Pula

The Arena at opening, then Kamenjak or the Brijuni boat

Pula's Roman centre takes a day, and the coast another. See the Roman Arena when it opens, before the coach groups, then walk to the Arch of the Sergii, the Temple of Augustus on the Forum and the Kaštel museum above the harbour. On day two swim at the Kamenjak cape south of town or take the boat to Brijuni National Park.

Walk south along the old town lanes to the Arch of the Sergii, then double back to the Forum for the Temple of Augustus and a coffee on the square. In the afternoon climb to the Kaštel for the harbour view and the history museum inside.

On day two, pick sea or island. For the sea, drive or cycle through Premantura to Kamenjak and work your way along the coves; go early in August, when the tracks get dusty and busy. For the island, take a bus to Fažana and the boat to Brijuni, adding the guided tour because the main island is too big to cover on foot.

Save the evenings for the old town. On a summer night, check whether the Arena has a concert or a festival screening, and if not, settle on the Forum as the lights come up on the temple.

Eating in Pula away from the Forum, and ćevapčići in Stoja

Pula's old-town terraces are pricier near the Forum, so eat a few streets away. Orfej and Furia serve seafood at fair prices, Farabuto cooks careful slow food, and the Istrian specialities are truffle pasta and Teran red wine. To eat like a resident, go to Galeb in Stoja for grilled ćevapčići.

The old town has plenty of terraces, but prices drop a little away from the Forum. Orfej on Porta Stovagnana is a reliable choice for seafood at fair prices, and Furia on Narodni trg, by the market, also leans towards fish. Farabuto has a following for light, careful slow-food cooking, and Kod Kadre on Ulica Nikole Tesle is another local address. For pizza, locals send you to Asterix, where one base can be split into three different toppings.

Istrian dishes to look for include pasta with truffles, maneštra bean soup and thin-sliced pršut, with a glass of Malvazija or Teran alongside. If you want to eat like a resident, go out to Galeb in Stoja for grilled ćevapčići, a place every local seems to know and no guidebook seems to mention.

Restaurant hours shrink sharply after September, so check before walking across town in the off season.

Arena concerts, the July film festival and Pula's quiet winters

Visit Pula from June to September for Arena concerts and the Pula Film Festival in July, when screenings run in the amphitheatre after dark. July and August average about 28C with nights near 18C, a touch cooler than Dalmatia, and August brings the first thundery downpours. Winters are quiet, with the Roman sights to yourself.

Pula is Mediterranean but a touch cooler than Dalmatia. July and August average highs of about 28C with nights near 18C, and August brings the first thundery downpours, around 75 mm. This is the season of Arena concerts and the Pula Film Festival in July, when screenings run in the amphitheatre after dark, and of full beaches at Verudela and Kamenjak.

May and June are the best months, with highs of 21C and 25C and the driest weather of the year, roughly 55 mm a month. September keeps warm days around 24C and a sea still good for swimming, though rain climbs to about 85 mm, the same as in October.

Winters are mild but damp. January and February hover around 10C by day and 2C at night, and December is the wettest month, at about 112 mm. Much of the tourist trade closes between October and May, so a winter visit means a working port town, closed restaurants and the Roman sights almost to yourself.