Pula is famous for its ancient Roman buildings: the Temple of Augustus, the Arch of the Sergii, and, most famously, the Pula Arena, one of the best preserved ancient Roman amphitheaters. These structures are truly remarkable. But, in the spirit of this blog, I mention them only briefly, because even without them there is a lot to see in the largest town of Istria. So, instead, we will learn about Venetian, Habsburg, and Italian rule, and trace the impressions they left on Pula’s streets.

This is a perfect day trip from Görlitz: buy a day train ticket for Saxony and explore the historic region of Oberlausitz at your own pace. We will explore three very different cities, cross the border, visit an abbey, walk on the medieval city wall and much more.

A visit to the second-largest city of Brandenburg. Lower Sorbian language, plaques to the working class, French Huguenots, contemporary architecture and Jugendstil.