Fort Punta Christo

Ten minutes north of Pula, on a headland guarding the entrance to the naval base at Uvala Valelunga, sprawls one of the most atmospheric abandoned fortresses on the Adriatic. Fort Punta Christo was built between 1886 and 1904 as the outer keystone of Austro-Hungarian Pola's coastal defences — a five-pointed star of rusticated limestone with gun emplacements, ammunition magazines, cisterns and an underground network of tunnels that still smell of cold stone in July. It was never seriously tested in battle; both world wars passed it by and by 1945 it was already fading into ivy. What saved it from ruin is unexpected: since 2007 it has been the home of Seasplash and Outlook festivals, and the ramparts now double as a wonderfully raw open-air venue for reggae, dub and electronic music. Even outside festival dates you can wander freely across the grassed-over glacis, duck into the empty barracks, and climb to the top for a 360° panorama sweeping from the Brijuni islands to Kamenjak. Bring a torch for the tunnels, sturdy shoes for the rubble, and a bottle of water — there are no facilities on site. Sunset here, with the sea reddening below the ramparts and the pines humming with cicadas, is one of Istria's quietly great free experiences. Combine easily with a swim at Puntižela beach a five-minute walk downhill.