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…
Must-see attractions in Sardinia
Alghero
Alghero's golden sea walls, built around the centro storico by the Aragonese in the 16th century, are a highlight of the town's historic cityscape…
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…
-
Sassari
Sassari's premier museum, housed in a grand Palladian villa, has a comprehensive archaeological collection and an ethnographical section dedicated to…
Bosa
Commanding huge views, this hilltop castle was built in the 12th and 13th centuries by the Tuscan Malaspina family. Little remains of the original…
Alghero
Alghero's finest church is a model of architectural harmony. Originally built to a Catalan Gothic design in the 14th century, it was later given a…
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…
Alghero
Rising above the historic centre, the Cattedrale di Santa Maria's 16th-century campanile is one of Alghero's signature landmarks. The tower, accessible…
-
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…
-
Sassari
Sassari’s largest piazza is one of Sardinia’s most impressive public spaces. Covering about a hectare, it is surrounded by imposing 19th-century buildings…
-
Oristano
Oristano’s elegant outdoor salon sits at the southern end of pedestrianised Corso Umberto I. An impressive, rectangular space, it comes to life on summer…
-
Bosa
Housed in an elegant 19th-century townhouse, Bosa's main museum showcases local arts and artisanal crafts. Each of the three floors has a different theme…
-
Cagliari
This vast neoclassical structure, comprising a gallery space, monumental stairway and panoramic terrace, was built into the city's medieval walls between…
-
Olbia
Architect Vanni Macciocco designed Olbia’s strikingly contemporary museum near the port. The museum spells out local history in artefacts, from Roman…
-
Chiesa di Nostra Signora di Regnos Altos
Bosa
Enclosed within the walls of the Castello Malaspina, this humble but hallowed 14th-century chapel is decorated with an extraordinary 14th-century fresco…
Basilica della Santissima Trinità di Saccargia
Sassari
About 18km southeast of Sassari on the SS729, this is the most visually striking of the isolated Romanesque churches that spring up across the territory…
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…
Cala Gonone
It’s a scenic 40-minute hike from Cala Fuili, or a speedy boat ride from Cala Gonone, to this enchanting grotto. It was the last island refuge of the rare…
Alghero
On Via Carlo Alberto, the carrer major of the medieval town, the 17th-century Chiesa di San Michele is best known for its maiolica-tiled dome. The present…
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…
Alghero
Dominating Piazza Sulis, this landmark tower was originally known as the Torre de l'Esperó Reial or Torre dello Sperone (Tower of the Royal Spur). Its…
Bosa
Spanning the Temo River near the heart of the old town, Bosa's main bridge is a handsome three-arched affair, built from the region's characteristic red…
-
Cagliari
Despite its unassuming facade, the Chiesa di Sant’Efisio is of considerable local importance – not for any artistic or architectural reasons but rather…
-
Museo Archeologico Antiquarium Arborense
Oristano
Oristano’s principal museum has one of the island’s major archaeological collections, with prehistoric artefacts from the Sinis Peninsula and finds from…
-
Cagliari
Cagliari's principal gallery showcases a prized collection of 15th- to 17th-century art. Many of the best works are retablos (grand altarpieces), painted…
-
Olbia
Spread across 60 hectares, Tenute Olbios estate whisks visitors through the winemaking process in 1½-hour guided tours (€10), which head down to the…
-
Cagliari
One of the oldest churches in Sardinia, the Basilica di San Saturnino is a striking example of Paleo-Christian architecture. Based on a Greek-cross…
-
Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta
Oristano
Lording it over Oristano’s skyline, the Duomo's onion-domed bell tower is one of the few remaining elements of the original 14th-century cathedral, itself…
-
Cagliari
Although consecrated in 1538, this Jesuit church is best known for its lavish 18th-century decor, considered the finest example of baroque styling in…
-
Museo del Tesoro e Area Archeologica di Sant'Eulalia
Cagliari
In the heart of the Marina district, this museum contains a rich collection of religious art, as well as an archaeological area beneath the adjacent…
-
Cagliari
Housed in a neoclassical villa in the Giardini Pubblici (Public Gardens) north of the Castello, this terrific gallery focuses on modern and contemporary…
-
Parco Naturale Regionale Molentargius
Cagliari
The protected reed-fringed wetlands of the Parco Naturale Regionale Molentargius lie slightly east of Cagliari towards Quartu Sant’Elena. A housing estate…
-
Sassari
Sassari’s principal cathedral dazzles with its 18th-century baroque facade, a giddy free-for-all of statues, reliefs, friezes and busts. It's all a front,…
-
Cala Gonone
To get an eagle-eye view over the coast, follow the signs off the Cala Gonone–Dorgali road to this nuraghe. After 3km the rocky track peters out at a wild…
-
Sassari
This museum dedicated to Sassari's history is spread over three sites. Its main seat is Palazzo di Città, where exhibits illustrate the city's urban…
-
Cagliari
This crypt has been in use since pre-Christian times. It’s a huge, eerie, natural cavern where the echo of leaking water drip-drips. Originally a place of…
-
Cagliari
Cagliari’s most significant Roman monument is this 2nd-century amphitheatre. Currently resembling a messy construction site (it's closed for restoration),…
-
Cagliari
Cagliari's medieval Ghetto degli Ebrei was situated in the cramped area between Via Santa Croce and Via Stretta. The city's Jewry lived here until they…
-
Sassari
The main drag through the centro storico, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II follows the path of the ancient Roman road from Porto Torres to Cagliari. Little…
