building villas, amphitheaters, and temples. Marking the entry to the Old Town is the stately three-story Roman amphitheater, known as the Arena. Built during the first century AD, it is extremely well preserved, with the exterior ring still fully enclosed. The Arena was constructed during the reign of Emperor Vespasian at the same time as the iconic Colosseum in Rome.
It is among the six largest surviving Roman amphitheaters in the world and the only to have four side towers and all three Roman architectural orders entirely preserved. The Pula Opera Festival, held annually in summer, is hosted in the amphitheater. The underground passages, once used by the gladiators, today are the site of exhibitions that highlight local viticulture and olive growing, which date to ancient times.
Your guide will share the many ruling powers that followed the Romans, including the history of Venetian rule, the role of Pula as the chief port in the Habsburg Empire, and its evolution under Yugoslav and Croatian governance.
On your way back to Rovinj, stop for lunch at the stunning Meneghetti Wine Hotel and Winery. What began as a traditional stone estate has since expanded into a chic hotel and Michelin recommended restaurant set amidst vineyards and olive groves . A true example of understated elegance, the Meneghetti offers options for wine and olive oil tastings in addition to creative, authentic, and expertly prepared cuisine.
