Marina Polesana in Pula: arrival, harbour information and sailing destinations

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Marina Polesana lies on the northern shore of Pula Bay, right in the south of Istria, between the Monumenti peninsula and the islet of Katarina. Here you can read how to get to the marina from the airport and by car or train, where to park and shop, what wind to expect, which sailing destinations are nearby and what skippers should bear in mind when entering.

Where is Marina Polesana?

Marina Polesana lies in Mulimenti Bay on the northern shore of Pula harbour, northwest of the islet of Andrija, in the basin between the mainland and Katarina. A bridge connects Katarina to the mainland. From the four floating pontoons you look across the water towards the town and the Arena.

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It's around 1.8 kilometres as the crow flies southeast to Pula's old town, though by land you drive around the bay. The site is steeped in history: Pula was the main naval base of the Austro-Hungarian Navy; the installations on Katarina and Monumenti are protected as cultural heritage. Until a few years before opening, the military used the site. Some old buildings on Katarina and on the mainland have now been converted and house the marina's facilities.

To distinguish it: ACI Marina Pula lies in the city harbour in front of the old town, around 1.7 kilometres to the east on the other shore. Marina Veruda lies in its own bay on the southern edge of the town; we present it in the harbour profile of Marina Veruda . For a taxi, say "Marina Polesana" or the address Vallelunga 90.

Arriving at Marina Polesana for trip departure

The following sections accompany you from the airport to the pontoon.

From Pula Airport to the marina

Pula Airport is about 8 kilometres as the crow flies east of the marina. The easiest option is a taxi; licensed taxis wait at the airport exit.

The airport shuttle bus goes to Pula bus station. It departs about 30 minutes after a landing, stops at platform 16 of the bus station and only runs on days with flights; the fare is 6 euros (as of November 2026). From the bus station it is still around 2.4 kilometres as the crow flies to the marina, and you cover the last stretch by taxi.

The nearest major airports are considerably further away: Rijeka about 135 kilometres from Pula, Trieste about 165, Ljubljana about 220 and Zagreb about 270 kilometres.

By car or train

There are two road routes to Pula: from Trieste via Koper and Buje down the west coast of Istria, or from Rijeka through the Učka Tunnel and via Pazin. In the city, follow the northern shore of the bay; the marina is on Vallelunga road.

Pula can only be reached by train with changes. The railway station is at Kolodvorska 5; for the last stretch to the marina you take a taxi.

Parking

About 400 metres south of the pontoons and about 500 metres northwest there are two car parks.

The marina has its own car park. A car costs 1.50 euros per hour, 10 euros per day or 60 euros per week there, and a day ticket for the Garage Monumenti costs 30 euros (as of the price list April 2026 to March 2027). Parking is only permitted in the marked spaces.

Showers and sanitary facilities

The marina has sanitary facilities with showers and a self-service laundry.

Shopping for the trip

For essentials there is a small supermarket in the marina and a chandlery. The nearest supermarket outside, a Studenac, is about 1.5 kilometres as the crow flies to the northwest; a Lovorka market is about 1.8 kilometres in the same direction.

The large supermarkets are on the south shore and in the town centre; for these you need a car or taxi. The nearest is the Max City shopping centre at Ulica Stoja 14 with a Plodine supermarket, about 2 kilometres as the crow flies to the south, round the bay by road. There is also an Interspar with car park in the City Mall shopping centre at Rimske centurijacije 101.

Doctor, pharmacy and emergency services

The nearest pharmacy, Ljekarna Forum, is about 1.8 kilometres as the crow flies to the southeast in the old town. The Centar pharmacy at Giardini 14 is open around the clock. Pula General Hospital at Santoriova 24A, about 3 kilometres as the crow flies away, has an accident and emergency department. The stations of the Istria County Institute for Emergency Medicine are staffed round the clock.

• 112: general emergency number, free from all networks
• 194: ambulance, 192: police, 193: fire brigade
• 195: sea rescue, the coastguard coordination centre MRCC Rijeka; at sea you can also reach them on VHF channel 16

What does Marina Polesana offer?

