Cagliari ... the capital of Sardinia. The oldest part of the city (the 'Castello', or castle) sits on top of the hill, gazing over the Gulf of Cagliari. This core of the town was built by the colonising Pisans in the early Middle Ages. The ancient city walls are still largely intact, with two thirteenth century white limestone towers (St Pancras Tower and the Elephant Tower) looking down over the port. The white-walled city glows in the Mediterranean sun. DH Lawrenece in his work Sea and Sardinia, compared the town to Jerusalem: 'strange and rather wonderful, not a bit like Italy'.
The centre of Cagliari is largely untouched by recent development (though it suffered as a result of bombing during World War II). The town is compact and easily navigable on foot: wandering the central Castello area you'll find the Cathedral, archeological museum (with its collection of nuraghic statuettes), and Roman remains, including the amphitheatre.
The Cattedrale, if something of an architectural mish-mash (the Romanesque facade was actually added in the 20th century to repair some of the Baroque additions of earlier centuries) is fascinating, with a superbly carved and decorated crypt and two massive stone pulpits from the 12th century. Piazza Palazzo, in which the cathedral stands, is home to the archbishop's palace and Palazzo Viceregio: occasional home to the Piemontese kings of Sardinia. There are museums, including the Museo d'Arte Siamese, Museo Archeologico and the Pinacoteca, with Italian and Catalan painting from the 15th and 16th centuries.
The narrow lanes of Castello are crammed with artisans' shops, little restaurants and bars. And ensure you check out the Roman Amphitheatre. The soft limestone on which (and of which) Cagliari is built allowed it to be carved completely from the rock. Escape the bustle of the town to the city beach: Poetto stretches for 13km and has fine-grained white sand. There is good sailing and other watersports, with gentle winds brushing this southern coastal area of Sardinia. Or head inland and find hiking and walking routes and the national parks, with beautiful mountainous scenery, including Maidopis and Monte Arcosu ... important wildlife habitats for wild boar and deer.
To the left you'll find a selection of Cagliari hotels, just to whet your appetite.
See also Cagliari hotels (full listings) and our Cagliari hotel map.
