Pula (Sardinia)  in brief – tourist information and more

Pula, a charming town with nearly 7,000 inhabitants, is well-known for its beautiful sandy and child-friendly beaches in Sardinia. The municipality of Pula also owns the beach resort of Santa Margherita di Pula with pine trees, a lot of comfortable holiday homes and exclusive beach front hotels.

Best things to do in Pula

Pula is a charming town with shops and supermarkets, bars and restaurants, pharmacies and ATM and a pedestrian friendly center in summer. During high season from mid June to mid September Pula becomes one of the most popular holiday destinations in south Sardinia.

Very close to Pula, in a spectacular position on a promontory right by the sea, one can visit the ruins of the ancient city of Nora, probably founded in the 8th century BC by the Phoenicians and later colonized by the Romans. The extensive excavations in Nora, which continue today, began in 1952. Most of the remains of this beautiful archeological sight, such as the thermal baths, the streets, the amphitheatre and some fine mosaics are Roman and can be dated back to the 1st and 2nd century AD. Some of the finds of Nora are presented in Pula in the archaeological museum Giovanni Patroni.

Nearby the Spanish watchtower Torre del Coltelazzo, built in 1595 on a headland, dominates the ruins of Nora with its white and characteristic columns.

Close to the archeological site is the Lagoon of Nora, home to numerous species of fish and waterfowl. The lagoon complex can be visited only with guided tours from June to August .

At the beginning of May, a small church situated sea-side next to Nora is the destination of the procession of the Saint Sant’Efisio. Efisio, who was supposed to be a Roman soldier fighting in the 3rd century AD first against the Christians, converted later to Christianity and was executed in Pula as a traitor by the Romans. The Sagra di Sant’Efisio, a fest full of faith and folklore, has its origin in the mid 17th century when a plague swept across Sardinia, and people in Cagliari praid to the Saint to save them. After the plague was over, the procession took place for the first time in May 1657, carrying the statue of Sant’Efisio on a cart pulled by oxen from Cagliari to the little church in Nora and back to Cagliari. From that year on the feast, where people from all over Sardinia gather together in Cagliari, is taken place annually from the 1st to the 4th of May.

The best beaches of Pula and surroundings

About 2,000 m from the center of Pula are the sandy beaches Spiaggia di Nora, Spiaggia dei Fichi and Spiaggia di Su Guventeddu. In the north you can enjoy the the beach Su Stangioni Foxi Niedda.

In the south of Pula a miles long stretch of white sand extends all the way to Chia: the child-friendly beach of Santa Margherita di Pula is one of the most popular in Sardinia.