As things currently stand (November 2026), Marina Polesana has around 400 berths in the water and 42 places on land. The key details at a glance:

Feature	Details
Location	Mulimenti Bay, north shore of Pula harbour, northwest of the islet Andrija
Address	Vallelunga 90, 52100 Pula
Berths	around 400 in the water, 42 on land
Opened	April 2022
Phone	+385 52 378 400, mobile +385 99 801 4440
VHF channel	17
Berthing fee	Day berth up to 12.99 m €82, catamarans +80% (as of the price list April 2026 to March 2027)
Power	16 to 250 A depending on boat size
Crane	Mobile crane 200 t, self-propelled boat transporter 100 t
Airport	approx. 8 km as the crow flies

Equipment

The marina has a reception, sanitary facilities, a self-service laundry, a small supermarket, a chandlery, and a café and a restaurant. Since summer 2023 the marina has had a mobile boat crane for boats of up to 200 tonnes, and a yacht service takes care of maintenance and repairs. All berths have a power connection, from 16 to 250 amps depending on boat size, and there is also Wi-Fi and an e-bike rental service. The marina's restaurant is located on the small island of Katarina. In 2022 the marina was the first completed part of a larger project on Katarina and Monumenti, and the Hotel Monumenti is now also open on Cape Monumenti.

What sailing weather can you expect at Marina Polesana?

In summer the Maestral, a moderate, steady wind from northwest to west, usually blows along the Istrian coast in fine weather. From autumn to spring the Bora and Jugo play the greater role.

The Bora falls cold and very gusty from the northeast off the mainland. The Jugo blows from the southeast, brings cloud, rain and heavy seas, and the marina basin is open to it. Both winds matter most when you want to sail from Pula across the Kvarner to Unije or Lošinj.

The Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service DHMZ issues wind and storm warnings in yellow, orange and red levels.

Which sailing destinations lie near Marina Polesana?

From Marina Polesana you are out of Pula harbour in a few minutes. Northwards you sail to the Brijuni Islands and along the west coast of Istria; southwards round Cape Kamenjak and on across the Kvarner to the islands of Unije and Lošinj. Distances are approximate over-water routes on the usual course from the marina; for exact planning the chart applies.

• Brijuni Islands: about 3.5 nm northwest, right off the entrance to Pula harbour. The islands are a national park. You enter its waters only to berth in the harbour Veliki Brijun or to anchor in the designated zone off it. VHF channel 9 applies for the harbour, and in addition to the berthing fee the national park entrance fee is payable.
• Cape Kamenjak: about 11 nm south, along the coast. The southern tip of Istria and the offshore Medulin Archipelago are protected as a nature reserve.
• Rovinj: around 17 nautical miles north along the west coast, passing the Brijuni Islands on the outside. Those sailing further north reach Vrsar, more on that in the harbour profile of Marina Vrsar.
• Pomer and Medulin: around 17 nautical miles, round Cape Kamenjak into Medulin Bay.
• Unije: around 27 nautical miles south-east across the Kvarner, a stopover on the way to Lošinj.
• Mali Lošinj: around 39 nautical miles, a long day's passage across the Kvarner and past Unije.

For the first day after the trip starts, the Brijuni Islands are a good choice because the passage is short. For a week, a loop to the south via Kamenjak, Unije and Lošinj or to the north via Rovinj works well.

What can you do on a harbour day in Pula?

Pula has a compact old town full of Roman buildings; it lies diagonally opposite the marina on the south-east shore of the bay. You can take a taxi into the centre around the harbour basin.

• Arena: You have a view of the 1st-century amphitheatre from the pontoons across the bay. The outer wall rises to a good 32 metres; in the summer months musicians perform there and the Pula Film Festival shows its films under the open sky.
• Forum and Temple of Augustus: On the Forum, the old main square of the old town, stands the Temple of the goddess Roma and of the Emperor Augustus. Inside, an exhibition displays Roman portrait sculptures; from December to March it is closed.
• Brijuni Islands: You can reach the national park even without your own boat, with the national park's boat from Fažana north of Pula; the crossing takes about 15 minutes. You buy tickets beforehand at the national park office in Fažana or online.

For skippers: Berthing and sea weather at Marina Polesana

You can reach Marina Polesana on VHF channel 17. In Croatian waters, channel 16 is the distress and calling channel.

Registration and Berthing

Announce your arrival by phone on +385 52 378 400 or +385 99 801 4440 or via VHF channel 17, and the marina will assign you a berth. The berths are on four floating pontoons. After mooring, report to reception straight away, with ID, boat papers and crew list.

