Things to do in Cagliari - 14 tips for the Sardinian capital

Writer: Helena Bergström

What to see and do in Cagliari, Sardinia? This historic city is both charming and beautiful, with everything from historic sights to cosy outdoor cafés. We travelled here in our motorhome and spent several days in the city. Here are our top, personalised tips!

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Cagliari

Cagliari is the capital of the Italian Mediterranean island of Sardinia. The area around Cagliari was inhabited as early as the Stone Age and later became part of the Nuragic culture.

The city itself was founded as a trading post by the Phoenicians in the 7th to 6th centuries BC. Since then, the city has been ruled by Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, and Byzantines, among others. The city has also been part of Spain before becoming part of Italy.

Cagliari is located on the Gulf of Cagliari on the southern coast of Sardinia, part of Italy.

What to see and do in Cagliari?

So, what can you see and do in Cagliari? This city has a lot to offer, both in terms of historical sights and holiday activities. We share our top tips in a list.

1. Stroll through the historic neighbourhoods

What no-one wants to miss out on in Cagliari is getting to the historic quarters, starting with Castello, located on top of a hill, in the centre of the city. This is a very charming neighbourhood with narrow alleys and historic buildings. It's nice to just wander around, a bit aimlessly, and soak up the atmosphere. If you have more time, all four historic neighbourhoods are worth a visit:

• Castello - A must visit for the history, architecture and views.
• Marina - A nice part of town for nightlife, restaurants and atmosphere.
• Stampace - An interesting neighbourhood because of churches and traditional atmosphere.
• Villanova - A charming and quiet neighbourhood, with a local feel.

2. take a selfie at the Bastione di Saint Remy

One of the most important sights in Cagliari is Bastione di Saint Remy. This is a monumental staircase and terrace that has become one of the city's main meeting places. Here it is popular to take a selfie, either below with the building behind, or at the top with great views down over the city.

3. admire the Cathedral of Cagliari

Almost at the very top of the historic centre is Cagliari's Cathedral (Santa Maria di Castello), a magnificent cathedral dating back to the 200s. The cathedral has been remodelled several times and the style is a mixture of Roman, Gothic and Baroque.

4. Check out the Torre dell'Elefante and Torre di San Pancrazio

A slightly different attraction in Cagliari are the two towers Torre dell'Elefante (with a small elephant statue at the gate) and Torre di San Pancrazio. These medieval defence towers date back to 1307 and offer a wide view of the city.

As a tourist you should be able to walk up the towers, at least to a certain height, but we didn't try because the heat discouraged us from extra stairs... Anyway, we have to say that these towers are different from most towers we've seen!

5. Feel the history at the Cagliari amphitheatre

Cagliari also has an amphitheatre, or Roman arena, which dates back to the 2nd century. The amphitheatre is open to visitors, but the opening hours are limited, as are the parts you can see. You also have to be prepared to pay a small entrance fee. We settled for checking out the amphitheatre from the road above, where you have a good view.

6. Learn about history at the archaeological museum

If you are interested in history, it may be well worth visiting the archaeological museum Museo Archeologico Nazionale. This is Sardinia's main archaeological museum and here you will find Nuraghic and Phoenician artefacts as well as Roman treasures.

7. See art at the Galleria Comunale d'Arte art museum

In Cagliari there is also an art museum called Galleria Comunale d'Arte. The museum is located in the public gardens Giardini Pubblici, and these are pleasant to walk through.

8. Discover the Basilica and Sanctuary of Nostra Signora di Bonari

Right next to the central caravan park is the beautiful church Basilica and Sanctuary of Nostra Signora di Bonari. There is a 14th-century sanctuary and an 18th-century neoclassical basilica. This church has strong links to both Sardinian identity and maritime culture.

9. Shopping

When you're on holiday in Cagliari, you might want to take the opportunity to go shopping. The historic part of the city is full of shops. Here you can shop for fashion, interior design and gifts, in both the higher and lower price ranges.

10. Visit the fish market Mercato di San Benedetto

The fish market in Cagliari, Mercato di San Benedetto, is said to be the largest in Italy, which is of course impressive. We travelled here one day, or rather to the temporary premises where the market is now located, Mercato Piazza Nazzari, while renovating the original market.

Now that was a bit of a disappointment, as it turned out that the fishmongers were on holiday for a few weeks. Given the many locked stalls, we understand that the market can be huge when everything is open, but right now there were only a limited number of open market stalls with meat, bread, cakes, fruit and vegetables.

11. Enjoy on an outdoor terrace

One thing you will naturally want to do in Cagliari is to enjoy an outdoor terrace. In the historic quarters there are many cozy restaurants, where you can sit down for a pizza or other dishes in the Italian spirit.

Since we have a budget to stick to on our long camper trip, we eat most of our meals in our own camper, but at least we had a good beer at an outdoor café.

12. Cool off with an ice cream

It can be very hot in Cagliari, and what tastes better than a good ice cream? There are many places that serve ice cream in the city, and our choice fell on a small place called Sugelau. Here we ate, among other things, a super good ice cream scoop with the flavour strawberry cheesecake.

13. Sunbathe and swim at Poetto beach

A short distance from the centre of Cagliari is a very long and fine sandy beach called Poetto. This is a hugely popular spot in summer, and there are also plenty of restaurants and bars along the beach.

14. Take a ferry to Sicily or mainland Italy

Fancy continuing your journey, further afield from Sardinia? Large car ferries depart from Cagliari, and you can travel with the Grimaldi Lines company to Sicily or to Naples on the Italian mainland. You can easily compare and book your ferry trip via Ferryhopper.

More to see and do in Cagliari

There is of course even more to see and do in Cagliari, beyond our top tips. Here are a few more suggestions.

• Molentargius Park is a wetland area outside the city centre, famous for its flamingos.
• Museum of Siamese Art is an unexpected collection of Thai and Asian art.
• Necropoli di Tuvixeddu is a Punic burial site, which is one of the largest in the Mediterranean.
• Orto Botanico is a botanical garden with Mediterranean and exotic plants.
• Pinacoteca Nazionale is an art gallery with Italian and Sardinian art from the Middle Ages to the 19th century.
• San't Efisio is a small but very important church, linked to the great annual procession in honour of the saint.
• San Saturnino is one of Sardinia's oldest churches, dating from the 5th century, and dedicated to the city's patron saint.

Where can you stay or park your motorhome?

There are of course many different hotels and other accommodation in Cagliari. If you are travelling by motorhome, there is a large caravan park in a great location: Camper Cagliari Park. This place is not very charming. You're crammed into a large tarmac car park, and if it's hot it can get incredibly hot in the sun.

However, there are all the services you need here: electricity, fresh water, grey and black water drainage, toilets and showers. Walking to the historic part of the city takes about half an hour. The price was currently (2025) €27/day without electricity or €37/day with electricity.

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

Of course, there is more to see and experience around Sardinia. Here are some tips:

• Cala Gonone – lovely beaches on the east coast
• Gorropu Canyon if you want to hike
• Bosa – a cozy town on the west coast.

More tips on things to see and do in Cagliari?

Have you visited Sardinia? If so, do you have any more tips on what to see and do in Cagliari? Please share them with us!