Archaeology buffs flock to this resort town in southern Sardinia to explore the remains of the ancient city of Nora, but admiring Phoenician, Carthaginian, and Roman ruins is just one of many things to do in Pula. The area’s beaches are considered some of the island’s finest: Su Guventeddu is an excellent kitesurfing and windsurfing destination, while Santa Margherita di Pula's soft sands and crystalline waters are ideal for basking and swimming. Pula is also a scenic base for visiting nearby Cagliari or hiking along many coastal and inland trails.
Southern Sardinia boasts mild temperatures year-round (Pula’s beaches are popular with windsurfers and kitesurfers even during the winter), but this seaside town comes to life in summer. The tourist season kicks off in early May with the Festival of Saint Ephysius and comes to a head during July's La Notte dei Poeti, a festival featuring live music, theater, and dance. The midday sun is relentless from May to September—visit Pula’s open-air archaeological ruins in the early morning or late afternoon.
The town of Pula is relatively compact and easy to explore on foot, as are the nearby archaeological ruins and town beaches. Azienda Regionale Sarda Trasporti (ARST) public buses connect directly to Pula from Cagliari in about an hour, as well as link beaches along the Chia and Teulada coasts. This stretch of coastline is relatively flat, so it's easy to explore by bike, or you can rent a car from Cagliari to explore farther afield.
The ancient city of Nora—the oldest Phoenician settlement in Sardinia—is the most important sight in Pula and home to the remains of a theater, baths, and other fascinating ancient ruins. To admire the artifacts unearthed here, visit the National Archaeological Museum (Museo Archeologico Nazionale) in Cagliari. Its treasures span roughly 1,000 years of history and range from Phoenician funerary steles to Roman ceramics.
