The city of Pula lies on the south-west coast of Istria. Sunsail’s base at Pula is at the marina situated right in the heart of the city, overlooked by its famous Roman amphitheatre which is over two thousand years old and still dominates the landscape of the city. The amphitheatre – the sixth largest in the world - is well-preserved and seats over 26,000 people.

It is still in regular use for opera, concerts and an international film festival that takes place each August, the gladiator fights of times gone by having thankfully given way to less grisly amusements. Other Roman monuments still in existence are two triumphal arches – Hercules’ Gate and the Arch of the Sergians, a theater and the temple to Augustus, which today houses an exhibition of ancient sculptures.  After the fall of the Roman Empire, Pula was variously occupied by the Goths, Venetians and Austrians, amongst others.

These days, Pula is a mixture of a hard-working port and a sometimes brash Riviera town – it’s a combination that’s quite appealing, and a definite highlight of a Pula yacht charter. The city has a good selection of bars and restaurants, ranging from the cheap and cheerful to the chic and pricey. Truffles are an Istrian specialty and Pula is one of the places where you are likely to find plenty of them on the menu. To sample Pula’s café life, head for the Forum and Flanaticka and be sure to pay a visit to the covered market, just east of the Arch of the Sergians, to pick up supplies. It’s open every day and sells fish, fruit and vegetables.