Cagliari

Sardinia in a Nutshell

The Sardinian capital, Cagliari has a historic old town, busy port and one of the island’s best beaches. The sweeping stretch of sand at Poetto has great summer nightlife, and just inland is Molentargius lagoon, where flamingos nest against the backdrop of the city.

Cagliari is spread over a small hill and the oldest part – Quartiere Castello – lies at the top. There are far-reaching views from Bastion San Remy, its main entrance point. Medieval city walls lead from here to the simple cathedral, and nearby is the 18th-century Palazzo Regio.

By one of the original city gates is the National Archaeological Museum, housing a collection of Phoenician and Roman artifacts from the city’s Tuvixeddu Necropolis. There are also displays of the nuraghic civilization whose former dwellings pepper Sardinia. The most impressive is Su Nuraxi north of Cagliari.

Just outside the walls are remains of a Roman amphitheater, next to the university botanical gardens. Orange tree-lined streets descend the hill towards the seafront where restaurants and bars can be found. Cagliari FC play at Sant’Elia Stadium along the coast and opposite is the Sardinia International Fair, an important conference venue.

Booking.com’s Cagliari accommodations includes luxury hotels with pools, B&Bs by the train station and cheap guesthouses near Elmas Airport.