I've seen this place only once, and this was 20 years ago. I don't really remember that visit. This is the first time I came here in my adult life and took the place in. It's amazing a structure like this ever existed and is still standing. I don't know if I'd categorize this as an amphitheater as there's an amphitheater few minutes walking that is definitely an amphitheater, but the arena is definitely something to behold. There's even a basement exhibit showing off the olive oil production and various amphorae they used that were dug up, and the gift shop has an amazing selection as well. If you're in Pula this is a must-see.

Enjoyed sightseeing the Amazing Amphitheatre in Pula which is rather complete and one of the oldest antiquity in Croatia. It is rather impressive standing out there, amidst such an old and historical structure. Our tour group got to Pula from Rijeka. Go downstairs for some exhibits, and take the stairs on either side, to reach the top of the spectator stands for a better view and photograph.

The town's main attraction is this well-preserved Roman arena. Although Pula is not as picture-perfect as Dubrovnik, or as charming as Rovinj as it is a shipbuilding town, it is becoming more touristy as the shipbuilding industry is declining. This was evident as it took us about an hour to find parking, but when we did it was perfect, right in front of the Amphitheatre. Originally this was a small amphitheatre built here by Claudius, and it was enlarged by Vespasian in 79AD for gladiator fights. Imagine when it could hold 23,000 spectators and had 20 entrances. Shows of every kind were performed, including naval battles. The amphitheatre was built just outside town, and near the sea. It was built into the incline of a hill which made sense as it saved on the amount of stone needed. It remained intact until the 15th century when some of the stones were used to construct other buildings in the city. It has been renovated and restored during the past centuries; however, restorations did not meet the exacting standards set by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre/Fund and any funding to maintain the arena must be met privately. Hence, recently it has become a venue for concerts. Unfortunately, the music concerts cause further damage to the fragile infrastructure. The main floor of the arena is elliptical in shape and was originally framed by iron railings to separate spectators from the performance. Visitors are free to explore, climbing up the seats as you like. Under the arena, which one can visit, there were underground corridors that were once used by the gladiators and held cages for animals. Now regular exhibitions of viticulture and olive growing in ancient times are presented. I found it to be surprisingly interesting. You can see most of the arena from outside so one can save the entrance fee of 10 Euro/person and just walk around. But if you plan to go inside, bring a good guide book as information was sparse. We enjoyed our visit.

A very warm evening, we stopped here before dinner. A sound check within the arena for a fine female singer was a treat. Sun setting visible through the arches. Quite an amazing place when you consider it’s history. Well worth a visit when it’s not too busy.

Amazing place! I had the honor of visiting the amphitheater for a screening of the Pula film festival, more specifically the opening. I didn't even know about the festival when I booked my plane tickets and it was nice coincidence. The tickets costed only 5 euro. It was a beautiful ceremony. Quite long but it is once in a lifetime. I recommend anyone who is in Pula during the festival days to check out the programme and attend one night at the Arena. There are subtitles in English. And you can bring your own drinks or food.

Admittedly, I wasn't very knowledgeable about Roman amphitheaters before we went on this trip. Seeing the Colosseum in Rome has, and continues to be on my bucket list, but I was unaware that quite a few of these amphitheaters still exist elsewhere. And not only do they exist, but several of them are in much better shape than the one in Rome. The amphitheater in Pula is in surprisingly good condition both for its age, and the fact that it sits on the water. While I'm sure there have been renovations and preservation efforts over the years, I was still surprised to see how intact it still is. Its definitely something worth seeing. We actually didn't go inside. We choose to walk around it from the outside and I feel like we still got a good sense of the place from doing that. There are plenty of places where you can still see the entirety of the interior space. I enjoyed looking at all the details and trying to get a sense of what it would have been like 2000 years ago. For me personally, this was the first piece of the Roman Empire that I had ever seen in person, and in my opinion, its something worth going out of your way to see.

Nice view, interesting history, great photo opportunities. But sadly no tour guide despite relatively high entrance costs. Also they were setting the stage for a band to play the following evenings, it completely destroyed the view and scenery.

we went to Pula because of the historical monuments, of which the amphitheater is the greatest. we knew there were concerts sometimes, but discovered the Gladiator show, and it was happening in two days. and it was great and worth it. it was not only a show but also explained how it really worked, what types of gladiators were fighting, and information from the background. after the show, all the guys stayed and were available for pictures, which especially the kids really appreciated.

We checked online and doors opened at 8 am, so we arrived around 8:30 am. We had the whole place to ourselves for almost an hour-which was just when we were leaving. Admission was 10€/ person which I hope helps to preserve the facility. Below there is a bit of a museum focusing mainly on olive oil trade. Other events getting set up during our visit.

Some folks might tell you that you don't NEED to pay the €10 per person to get in here and walk around what basically amounts to a large, open, relatively empty space for an hour, tops. They might say you can see everything just FINE from the outside. Me? I say unless you live here, or visit Croatia on a yearly basis, you should stop being so cheap, buy your ticket, and enjoy your tour. I've never visited Rome and have never laid eyes upon the Colosseum there. So to me, this amphitheater was a real treat. It's well preserved but bears the unmistakable feel of having been there for many centuries. Be sure to stop at many points as you walk along and try to envision what it must've been like back in Roman times when it was new and packed with throngs of cheering spectators. Stand directly in the middle of the arena and take a 360-degree panoramic shot with your camera / phone. Let your imagination run wild and soak up the history of this remarkable place.