Nora is located on a promontory, the Cape of Pula, separated from the mainland by an isthmus that extends into two points: a O Sa Punta 'e Su Coloru (the tip of the snake), a E la Punta del Coltellazzo, in front of the homonymous island. The area is dominated by the Spanish Coltellazzo tower, in a position of great landscape value.
The visit to Nora Romana begins with its most famous and significant monument: the theater. It could accommodate 1100/1200 spectators and had: three 'vomitoria'; 'porticus post scaenam' on the eastern side; 'cavea', consisting of ten rows of steps for the public; two small stands, accessible from the 'porticus post scaenam' through two stone ladders; 'frons scenae'. Two large jars, found in the hyposcene, were interpreted as resonators to amplify the actors' voices, but recently a new hypothesis has been put forward: at a late stage, the building would have changed its function and the jars would have become containers for food.
Continue towards O, along the road that cuts the promontory in two, which preserves the sewer pipe with a donkey's back cover in bricks. The remains of the so-called “central baths” (II-III century AD) are visible above. The building is not easily readable due to its poor state of conservation and repeated renovations. Perhaps we can identify an 'apodyterium' (dressing room); the 'frigidarium' (cold bath room); the 'calidarium' (heated room), the 'tepidarium' (room heated to medium temperature); the 'praefurnia' (rooms and ovens for heating).
Next to the “central baths” there is a district of Punic houses reused in Roman times.
Further on, after passing a small square with the water tank that fed a public source, you can see the “macellum”, from the first half of the third century AD. It is a complex of rooms that occupied an entire block overlooking two streets in S and O, with an entrance on street E. The fulcrum of the building was a large rectangular central courtyard. On the N/E side there is a long corridor that overlooks eight rooms. Inside the corridor there is a well and a tank. The complex is interpreted as' hospitium 'or as 'macellum-horreum'.
N of the “macellum”, continuing on road O, there are the “small baths” on the fourth century AD. The structure was accessible through a small staircase. Soon after, there is a long mosaic corridor with geometric patterns, where numerous wells open up. Along the wall there is a mosaic counter that extends into the next compartment, with the function of an “apodyterium”. The 'frigidarium', the 'calidarium', the 'praefurnium', the 'tepidary' are also preserved.
In front of the “macellum”, on the opposite side of road E, is the basilica, from the second half of the third century AD. The building is divided into three naves, the central of which is an apsidic. It is preceded to E by a narthex. The roof was trussed, with a double slope.
To the S of the 'macellum', on the opposite side of the S road, is the impressive complex of the 'seaside baths', dating back to the 2nd century AD. It has arcaded sides, warm rooms and a large 'frigidarium' with two pools.
Returning to the small square with the tank and taking the road to S, the “cardo maximus”, you can see on the D. the “house of the tetrastile atrium”, from the beginning of the third century AD. It has a porched façade and a small courtyard with a central pool and a small cockpit. It was accessible from the outside through a corridor through a small channel. A series of mosaic rooms surround the court: a 'cubiculum' has an 'emblem' with a female figure and a marine animal, from the first half of the third century AD. The building was probably equipped with an upper floor accessible through a small staircase.
On the S side of the house you can see the remains of the sanctuary of Eshmun-Asculapio: at the incubation rite, typical of this deity, there are in fact the figurines of sleepers from the second century BC returned by the excavations of the building.

History of excavations
The first interventions, in 1889, concerned the tofet, while in the following years the Punic and Roman necropolises and small parts of the town were excavated. After other modest interventions, between 1952 and 1960, Gennaro Pesce highlighted a large part of the Roman town. Since 1990, the site has been affected by continuous systematic excavations by a group of universities.

Bibliography
P. Meloni, Roman Sardinia, Sassari, Chiarella, 1990;
S. Angiolillo, The Art of Roman Sardinia, Milan, Jaca Book, 1998;
Research on Nora - I (years 1990-1998), edited by C. Tronchetti, Cagliari, Saines, 2000;
Research on Nora - II (years 1990-1998), edited by C. Tronchetti, Cagliari, Sainas, s.d.; C. Tronchetti, Nora.
Sassari, C. Delfino, 2001 (Archaeological Sardinia. Guides and itineraries; 1);
Nora, C. Savi area 1996-1999, edited by B.M. Giannattasio, Genoa, Brigati, 2003;
A. Mastino, History of ancient Sardinia, Nuoro, Il Maestrale, 2005.

How to get there
From Cagliari, follow the SS 195 to Teulada up to km 27, where you turn toward Pula. After crossing the town and taking Via Nora, you arrive at the archaeological area after 3 km.