Sea, lagoon, mountains. Archaeology, culture, birdwatching, trekking, snorkeling, canoeing, and even music, theater, happy hour, and nightlife. All within walking distance.
Pula, on the southwest coast of Sardinia, just 30 kilometers from Cagliari, has an ancient and modern face.
Ph Maurizio Casula
This strip of land, a popular destination for a relaxing seaside holiday, has hosted ancient civilizations and cultures over the millennia, developing and intertwining to create one of Sardinia's first major urban centers: Nora, whose name itself evokes the Nuragic civilization. This ancient port city is now an archaeological park, with its remains unearthed after centuries, well-documented and described by the site's tourist guides, which continues to generate new discoveries each year. Its finds are also displayed in the Giovanni Patroni Municipal Archaeological Museum, ready to reopen in its new, modern setting with an interesting exhibit retracing the site's history. This settlement is representative of Sardinia's history, from the Nuragic period to the Spanish period, through the Punic, Roman, and Byzantine periods, and bears witness to the richness, vibrancy, and intermingling of diverse cultures.
Evidence of its past can also be admired through an immersive 3D experience, along the accessible route. The baths and mosaics appear in all their beauty, testifying to the presence of illustrious figures in Nora, along with their stately and prestigious residences.
A stone jewel, the Roman theater hosts prose, poetry, and music performances overlooking the sea at sunset, a spectacle within a spectacle. On that promontory also stands a Spanish-era watchtower, the Coltellazzo or Sant'Efisio, one of three in the area.
Pula's seaside resorts boast a wealth of treasures along its ten kilometers of coastline. Like pearls, numerous beaches with shallow waters where children can play sparkle in a succession of sparkling white sand and crystal-clear water. They feature long stretches of sand and small coves surrounded by rocks and native flora. Prickly pear cactus plants, green sculptures that decorate the shorelines, are also part of the landscape. And then there are the numerous pine forests.
In 1955, the Santa Margherita concert hall hosted a very young and still unknown Fabrizio De Andrè, at his first private musical performances during a picnic with his family and friends, during one of the moments of a ten-day holiday in Capoterra.
The first stop on her unbreakable bond with Sardinia. Pula is a prism that sparkles with its many facets, a seaside tourist destination and an archaeological site for a journey through precious vestiges of the past. A place of great natural value, with its lagoon ecosystem, populated by fish and home to a rich birdlife including herons, egrets, and pink flamingos. And where characteristic vegetation grows, such as glasswort, which enhances the dishes of local restaurants. It is rich in attractions.
Pula. The route to reach it, departing from the airport of Sardinia's capital, is picturesque. A route nestled between two bodies of water. On one side, the spectacular lagoon, on the other, the sea. In the background, the skyline outlined by the Sulcis mountains. A fascinating preview of a holiday that combines relaxation and recreation, history and traditions, and the beauty of a captivating natural environment. Sea, lagoon, and even mountains. Pula is one of the official entrances to the Gutturu Mannu Park, an immense natural heritage site with its richly biodiverse flora and fauna, and will soon be equipped with trails and paths.
Ph Maurizio Casula
There are so many reasons to book a stay in this town, in any season. Its small squares and streets teem with life in the summer, where the vibrant nightlife offers outdoor aperitifs, live music, shows, and shopping until late at night. A packed list of unmissable events and places to visit. Its identity is revealed in the vestiges of its past, its ancient traditions, and its flavors. Pula's panettone, the famous almond-filled panettone, one of the first reinterpretations of the traditional dessert made with local ingredients, has crossed national and international borders.
Pula is a historic tomato-producing area, boasting the De.co. brand, including datterino, ciliegione, cor', and boi varieties. Delicious, like a holiday in Pula.
Nora holds the "Madonna of the Sea" in its depths, celebrated on July 31st with a touching ceremony. Among the underwater wonders are a few remnants of the sunken city, fragments of amphorae, vases, pottery shards, and numerous species of fish. Diving in the waters of Nora Bay reveals a world of starfish, red mullet, white bream, grey mullet, and octopus. Admire it all with a mask and snorkel. Guided snorkeling is organized by the "Laguna di Nora" Environmental Education Center – Cetacean and Sea Turtle Recovery Center. This is an important clinic where loggerhead turtles and other species are admitted and treated.
It is a treasure trove of history and has experienced a period of great splendor. The archaeological site of Nora, the ancient port city built on a coastal plain, is an example of how the Nuragic civilization developed through trade and cultural exchange.
The most important Mediterranean civilizations, such as the Carthaginians and Romans, have left an indelible mark and unique and priceless traces. One of these is the Nora Stele, the oldest epigraphic evidence in the entire western Mediterranean, which records the name Sardinia for the first time. This large strip of land, one of the island's oldest urban centers, has hosted ancient civilizations for millennia. The shape of the coastline provided easy landing places for the vessels of the time along the routes from the East to the Iberian Peninsula and all the way to North Africa. Facing the sea, a well has been discovered that appears to be of Nuragic construction. This discovery would demonstrate that these areas were frequented and known since ancient times. The presence of a lagoon teeming with fish likely also favored human settlement. Today, Nora is a large archaeological park, with its remains unearthed after centuries, well-documented and well-described by the site's tourist guides. Thanks to the Pula Cultura Foundation, a virtual tour is also available with headsets that provide a 3D experience. The tour is accessible to people with disabilities.
Ph Maurizio Casula
The baths, temples, and mosaics appear in all their beauty, testifying to the presence of illustrious figures in Nora, along with their stately residences. The most emblematic structure is the stone jewel, the Roman theater, still the venue for theater and music performances overlooking the sea, with the colors of the sunset. The Night of Poets, Nora Jazz, offers the enchantment of words and music in a setting that never fails to captivate audiences.
On that promontory, there are three watchtowers that guarded against Arab raids. Part of the city and the port are now underwater.
Nora's beach, next to the promontory, is beautiful and very popular. Next to the beach stands a small church dedicated to Sant'Efisio, the soldier saint martyred in Nora.
Surrounded by the cumbessias, it overlooks the sea. Every year, thousands of faithful from all over Sardinia, wearing their colorful and precious robes, accompany the traccas (traditional religious processions) to the sanctuary, escorting the statue of the saint. This is a moment experienced by the people of Pula with intense spirituality and profound participation.
