Cagliari
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Overview
The best way to arrive in Sardinia’s historic capital is by sea, the city rising in a helter-skelter of golden-hued palazzi, domes and facades up to the rocky centrepiece, Il Castello. Although Tunisia is closer than Rome, Cagliari is the most Italian of Sardinia’s cities. Vespas buzz down tree-fringed boulevards and locals hang out at busy cafes tucked under arcades in the seafront Marina district.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
Santuario & Basilica di Nostra Signora di Bonaria
Cagliari
Crowning the Bonaria hill, around 1km southeast of Via Roma, this religious complex is a hugely popular pilgrimage site. Devotees come from all over the…
Cagliari
Cagliari’s graceful 13th-century cathedral stands proudly on Piazza Palazzo. Except for the square-based bell tower, little remains of the original Gothic…
Cagliari
Of the four museums at the Cittadella dei Musei, this is the undoubted star. Sardinia’s premier archaeological museum showcases artefacts spanning…
Cagliari
An easy bus ride from the centre, Cagliari's fabulous Poetto beach extends for 7km beyond the green Promontorio di Sant'Elia, nicknamed the Sella del…
Cagliari
This hilltop citadel is Cagliari’s most iconic image, its domes, towers and palazzi, once home to the city’s aristocracy, rising above the sturdy ramparts…
Cagliari
This vast neoclassical structure, comprising a gallery space, monumental stairway and panoramic terrace, was built into the city's medieval walls between…
Cagliari
One of only two Pisan towers still standing, the Torre dell’Elefante was built in 1307 as a defence against the threatening Aragonese. Named after the…
Cagliari
Established in 1858, the Orto Botanico is one of Italy’s most famous botanical gardens. Today it extends over 5 hectares and nurtures 2000 species of…
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