Cagliari is Sardinia’s capital and with a population of 156.000 inhabitants the biggest city of the island. Cagliari’s airport is a major destination for flights from the UK to Sardinia. Many tourists will start their holiday in this magnificent city that also has a lot of history.
The city offers a multitude of historical monuments , culturally significant sites and museums . The nearby beaches make Cagliari also a good spot to spend a relaxing summer holiday. Apart from that Cagliari has plenty of Restaurants, shopping-opportunities - and a Serie A football team - for you to discover and enjoy.
How to reach Cagliari - Transports and travel tips
Cagliari is a major destination for flights from the UK to Sardinia. Both British Airways and EasyJet have direct flights to Cagliari from London . British Airways is offering three flights a week from London Gatwick for prices starting at £151.10 . The price is for a return flight and includes all taxes and charges. EasyJet has daily flights from London Stanstead from £51.66 . Please note that the airline is demanding a surcharge of £25 per piece of luggage.
You can find plenty of car rentals right at the airport in a separate building some 100m on the left of the airport main building. Hertz for instance has deals from £147.57 per week for an economy car like the Fiat Panda or £268.35 per week for a compact car like the Ford Focus SW.
Two busses per hour connect the airport with downtown Cagliari for a fare of 4€. The duration of the ride is about 10 minutes. Of course a lot of taxis will be at your service right outside the main airport building.
Cagliari - Hotels, Restaurants and Nightlife
Sardinia’s capital has plenty of accommodations for all tastes and budgets. Internet travel agencies like Opodo or Expedia make it easy to find the perfect hotel in Cagliari for you. All you have to do is choose!
- Expedia has great deals for the Four-Star- T-Hotel near the historic centre of Cagliari. The hotel is equipped with two restaurants and a full-service spa including a fitness club. Deluxe double rooms are still available for £983.43 for one week in June. Suites are also available for prices starting at £143 per day.
- Another great four star hotel in Cagliari is the Holiday Inn Cagliari . The hotel’s amenities include a restaurant, pools, a fitness centre as well as a business centre. Opodo has deals from £518.82 for one week in a double room.
- The Convento San Guiseppe is considered to be the best restaurant in Cagliari. It resides within a 13th century monastic building located at Via Paracelso. The restaurant has a truly unique atmosphere. The menu masterfully combines Mediterranean tradition and modern cuisine.
- During summer most of Cagliari’s nightlife is concentrated around Corso Vittorio Emanuele in the city and on the Poetto Beach. One good discotheque is the Dicoteca Il Lido right at the Beach on Viale Poetto.
Cagliari - Cultural highlights, Activities and Attractions
Cagliari has a beautiful, well preserves old town as well as many historical sites and cultural institutions. Major sight within the old town is the Cathedral Santa Maria di Castello from the 13th century and the Basilica Nostra Signora di Bonaria .
An important historical monument is the Anfiteatro Romano from the second century B.C. The biggest Roman structure on Sardinia can be visited for a fee of 4,30€ (£ 3,78) daily except on Mondays from 9.30 to 13.30 o’clock. On Sundays it is also opened in the afternoon.
Cagliari’s most important museum is the National Archeological Museum . It’s vast exhibition gives a great overview over the history of Sardinia from the Stone Age to ancient times and includes many relicts of the Nuraghe culture. The museum is opened from Monday to Friday from 9.00 – 20.00 o’clock. The entrance fee is 4€ for adults.
The Bastione San Remy in the centre of town offers great views over the city and the sea. The Harbour disctrict has many shopping opportunities. Especially the Via Roma has plenty of boutiques and souvenir shops. The Stadio Sant’Elia is home to Serie-A team Cagliari Calcio.
Cagliari’s main beach is the Spiaggia di Poetto in the east of the city centre. In August the average air temperatures in Cagliari is 24°C with maximum temperatures reaching 40°C. The water temperature in summer is around 25°C.
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