Cagliari (Sardinian: Casteddu, "castle"; Latin: Caralis) is the capital city of the Italian island of Sardinia.
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Cagliari is an Italian metropolitan city and the capital of an autonomous region of the island of Sardinia. The city has about 155,000 inhabitants (2015), while its metropolitan area (including 16 other nearby municipalities) has more than 431,000 inhabitants (2017). 1 Infopoint, Via Roma n. 145 (Palazzo Comunale), ☏ +39 070 6777397, infopoint@comune.cagliari.it. Apr-Oct: 09:00-20:00; Nov-Mar: M-Sa 10:00-13:00 14:00-17:00, Su 10:00-13:00. (updated Sep 2017) You can download audio and PDF guides from the Cagliari tourist website organized by 6 walking tours. Cagliari city council website
CTM. Cagliari public transportation provides efficient and reliable (to Italian standards) services to get around the city and suburbs. There are about 30 bus and 3 trolleybus (filobus or trollino in Italian) lines in the city. As of Jun 2023, you can also download the CTM busfinder app, which allows you to buy tickets using your credit or debit card. The tickets must be validated onboard by scanning a QR code near the doors of the bus; follow instructions in the app. Single, valid 90 min €1.30 (sold on board €1.80); Single bus+metro, valid 2 hr €2 (sold on board €2.50); Day pass €3.30. Tickets must be validated on 1st boarding. (updated Sep 2017) Metrocagliari.
The best thing is to walk through the old city and discover it. Almost everything you have to see in a quick visit of Cagliari can be reached on foot. Plus there are some spectacular views, for example of the Gulf of Cagliari seen from the old city that are best seen from points that are not reachable by car. The core of the old town is the Castello district which lies on top of a hill facing the Gulf of Cagliari. 1 Cattedrale di Santa Maria di Castello (Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Cecilia), Piazza Palazzo 4/a. Cagliari Cathedral is a beautiful 13th-century church with Neo-Gothic façade. Do not miss the Shrine of the Martyrs, excavated out of the rock. Free.
1 Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Cagliari, Piazza Indipendenza 7, ☏ +39 070 684000, sba-ca@beniculturali.it. Tu-Su 09:00-18:00. National Archaeological Museum of Cagliari. €5. 2 Galleria Comunale d'Arte, viale San Vincenzo, 2 (Giardini Pubblici). Sep-May: Tu-Su 10:00-18:00; Jun-Aug: Tu-Su 10:00-20:00. The art gallery of Cagliari hosts paintings and sculptures from the period between the 19th and 20th centuries. It also includes a so-called Stanze del Collezionista (Collector's Rooms), the Collezione d'Arte Francesco Paolo Ingrao (Collection of Art Francesco Paolo Ingrao) which contains works of art in the period between mid-20th century towards the 1980s.
There are many restaurants in the old town area, mostly along via Sardegna and via Napoli. A dinner for two with a little house wine will set you back €40-70. Framento, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 82 - 09124 Cagliari, ☏ +39 070 667 0370. Very good pizza for about €15 to €20. Fills up very quickly. (updated Oct 2024) Caffè dell’Arte Specialty Coffee, Via Caprera 3 (A few minutes walking from central station), info@caffedellartecagliari.com. M-Th 08:30-15:30, F-Su 08:30-13:00. Speciality café and roastery in the middle of Stampace borough. Serving speciality coffee to drink on the premises and coffee bags for home consumption. International breakfast and brunch served everyday.
Cagliari is a very safe city both day and night. Visitors will be very unlikely to have any issues providing they follow the same precautions they would at home. The only suspicious place is around the main bus/train station, where homeless people linger.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Cagliari typically sees ~32°C daytime highs and 0 rainy days.
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