Croatia: Rome on the roam

At a glance you may have clocked this as the Colosseum, but look more closely and you¹ll notice subtle differences.

This smaller look-a-like amphitheatre is actually in Pula, Croatia and was built in the 1st century AD when the city was the regional Roman HQ.

Although you can no longer hear the roar of wild animals and the cries of dying gladiators, this arena is still very much in use, as a theatre for plays, rock concerts and even the city¹s film festival.

I stopped off in Pula for the day on a cruise with Hebridean Spirit. The 'From Istria to Italy'programme gave us a real taste of some of the less obvious Balkan destinations, including Pula, Rab and Rovinj in Croatia and Koper in Slovenia before moving on to Venice and Trieste.

By Joanna Booth