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Italy : Cagliari - June 2008

Country Code: Dial for Italy

Getting around

Cagliari Elmas Airport

Bus: ARST blue buses run to Piazza Matteotti every 30 minutes from 8.45am to 11.40pm. Go to the bus stop in front of Arrivals. The journey takes about 15 minutes and costs €2 for a single ticket.
Taxi: Taxis are available outside the airport terminal and cost from €15-€18 to the city centre. The journey takes 10-15 minutes.
Tourist information: The main tourist office is at 95-97 Piazza Matteotti (tel. , aast.ca.it). There are also tourist information points at Via Mameli and Elmas Airport.

CASTELLO

This district is medieval Cagliari at its most unreconstructed. The whole quarter lies within walls and contains the Pisan towers, the cathedral and the university, as well as Cagliari’s most important museums.

Sleep soundly – Set in an old building in the Castello, the atmospheric Karel Bed and Breakfast (rooms from €80) has six top-floor rooms.

Culture vultures – While away the day in the splendid Giardini Pubblici, which has acres of beautiful gardens as well as the Galleria Comunale d’Arte (Viale Regina Elena). The gallery features the work of 20th-century Sardinian sculptors and painters, as well as visiting exhibitions.

Must drink – Caffè degli Spiriti is the city’s coolest lounge. Populated by Cagliari’s beautiful people, it enjoys the most spectacular views of the city.

MARINA

Cagliari’s waterfront is the most atmospheric part of town, with narrow alleys packed with artisans’ shops, delicatessens and eateries.

Sleep soundly – Just below the Bastione St Remy, the grand Hotel Regina Margherita (rooms from €145) is an upscale hotel with great views and a pretty garden.

Must eat – Dal Corsaro is one of Cagliari’s finest restaurants, with some justification. Come here for local ingredients and classic dishes cooked with innovation and imagination.

Must drink – Antico Caffè opened in 1838 and still offers the best granitas (sugar ices) in town, and unrivalled people-watching from its terrace.

POETTO

The famous Poetto beach – one of the longest in Italy – and its environs come into their own in the summer.

Sleep soundly – Hotel Chentu Lunas (rooms from €110) is situated at the beginning of Poetto beach, and has great views over the sea.

Must eat – Fish is the speciality at La Marinella – grilled to perfection and served overlooking the beach. Carnivores shouldn’t fret though; there are some excellent meat dishes on the menu, as well as pizza and pasta.

Shop til you drop – Mix with the locals every Sunday at Sant’Elia’s lively market and be sure to visit the huge, two-floor San Benedetto market, the largest produce market in all of Italy.

STAMPACE

Stampace is the oldest area of Cagliari, with some exquisite churches and traditional artisan workshops.

Culture vultures – Among the ruins of the second-century Roman Amphitheatre there are open-air concerts and operas during the summer.

Must eat – Pizzeria Nansen serves excellent pizzas, and often has queues snaking out the door.

Shop til you drop – On the second and fourth Sundays of the month, Piazza del Carmine holds an antiques market that also sells crafts and curios.

VILLANOVA

Walled but never fortified, this green area extends towards the countryside and still has a village feel about it.

Must eat – Head to Lisboa for seasonal menus and dishes made from the freshest ingredients.

Must drink – Fra Diavolo serves fine Sardinian wines

Shop til you drop – Stock up on resort wear and designer garb in the intimate Seventyfive boutique.

Compiled by Chicca Marelli