A short trip out of Pula takes you to the acclaimed Brijuni National Park. This archipelago of islands has long been noted for its outstanding natural beauty and are edged with turquoise waters rich in sea life. A favourite haunt of visiting heads of state and the summer residence of Marshal Tito, from 1949 until his death in 1980, the islands can be reached by boat from Fažana, a village 5km from Pula, which is easily accessible by bus.

Taking the loose surface road to the area of Agioi Saranta or one of the nature trails, one comes across the picturesque chapel of Agioi Saranta. Its existence is betrayed by the stone-built canopy on the wild rocks, as the chapel is set in an intact cave. The forty stalactites of the cave are what encouraged a devout Christian to turn it into a place of pilgrimage. Apart from the pilgrimage, visitors can enjoy the wonderful scenery that surrounds the chapel.

High mountains and deep valleys frame Valldemossa, the village where the island's first two 'celebrity tourists', composer Frederic Chopin and author George Sand, lived in 1838. Once here, make sure to visit the village's main attraction: The Carthusian Monastery of Valldemossa. Originally built as a royal palace in 1309 and later converted into a monastery of the Carthusian order, the Carthusian Monastery of Valldemossa is an impressive complex that houses a palace, a church, an old pharmacy, an art collection of some of the greatest modern Spanish and local artists, and the cells where the monks lived for 400 years to find peace and rest. Each cell has its own exit to the garden terrace with blossoming magnolias and a wonderful view over the valley.