Cagliari

Sardinia's capital, where the Castello quarter overlooks the bay and the city beach of Poetto lies next to wetlands full of pink flamingos, with the Chia coast to the south and the turquoise waters and white sands of Villasimius to the east.

Cagliari (Casteddu in Sardinian) is the capital of the Italian island of Sardinia, set on the Gulf of Angels at the island's southern tip, with about 150,000 residents and around 420,000 in the metropolitan area. The old city climbs a hill: at the top is the Castello quarter, walled by the Pisans, home to the cathedral, the Royal Palace, two medieval towers and the Cittadella dei Musei; below lie the old neighborhoods of Marina, Stampace and Villanova, full of restaurants and markets. East of the center, the 8-km Poetto beach sits right next to the Molentargius salt-marsh wetlands, where pink flamingos can be seen year-round, and the Sella del Diavolo headland is great for a hike with sea views. Classic day trips include, about 35–60 km to the south, the ancient city of Nora and the beaches of Chia and Tuerredda; about 50–60 km to the east, Villasimius and Costa Rei; and about an hour north, the World Heritage nuraghe of Barumini. The climate is Mediterranean, with hot, dry summers (often above 30°C in Jul–Aug) and mild winters with little snow. May–Jun and Sep–Oct are the best seasons, when the sea is already warm and crowds are thinner; the Feast of Sant'Efisio on May 1 is the island's grandest traditional procession. Elmas Airport is about 7 km from the center, with trains and buses into town; ferries also arrive from mainland Italy. Walking and public transport are enough for the city, but renting a car is recommended for coastal day trips. Plan on 3–5 days: 1–2 for the city and beaches, the rest for the south and east coasts and inland archaeological sites.

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Itineraries