Car Hire Cagliari - Mini guide to Cagliari

The capital of the beautiful and unspoilt island of Sardinia, Cagliari is an historic and picturesque town which has much to attract the visitor.

The city’s main sights are clustered in the medieval walled district of Castello. Major attractions here include the Citadel of Museums - four museums including the island’s National Archeological Museum, based in the former arsenal. The imposing cathedral is bordered by the former City Hall, Viceregal Palace, the Archbishops Palace and the Belgrano Palace - home to the university.

A walking tour of the city should focus on the Castello district. You can enter the district at the San Pancrazio or Porta dei Leoni and follow the web of narrow Spanish style streets (a legacy of the time when Sardinia was ruled by Catalonia). Walking down the Via Lamarmora, you can view the cathedral, the churches of Santa Croce and San Giuseppe, and the other important buildings before ending up at the museum complex to gaze at the priceless antiquities.

For more leisurely pursuits, try shopping at the antiques market, or the small workshops in the Castello district which specialise in ceramics, wrought iron and leather goods. Fresh seafood and hearty specialties from Sardinia’s interior can be eaten in the bars and restaurants in Castello’s small streets and squares, or you can eat and drink in the numerous private clubs where live music is also played.

West of Cagliari is the ancient city of Nora with its Roman baths and amphitheatre, paved forum, sewers and houses. Further along the state road from Cagliari you come to the vast beaches of Chia, complete with impressive sand dunes.

Elmas Airport, ten minutes from the city, is served by several airlines offering daily flights to the mainland and across Europe. Cagliari is also linked by ferries to Civitavecchia, and by less frequent services to Naples, Palermo and Trapani.