Cagliari itinerary: 1 to 2 days
Plans for one and two days in Cagliari, day by day: the Marina quarter, the Bastione di Saint Remy, the Castello quarter with its towers, Cathedral and National Archaeological Museum, the Roman Amphitheatre, San Benedetto Market and Bonaria first, then the Sella del Diavolo walk, Poetto beach, the Molentargius flamingos, Monte Urpinu and Marina Piccola as you add a day. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 2 days
Cagliari in 1 day
Day 1
Marina quarter and Sant'Eulalia
The old port district of narrow lanes and trattorias, with the church of Sant'Eulalia and Roman remains excavated beneath it.
Bastione di Saint Remy
Grand nineteenth-century terrace and stairway on the old walls, with wide views over the city, port and lagoon.
Torre dell'Elefante
Fourteenth-century Pisan tower guarding a Castello gate, named after the small marble elephant on its side.
Cagliari Cathedral
Cathedral in the Castello quarter with a Pisan-style facade, a richly decorated interior and a crypt carved into the rock.
Torre di San Pancrazio
The tallest of the Castello's medieval Pisan towers, standing at the quarter's northern gate beside the museums.
National Archaeological Museum
Sardinia's main archaeological museum, with Nuragic bronze figurines and finds from the Phoenician, Punic and Roman periods.
Roman Amphitheatre
Second-century amphitheatre carved partly into the limestone hillside, where gladiator games were once held.
Piazza Yenne
Busy square at the foot of the Castello hill, with cafes and bars, a meeting point in the evening.
Basilica of Our Lady of Bonaria
Sanctuary on the Bonaria hill dedicated to the patron saint of Sardinia, with a seafaring museum and views over the port.
Parco di Monte Urpinu
Pine-shaded hill park with paths, ponds and peacocks, and views over the Molentargius lagoon.
Cagliari in 2 days
Day 1
Sella del Diavolo
Headland at the end of Poetto shaped like a saddle, with a walking path to old towers and clear coves below.
Poetto beach
The city's long sandy beach, lined with kiosks and beach bars, busy with locals for swimming and evening strolls.
Molentargius flamingos
Wetland park of lagoons and old salt pans between the city and Poetto, where pink flamingos can be seen most of the year.
Parco di Monte Urpinu
Pine-shaded hill park with paths, ponds and peacocks, and views over the Molentargius lagoon.
National Archaeological Museum
Sardinia's main archaeological museum, with Nuragic bronze figurines and finds from the Phoenician, Punic and Roman periods.
Torre di San Pancrazio
The tallest of the Castello's medieval Pisan towers, standing at the quarter's northern gate beside the museums.
Day 2
San Benedetto Market
One of Italy's largest covered markets, with a ground floor of fish and seafood and upstairs stalls of meat, cheese and produce.
Roman Amphitheatre
Second-century amphitheatre carved partly into the limestone hillside, where gladiator games were once held.
Cagliari Cathedral
Cathedral in the Castello quarter with a Pisan-style facade, a richly decorated interior and a crypt carved into the rock.
Torre dell'Elefante
Fourteenth-century Pisan tower guarding a Castello gate, named after the small marble elephant on its side.
Bastione di Saint Remy
Grand nineteenth-century terrace and stairway on the old walls, with wide views over the city, port and lagoon.
Marina quarter and Sant'Eulalia
The old port district of narrow lanes and trattorias, with the church of Sant'Eulalia and Roman remains excavated beneath it.
Basilica of Our Lady of Bonaria
Sanctuary on the Bonaria hill dedicated to the patron saint of Sardinia, with a seafaring museum and views over the port.
Piazza Yenne
Busy square at the foot of the Castello hill, with cafes and bars, a meeting point in the evening.
Watch: Cagliari
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Cagliari
May, June, September and October are the best months, warm and good for swimming without the peak crowds. July and August are hot and Poetto is crowded, while winter is mild but can be windy. The Festa di Sant'Efisio on 1 May brings a large procession in traditional costumes through the city.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Cagliari on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Cagliari on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Cagliari on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Italy from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Cagliari
- San Benedetto Market is a morning market, closed in the afternoon and on Sundays; go early for the fish hall.
- Public lifts connect the lower districts with the Castello quarter, saving the steep climb up from the Marina.
- The Sella del Diavolo path has little shade: walk it early, with water, sun cream and good shoes.
- The Bastione di Saint Remy terrace is a popular place for a drink at sunset, and the Marina quarter is the place for dinner.
- Try Sardinian specialities such as culurgiones, fregola with clams, seadas and a glass of mirto.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Basilica of Our Lady of Bonaria: Angelo, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bastione di Saint Remy: Eduard Marmet, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Cagliari Cathedral: unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Marina quarter and Sant'Eulalia: Cristiano Cani, CC BY 2.0
- Molentargius flamingos: KS, CC BY-SA 3.0
- National Archaeological Museum: Unukorno, CC BY 4.0
- Poetto beach: Daniela, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Roman Amphitheatre: Roburq, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sella del Diavolo: Redef87, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Torre dell'Elefante: unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Torre di San Pancrazio: Holger Uwe Schmitt, CC BY-SA 4.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
