One route, no options — Pula's Roman heart on the first free morning, then the greatest hits and the quiet detours folded together: Brijuni by boat, a truffle hunt in the hills, Rovinj and the Lim Fjord, and the overlooked east.
Each chart is centred on the Park Plaza Histria on the Verudela peninsula (the brass anchor), with the day's loop dashed out and back. Numbered stops follow the driving order; olive-green pins are the vegetarian food stops. Monday the 7th is deliberately short — everything wraps by 15:00.
Mon · Sep 7
Pula: the Arena & the old town
The Roman city on foot, on the first free morning — everything wrapped by 15:00.
on foot≈ 3 km in town
In-town walk · old PulaHotel 10 min away by carall stops within 1 km
- 1
Pula Arena go early
One of the six largest Roman amphitheatres still standing, and the best-preserved of them all — the "colosseum" the whole trip orbits. Arrive when it opens for soft light and no crowds; the underground galleries hold the amphora exhibition.
44.8730° N · 13.8500° E
- 2
Kandlerova street → the Forum
The old main street winds from the Arena past the cathedral to the Forum square, where the Temple of Augustus has stood since the year 2 BC. Step inside — it's a tiny museum now.
44.8697° N · 13.8425° E
- 3
Arch of the Sergii & Sergijevaca
The triumphal arch at the far gate, with James Joyce in bronze at the café beside it (he taught English here, and hated it). The shopping lane back is Pula's living room.
44.8687° N · 13.8464° E
- 4
Istrian Olive Oil Museum olive oil · veg
A small museum plus a guided "gold" tasting flight, two minutes from the Forum — it opens the oil thread that runs through the rest of the trip.
44.8719° N · 13.8490° E
- 5
Lunch on the Forum by 13:30
Pick a terrace on the square — most have a proper vegetarian pasta or fritaja. Sit facing the temple, order slowly, and still be done with time to spare before 15:00.
44.8696° N · 13.8422° E
The 15:00 line: the plan above fits comfortably in a relaxed morning — Arena at opening, old town before the day heats up, long lunch, free by three.
Tue Sep 8 – Thu Sep 10 · working daysNo plan, on purpose. Evenings are still Istria: the Verudela promenade below the hotel, a swim off the hotel beaches, the riva in town — and the Arena lit up at night is worth one lap, ten minutes away.
Fri · Sep 11
Brijuni by boat & Cape Kamenjak
Tito's island menagerie in the morning, a wild-cape swim in the afternoon.
≈ 55 kmdriving + NP boat
Fažana · Brijuni · south capePark Plaza Histriastops
- 1
Fažana boat · book ahead
A 15-minute drive up the coast. The official National Park excursion boat leaves from the little harbour here — book the morning departure in advance; independent day tickets sell out.
44.9276° N · 13.8046° E
- 2
Brijuni National Park ≈ 4 hrs
Veliki Brijun by tourist train: the Roman villa in Verige Bay, the safari park with Tito's gifted animals, dinosaur footprints, and the Tito exhibition. Strange and lovely — this is Brijuni's slot in the trip, no separate excursion needed.
44.9126° N · 13.7628° E
- 3
Cape Kamenjak
Back past Pula to the wild protected cape — clear coves, cliffs, swimmable September water. Rent a kayak or just find a cove and stay put. Small car entry fee.
44.7749° N · 13.9101° E
- 4
Bambo dinner · veg
Warm family bistro on the Verudela side — genuine vegetarian options (lentil soup, risotto), and a five-minute walk from the hotel. Book; it's small.
44.8447° N · 13.8330° E
Why Friday: the island is noticeably quieter before the weekend crowd arrives, so this is the best day of the trip for it. Still take the earliest Fažana boat you can get — back on the mainland by early afternoon leaves three good beach hours at Kamenjak before dinner.
Sat · Sep 12
Truffle hunt & the hill towns
The single best day — and, happily, all vegetarian.
≈ 160 kmloop from Verudela
Interior loop · northPark Plaza Histriastops
- 1
Karlić Tartufi — truffle hunt experience · veg
Into the forest with the dogs, dig your own, then a cooked lunch built around them. Flag vegetarian when you book — the truffle pasta, omelette and cheese are naturally meat-free.
45.3460° N · 13.9340° E
- 2
Motovun
Medieval walled town on a hilltop, ringed by vineyards and truffle forest. Walk the ramparts.
