Page 24 - Off the Tourist Trail - 1000 Unexpected Travel Alternatives (Part 1 of 2)

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ANCIENT AND HISTORICAL SIGHTS

FORGET ROME’S
COLOSSEUM?

THE BUILD-UP American composer Cole
Porter said it all when he said, “You’re the top!
You’re the Colosseum.” Tourists have been
enthusing about the Colosseum since the
18th-century Grand Tour of Europe, which the
English elite had popularized. Even as a partial
ruin, it can still take your breath away.

THE LETDOWN Italy’s most-visited sight is
often crowded and usually has long lines. The
Pula Arena, interior is too precious to host concerts. Your
entire building is a traffic roundabout and the
visit will be even more memorable if you fall
victim to a pickpocket.
Croatia GOING ANYWAY? The Colosseum really is an

extraordinary achievement. It’s best to visit early
in the morning or late in the afternoon when it’s
less crowded. For a good overview, climb to the
gallery tier. To avoid lines for tickets, go to the
vs the Colosseum, Rome Palatine first – a ticket there covers both sights,
so afterwards you can walk straight in.

Rome’s Colosseum, an ancient circus of death and glory, is a symbol of the city, but
across the Adriatic Sea is an equally imposing and magnificent arena in Pula

limestone escarpments of its walls on a balmy
NEED TO KNOW
summer evening, it is hard to imagine the games
LOCATION The Arena of death and gore that were once held here.
is located in the port city 4-07&/*" ;BHSFC
of Pula, on Croatia’s $30"5*" Pula was – and still is – an important port, but
Adriatic Coast the Romans sited the amphitheater just outside ABOVE Heavy traffic on what must be the most spectacular
CAPACITY 16-" the city walls on the Via Flavia, which ran up the roundabout in the world, the Colosseum
23,000 #04/*"
)&3;&(07*/" coast to the ancient Roman city of Aquileia. Today,
DAYTIME
TEMPERATURES 4QMJU it sits in an idyllic location overlooking the harbor.
Jan: 43°F (6°C); Apr: 54°F "ESJBUJD Arena is the Latin word for sand, which covered
(12°C); Jul: 79°F (26°C); 4F B
Oct: 58°F (14°C) %VCSPWOJL the central area – it was useful for soaking up the
blood. Built at the same time as the Colosseum in
the 1st century AD, Pula’s Arena is the sixth largest PRACTICAL INFORMATION
It is generally acknowledged that the Colosseum of the 200 or so amphitheaters that the Romans
Getting There and Around the Verudela Peninsula, Pula’s
is one of the greatest engineering feats of the erected in their centres of power. A particular
Pula has an international airport playground to the south of the
Romans – it was certainly the largest amphitheater feature of this amphitheater is the gutter running
4 miles (6 km) from the city city. A short walk from the Arena
they ever built. Standing inside, seeing the tunnels around the top of its walls that collected rainwater center. The city is not large and is the small Scaletta Hotel (tel.
where wild animals would be prodded into deadly in tanks in four still-standing towers. Perfume was buses are efficient means of +385 52 541 599; www.hotel-
games, and climbing the precipitous tiers of the added to the water, which was then sprayed over transportation. Taxis are scaletta.com). The Hotel Riviera
arena, it is easy to imagine an enormous crowd what must have sometimes been a less-than- available and inexpensive. is also close by (tel. +385 52
There is a regular boat from 211 166).
– shielded by awnings from the heat of the day – fragrant audience. Of a similar elliptical design to
Venice in summer. When to Go
roaring with excitement and disapproval. the Colosseum, but one tier shorter and lacking its
Where to Eat Being a tourist center, Pula is
Visiting the Arena in Pula will evoke much the heavy grandeur, Pula Arena has a much freer,
For cutting-edge dishes in a more crowded in summer. Warm
same feeling, except that here the space is more friendlier appeal. Its original banks of seats have beautiful setting, it’s hard to beat weather makes it pleasant
intimate. Chances are that you may well be among long since been removed – some taken to Venice the award-winning Valsabbion, during Mar–Oct. Check in
a more orderly crowd here, listening to music or to build palazzi – but a newer semi-circle of seats part of a hotel and spa advance for details about the
watching opera or dance because, unlike the rises to grassy banks. As you wander around, the (tel. +385 52 218 033; events held in the Arena.
Colosseum, Croatia’s best-preserved classical audio-tour clamped to your ears, the centuries slip www.valsabbion.hr; closed Jan). Budget per Day for Two
Near the Arena, the Pizzeria US$175 including a visit
monument remains a place of entertainment. As away and you’re transported back in time, but you
Jupiter (tel. +385 52 214 333) is to the Arena, food, and
host to the annual Pula Film Festival that hands out only become fully aware that this was once an
known for its pasta and pizza. accommodations.
the Golden Arena Awards, this amphitheater has extremely violent place when you reach the dark
Where to Stay Website
been described as the most beautiful cinema in cells beneath, where martyrs and animals were Most accommodations are on www.istra.hr
the world. When music echoes around the confined until their final performance.

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