Cagliari · Casteddu/Cagliari

The old Castello quarter sits enthroned on a limestone hill, the Gulf of Angels glitters below, and pink flamingos wade in the lagoons on the edge of town: Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia, blends city and nature like almost nowhere else. A vacation in Cagliari easily divides between museums, markets, and a five-mile-long sandy beach.

Phoenicians, Pisans, Piedmontese

Phoenicians and Carthaginians founded the port of Karalis, followed later by the Romans, whose amphitheater can still be seen on the hillside. In the 13th century the Pisans fortified the Castello with mighty towers, and for centuries afterward the Aragonese and Spanish ruled. From 1720 on, Sardinia belonged to the House of Savoy. These different eras have shaped four historic quarters: Castello, Marina, Stampace, and Villanova.

Sights in Cagliari

From the Bastione di Saint Remy, a monumental terrace from the early 20th century, you look out over rooftops, the harbor, and the lagoons. In the Castello you'll find Santa Maria Cathedral with its Baroque interior and the Pisan towers Torre dell'Elefante and Torre di San Pancrazio. The Cittadella dei Musei brings together several collections, including the National Archaeological Museum with its bronze figurines from the Nuragic culture and some of the enigmatic giants of Mont'e Prama. Down in the Marina, the former merchants' and fishermen's quarter, trattorias line up one after another, and on Via Roma, arcade cafés with views of the harbor invite you to linger.

Poetto and Molentargius

The city beach Poetto stretches east from the rocky headland Sella del Diavolo, the "Devil's Saddle." Fine sand, shallow water, and beach bars make it the city's summer meeting place, and buses run regularly from the center. Just behind it lies the Molentargius salt pan nature reserve, where flamingos live and breed year-round; the area is easy to explore on foot or by bike. A lovely spot for sunset is the hill of Calamosca, with views over the gulf.

Eating and Going Out

Cagliari's cuisine is shaped by the sea: fregola with clams, spaghetti with bottarga (dried mullet roe), and fresh grilled fish. Add to that Sardinian classics such as culurgiones, filled dumplings, and pane carasau. The Mercato di San Benedetto is one of the largest market halls in Italy, with an entire floor devoted to fish. In the evening, people gather in the Marina and in Stampace or on the steps of the Bastione. A Vermentino or a Cannonau pairs well with the food.

Getting Around and Best Time to Visit

Elmas Airport lies only a few miles northwest and is connected to the center by train, and ferries link the harbor with the mainland. The best times to visit are May, June, September, and October. In early May, the Feast of Sant'Efisio brings a large procession in traditional costume through the city. Day trips lead to the beaches of Villasimius and Chia with their turquoise water and dunes, to the Phoenician-Roman ruined city of Nora near Pula, or to the Nuraghe Su Nuraxi near Barumini, a Bronze Age tower fortress protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It gets hot in high summer, but the sea breeze makes the temperatures bearable.