51 – 24/5 Pula

Dressed in Roman marble and sparkling against the aquamarine hues of the Adriatic, Pula is the jewel at the end of the Istrian Peninsula. It rose to glory under the auspices of Augustus Caesar, and the mighty amphitheatre that still stands on the edge of the ancient old town (arguably the best preserved Roman relic outside of Italy) was raised while the Julio-Claudians still reigned supreme in Rome.

Today the 2,000-year-old centre is interspersed with charming Venetian buildings and traces of Slavic and Byzantine rule, all coalescing around the lively beer bars and konobas (traditional Croatian eateries) of the city Forum.

Then there are the rugged cliff-backed coves and sun-splashed terraces that line the Verudela headland on the edge of town; picture-perfect examples of Croatia’s glorious Mediterranean coast.