Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CAGLIARI
POP 149,343
Forget flying: the best way to arrive in Cagliari is by sea to witness the city rising in a
jumble of golden-hued
palazzi
(mansions)
,
domes and facades up to the rocky centrepiece,
Il Castello. Cultured and cosmopolitan, Cagliari is Sardinia's most Italian-flavoured city.
Vespas buzz down tree-fringed boulevards and locals relax at cafes tucked under the grace-
ful arcades by the seafront. Swing east and you reach Poetto beach, the hub of summer life
with its limpid waters and upbeat party scene.
At every turn, Cagliari's gripping history is spelled out, especially through archaeologic-
al sites, museums and churches. The city was founded by the Phoenicians in the 8th cen-
tury BC, but came of age as a Roman port. Later, the Pisans arrived and treated it to a ma-
jor medieval facelift, the results of which impress to this day.