Those arriving in Croatia with a yacht pay the maritime safety fee once for the current calendar year, plus tourist tax for everyone spending the night on board.

A day berth costs 69 euros for a yacht up to 11.99 metres, 82 euros up to 12.99 metres, 90 euros up to 13.99 metres and 98 euros up to 14.99 metres; catamarans and trimarans pay 80 per cent more (as of the price list April 2026 to March 2027, including 25 per cent VAT). Showers and sanitary facilities, the usual electricity (16 amps) and water consumption, and Wi-Fi are included. If you arrive between 7 a.m. and midnight, you can stay until 2 p.m. the following day; for a stay of under four hours you pay half.

Harbour rules and rules off the coast

• Off the Croatian coast you travel at most 5 knots up to 150 metres from shore, and at most 8 knots between 150 and 300 metres.
• You keep at least 50 metres' distance from marked bathing areas, and at least 150 metres from natural bathing beaches.
• You enter the waters of the Brijuni National Park only to moor in the harbour at Veliki Brijun or to anchor in the designated zone in front of it.
• In Marina Polesana the speed limit is 3 knots at most; anchoring is prohibited there, as are swimming, diving and fishing.
• Quiet hours apply in the marina from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.
• Electricity and water remain connected only whilst someone from the crew is on board.

Approach

You enter the harbour of Pula from seaward and then head east to Mulimenti Bay north-west of the islet Andrija. The passage between the islets Katarina and Andrija is marked with two pairs of lit towers: red towers on the north-west side, green on the south-east side.

In the marina the head of the southern floating pontoon carries a light on a red post, the head of the northern one a light on a green post, and at the western pontoon stands a green post. At the south end of the bridge between the mainland and Katarina stands a yellow light. The marina is open to wind from east through south to west, including the jugo.

Which sea weather forecast applies to Marina Polesana?

The authoritative source is the marine weather forecast from the Croatian weather service DHMZ, which the Split marine weather centre produces for the whole Adriatic. It is available on the Meteorological Service website, also in English and German, and is broadcast on VHF.

Following warnings and the weather situation, the report gives wind, sea state and visibility for the next twelve hours, then an outlook for the twelve hours after that. On VHF you hear it from the coast radio station Rijeka Radio, four times a day at 05:30, 12:30, 19:30 and 00:30 UTC in English and Croatian, on channels 04, 19, 20, 23, 24, 81 and 85. In summer time that corresponds to 07:30, 14:30, 21:30 and 02:30 local time.

Trips from Marina Polesana on Törnfinder

In November 2026 there are 8 trip dates on Törnfinder from 2 providers with departure or destination at Marina Polesana.

All current offers can be found in the trip overview, trips throughout the country under Sailing in Croatia and trips in the wider sailing area under Sailing in the Adriatic.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get from Pula Airport to Marina Polesana?

Most easily by taxi; the marina lies around 8 kilometres as the crow flies west of the airport. The airport shuttle bus only goes as far as Pula bus station, from where it is still around 2.4 kilometres.

Where do I park at the trip start at Marina Polesana?

In the marina car park, where a car costs 10 euros per day or 60 euros per week (as of the price list April 2026 to March 2027). Two more car parks are located around 400 metres to the south and around 500 metres to the northwest of the pontoons.

Are there showers at Marina Polesana?

Yes, the marina has sanitary facilities with showers and a self-service laundry.

Is there a supermarket near Marina Polesana?

Yes, a small supermarket right in the marina. The nearest larger shop, a Studenac, is around 1.5 kilometres away; for a big shop you drive into town.

Is Marina Polesana the same as ACI Marina Pula?

No. Marina Polesana is on the north shore of the bay at Monumenti; ACI Marina Pula is in the city harbour in front of the old town, around 1.7 kilometres further east.

How far is it from Marina Polesana to the Brijuni Islands?

Around 3.5 nautical miles by water. In the national park you moor in Veliki Brijun harbour or anchor in the designated zone in front of it and pay an entrance fee.

Which VHF channel does Marina Polesana use?

Channel 17. You can announce your arrival on this channel or by phone on +385 52 378 400.

How much does a berth in Marina Polesana cost?

A day berth for a yacht up to 12.99 metres costs 82 euros and up to 14.99 metres 98 euros; catamarans pay 80 per cent more (as of the price list April 2026 to March 2027). Showers, electricity up to 16 amps, water and Wi-Fi are included.