PULA AND NORA
Pula is a town with an ancient agricultural vocation, now a tourist destination, located on the Sulcis coast, some 30 kilometres from Cagliari. The jewel in the town’s crown are the ruins of the city of Nora, an important Phoenician emporium, later a Punic and Roman city, which stands on the coast a short distance from the town.
Besides the ruins of the ancient city, topped by the Spanish tower of Coltellazzo, Nora is famous for its intimate relationship with the cult of Saint Efisio, protector of Sardinia. According to the saint’s hagiography, he was a soldier stationed in the barracks of Nora, and it was here that he suffered martyrdom at the hands of his fellow soldiers. On the site of the alleged martyrdom, not far from the Roman city, stands a beautiful little early Christian church, the final stop of the procession that departs from Cagliari on 1 May and that for 360 years has paid homage to the saint who saved the island from the plague. We also recommend a visit to the Archaeological Museum of Pula, which houses most of the finds from the Punic-Roman city of Nora and, on summer evenings, a tour of the town’s pedestrian area, which is always very lively.
