Cagliari

Shop

Get even more with a Lonely Planet guide.

Sicily

$24.99

Shop Book

Getty Images/iStockphoto

LONELY PLANET’S RECOMMENDED eSIM

Stay connected in Cagliari

with

Saily is an affordable eSIM service that helps you stay connected and secure, anywhere in the world.

Get your eSIM

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…

Cattedrale di Santa Maria

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…

Museo Archeologico Nazionale

Cagliari

Of the four museums at the Cittadella dei Musei, this is the undoubted star. Sardinia’s premier archaeological museum showcases artefacts spanning…

Poetto Beach

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…

Il Castello

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…

Bastione di Saint Remy

Cagliari

This vast neoclassical structure, comprising a gallery space, monumental stairway and panoramic terrace, was built into the city's medieval walls between…

Torre dell’Elefante

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…

Orto Botanico

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…

View more attractions