Woke up this morning (always a good start to the day) to an absolutely gloriously sunny day. We really have been blessed with great weather so far on this trip - even the snow in Asti was a bonus. So, after a leisurely breakfast, we consulted our various travel websites (Lonely Planet, Google, Trip Advisor etc) to determine which sights were worth investigating. It turns out there are a number of attractions here in Pula - all associated with the Roman Empire. Istria was an important commercial hub in the Empire, well known for its wines and olive oil. So, parked the car, fed the meter (wouldn't want another parking ticket would we, nudge nudge) and with map in hand set off for a leisurely stroll around the city. Nearly all the major attractions are located within the inner city area, so we can just take our time (after all, there's at least 30mins on the parking meter).

First up is the Roman Amphitheater which dates back to 1st century. It is quite an imposing structure - not as big as the Colosseum in Rome, bit impressive nevertheless. The amphitheater turns out to be the only sight where you have to pay to go in, all the rest are freestanding monuments scattered about the city.

The Twin Gates and the Arch of Sergian have been integrated into the rest of the city. It's amazing to see everyone walking beneath them as if they were just another part of the city, not relics some 2,000 years old. You can still make out the details of the friezes which adorn them. It is like being on a Hollywood movie set.

After seeing the Temple of Augustus we found a small restaurant for a spot of lunch. Istrian sausages and local fish and chips, washed down by a rather decent glass of red. Perfect.

Pula turned out to be a real gem. We only picked it as a place to stay because it served to break the journey to Zadar. We had no idea it would prove to be so interesting.Maybe we should take some more left turns. We may discover other nuggets of gold on our journey.