A Weekend in Cagliari: Where to Start
Two days, three neighborhoods, and the smartest order to explore them — from Castello's limestone walls to Poetto's sunset.
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Cagliari rewards travellers who take it slow. The city stacks itself on seven hills, each with a distinct rhythm, and the joy is walking from one to the next as the light changes. Here's the weekend itinerary we'd give a friend arriving on a Friday night.
Saturday morning — Castello
Start high. The Castello district sits on the old fortified hill, limestone walls glowing honey-coloured in the morning sun. Coffee at Caffè Libarium with the sea below, then the Cathedral and the Bastione Saint Remy viewpoint.
Saturday afternoon — Marina and lunch
Walk down to the Marina quarter for fregola con arselle and a glass of Vermentino. The streets narrow, the smells turn to garlic and sea urchin, and the pace drops.
Sunday — Poetto beach
Eight kilometres of white sand, flamingos in the lagoon behind it, and chiringuitos that stay open till the sun drops behind Sella del Diavolo. End the weekend here.