Cagliari is Sardinia's gateway for most visitors arriving by plane or ferry. The centre is walkable: from the harbour and the arcades of Via Roma you climb to the Castello, the walled quarter built by the Pisans, and wander down into the historic quarters of Marina, Stampace and Villanova. At sunset everyone heads to the Saint Remy bastion or the Santa Croce terrace.
What to see
The cathedral and the Pisan towers of San Pancrazio and Elefante, the Archaeological Museum with the bronze figurines and the Giants of Mont'e Prama, the Roman amphitheatre, the Botanical Garden, the basilica of Bonaria and the Punic-Roman necropolis of Tuvixeddu.
Beaches and nature
The Poetto beach is ten minutes by bus from the centre; the Devil's Saddle headland offers walks above the sea, and the Molentargius park is home to flamingos all year round.
Food
Cagliari is a seafood city: fregola with clams, burrida, spaghetti with bottarga and, in winter, sea urchins. The San Benedetto covered market is one of the largest in Italy.
Cagliari on the map
Where to stay in Cagliari
Tours from Cagliari
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