Cagliari and its surroundings: 10 beautiful itineraries

Cagliari and its surroundings: the perfect destination for culture and nature

If you choose to go on vacation in Sardinia you must visit the extraordinary natural attractions, landscapes, history and culture of Cagliari and its surroundings.

Elegant and cosmopolitan, Cagliari is one of the most visited cities of Sardinia because of its history, people come from all over the island and the world to see the many splendid monuments and the modern atmosphere coexisting with the religious and folk traditions.

One must visit Cagliari at least once in a lifetime, it being for a vacation or just for one day, to discover the marvelous treasures of this town which has maintained its traditions and charm for thousands of years.

It’s also worth visiting the surrounding areas of Casteddu and let your breath be taken away by the fabulous panorama, the priceless archeological areas and great stone constructions like the nuraghi, built by the neuralgic civilization which lived on the island between the Bronze Age and the Iron Age.

Would you like to visit Cagliari and it’s surrounding areas? Discover with us ten marvelous itineraries so to transform your vacation into an unforgettable experience.

Cagliari and it’s surrounding: 10 itineraries not to miss

If you want to know more about Cagliari and its surroundings, here are ten itineraries so that you can discover one of the most suggestive areas of Sardinia.

1. If you don’t have much time: the first itinerary goes through the main parts of Casteddu, including the cathedral of Santa Maria, the bastion of Saint Remy, the Roman amphitheater and the public gardens, it’s the perfect solution even for who doesn’t have much time and would like to visit Cagliari in just one day.
2. A medieval soul: the four historic districts of Cagliari are a must for everyone wanting to discover the fascinating ancient millennial history of the Sardinian capital. Castello, Villanova, La Marina, and Stampace hold many secrets and much history of Cagliari.
3. La Sella del Diavolo: from the city to unspoiled nature, from the center of Cagliari where you can visit the primordial cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and of Santa Cecília, to the mysterious Sella del Diavolo, one of the most suggestive areas of the city. The legend says that there was a battle between God’s army and Lucifer and his Demons who wanted to conquer the Gulf of Cagliari. The famous promontory of the town is crossed by a splendid path of great naturalistic, Archaeological and historical interest, to be done by foot or on a bicycle.
4. The most beautiful beaches: Cagliari is history, tradition and extraordinary monuments, also the breathtaking beaches and a sea which is not in any way inferior to the Caribbean. Therefore we suggest you visit the famous Poetto beach, Calamosca beach which lies underneath the tower holding the same name dating back to 1638, and the small bay of Cala Fighera which is a favourite of tourists wanting to enjoy nature, from here it’s possible to go to the Grotta dei Colombi where according to local tales is inhabited by a ghost called Dais.
5. The pink flamingos: Sa Genti Arrubia, meaning “red folk”, is the name given to the flamingos by the Sardinians, the birds live in a protected natural area, one of the most important humid zones in Europe. This is also home to other protected species like cormorants, fraticelli, great white herons and red herons. The park connected to the small harbor of Maria Piccola can be easily reached by kids along the Poetto seafront.
6. Nora and the archeological park of Pula: the Pula promontory is just a few tens of kilometers southwest of Cagliari, here you can admire the ruins of Nora, the first city founded by the Phoenicians living in Sardinia. This location has thermal baths, the piazza del foro, a necropolis and a splendid amphitheater. Not far from Pula and the ruins of Nora is the church of Sant’Efisio, a symbol of the famous religious celebration in honor of the saint.
7. Quartu Sant’Elena: the municipality of Quartu Sant’Elena is connected to Cagliari with the Poetto coast, the famous beach nicknamed the “spiaggia dei centomila” – beach of one-hundred thousand, because of the many people that visit it during the summer. Quartu Sant’Elena is south of the Campinas flatland, east of here is the mountainous area of Sette Fratelli where you can find some of Sardinia’s most beautiful beaches including Is Mortorius, Cala Regina, Mari Pintau and Kal’è Moru.
8. The lighthouses: along the Sardinian coast, some of the most beautiful and suggestive areas of Sardinia including the Capo Spartivento promontory or that of Capo Carbonara, there are beautiful lighthouses. The lighthouse at Capo Spartivento stands about 5 kilometers southwest of Chia, a fraction of Domus de Maria municipality, and was built in 1866. It’s the oldest lighthouse in Sardinia and can be visited by going along a road over the Baía Chia beach. The lighthouse at Capo Carbonara started functioning in 1917 and is just a few kilometers from Villasimius.
9. Su Nuraxi: the Sardinian Nuraghi are cyclopean structures in stone dating back to the neuralgic times. Su Nuraxi is one of the largest on the island, it is in the municipality of Barumini and was built between XIII and VI century BC. In 1997 it was included in the list of human heritage by the UNESCO.
10. Castello di Acquafredda: not far from Siliqua, the castle is from the XIII century AC and lies on a volcanic hill. According to the story, the fortress was built under orders of Ugolino Della Gherardesca, famous character in the Divine Comedy by Dante, and after his death, it first passed to the Pisans and then to the Aragonese. It was abandoned more or less in 1410 until it became the property of the king of Sardinia, Vittorio Amedeo III of Savoia in 1785.

Explore Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia. Discover its history and culture.