Regional Feature

Cagliari

Do not be fooled, Cagliari is quite a large city. It is, in fact, the capital city in the region of Sardegna. We stayed at a very cool Airbnb, but it was located out of the city center. We made this choice on purpose to be able to park in the area without any stress and reach the airport with ease on the following day. If you have more time, I would recommend staying in the old town, specifically, the Marina area, as there is not much around this Airbnb, although the design elements in the space of a converted garage were modern and quirky, definitely a fun and funky place to stay.

The streets of the Marina district

Eat at L’Antica Cagliari in the Marina district. Before dinner you will want to take a stroll along the palm lined Via Roma down by the port. Then, make your way to the restaurant which is in a lively area of bars and restaurants on Via Sardegna. As the name suggests, the restaurant serves traditional Sardinian cuisine; the menu features fresh seafood, but also has meat selections. You can check it out here. Be sure to book a table ahead of time, especially in high tourist season.

Explore the colorful streets of the zona Marina after dinner as well. The worn but attractive beach town meets elegant palazzi (buildings) with an art nouveau flare. The area was once the home of local fishermen, given the proximity to the port.

The ruins of Santa Lucia in the Marina area

Observe the ruins of Santa Lucia. It is known to be the oldest church inside the city walls of Cagliari; we know it was built before the year 1119, which is the first historical mention of it. The preserved walls are lit up at night as well, providing another aesthetic dimension to this area of the city.

If we had more time in Cagliari, we would have explored other noteworthy neighborhoods such as the Castello district, Stampace, and Villanova. Find out more about these neighborhoods here. You can take the stairs up to the Castello area for an impressive view of the city, sea and distant mountains from the Saint Remy Bastion, although this structure is from the 19th century, it was built on the old medieval bastions. The nearby Caffe Degli Spiriti came highly recommended as a spot for drinks and views.

Update: I have just read that Caffe Degli Spiriti has closed. Thus, until I am able to return and explore more spots in this fine city, I leave the link to a blog post devoted to bars in Cagliari, on a blog catered solely to the wonderful region of Sardinia! That said, I see that she too recommends Caffe Degli Spiriti, which closed in October 2021 according to their Instagram. I would probably head first to Libarium Nostrum, as it looks like a solid (and open!) replacement with expansive views and creative cocktails.