45.3365° N · 13.8285° E
- 3
Konoba Mondo option · veg
In Motovun — truffle pasta & gnocchi, fresh bread with olive oil. Skip the hunt-lunch and eat here if preferred.
45.3372° N · 13.8293° E
- 4
Ipša olive oil
Hilltop estate near Livade doing oil + wine with a view — folds right into the day's route.
45.3681° N · 13.8492° E
- 5
Grožnjan
Tiny artists' village of galleries and quiet lanes — lovely at sunset before the drive back.
45.3796° N · 13.7226° E
Vegetarian tip: Istrian maneštra (bean soup) is often made with pork — ask first. Fritaja (omelette with truffles or wild herbs) is a reliable, delicious fallback almost everywhere.
Sun · Sep 13
Bale, Rovinj & the Lim Fjord
The classic coast — with one quiet town nobody else stops in.
≈ 100 kmloop from Verudela
Coastal loop · north-westPark Plaza Histriastops
- 1
Bale (Valle) detour
A tiny walled town of white stone with almost no crowds — 15 quiet minutes most itineraries skip. Duck into the Soardo-Bembo palace.
45.0412° N · 13.7864° E
- 2
Rovinj old town
Pastel houses into the sea, lanes climbing to St. Euphemia, galleries. Wander, don't rush — this is Rovinj's slot in the trip, so give it the whole middle of the day.
45.0825° N · 13.6325° E
- 3
Konoba Rovignese lunch · veg
Just outside town; reliably good vegetarian and vegan options rather than a token side plate.
45.0663° N · 13.6695° E
- 4
MARE / OPG Polari olive oil
Two family estates on Rovinj's edge doing oil + wine tastings with homemade cheese boards. Book ahead.
45.0686° N · 13.6642° E
- 5
Lim Fjord
Viewpoints and an optional boat ride on the way back — keep it for the scenery. Sunset back in Rovinj, then home to Verudela.
45.1310° N · 13.6990° E
Mon · Sep 14
The overlooked east
Ancient ruins, a family oil press, goats — and an artists' town on the sea.
≈ 125 kmloop from Verudela
Eastern loop · Marčana & LabinPark Plaza Histriastops
- 1
Nesactium (Nezakcij) ruins
The ancient hilltop capital of the Histri — the tribe Rome conquered to take Istria. Barely signposted; often just you and the site host. The prologue to the Arena you saw on day one.
44.9168° N · 13.9692° E
- 2
OPG Jurica Martinčić olive oil
A tiny family oil producer in Marčana — small and personal, right on the way to the farm.
44.9155° N · 13.9251° E
- 3
Kumparička Goat Farm lunch · veg
Meet the goats, then a garden-to-table cheese tasting and lunch. The vegetarian heart of the trip — and Monday works, since it closes Tuesdays.
44.9623° N · 13.9994° E
- 4
Labin
A former coal-mining hilltop old town turned bohemian — little galleries, studios, sweeping Kvarner views, no tour buses.
45.0861° N · 14.1239° E
- 5
Rabac
The beach directly below Labin — one last Adriatic swim before the drive home.
45.0776° N · 14.1560° E
Last evening: be back early enough to return the rental car in Pula tonight and pack — the boat leaves at 07:00 tomorrow, and it's foot passengers only.
Tue · Sep 15 — the finish
Cross to Venice by sea, then the 15:00 flight to Dubai
The foot-passenger fast catamaran leaves Pula's customs pier at 07:00 — Tuesday is one of its September sailing days — and crosses the Adriatic to San Basilio in about 3.5 hours, putting you in Venice around 10:30–11:00. From San Basilio it's roughly 30 minutes by taxi (or vaporetto to Piazzale Roma and the airport bus) to Marco Polo, so you're at the airport before 12:00 — a full three hours ahead of the 15:00 flight to Dubai. Book the sailing as soon as the dates are locked and reconfirm the timetable; if the Tuesday boat is ever cancelled or the margin feels thin, a private road transfer leaving Pula by 07:30 also reaches Marco Polo comfortably before noon (≈ 4 hrs by road).
07:00 boat, Pula customs pier≈ 10:30 San Basilio, Venice< 12:00 at Marco Polo15:00 flight to DubaiFoot passengers only — return the car Monday evening