With direct flights from London direct to Pula, summer is the perfect time to discover the Istria peninsula in northern Croatia. Istria is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea – just a short journey across the water from Venice in northern Italy.
The name of this region is derived from the Histri tribe – one of the Illyrian tribes that inhabited the Balkans and parts of the Italian peninsula around the 4th century BC.
The Romans described the Histri as pirates, and eventually conquered them in 177 BC. The most obvious legacy left by the Romans is the massive amphitheatre in Pula – one of the largest Roman arenas still standing – but there are a wealth of archaeological points of interest to explore in this region.
Following the fall of the Roman Empire, this region repeatedly changed hands as the fortunes of the various powers waxed and waned – the Goths, the Avars, the Lombardis, and the Venetians to name a few. In more recent times, Istria has been controlled by the Habsburgs of Austria, Napoleon, and the fascist Italian government of the 1920s.
By Gareth – Full Story at Gay Star News
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