Glimpses of historic districts overlooking the sea, streets with shops and panoramic terraces, including the inimitable Santa Croce bastion, where you can spend romantic evenings after sunset. Cagliari is the capital and most populous city of the metropolitan area, with around 430,000 inhabitants (more than 150 in the capital alone), and is also the gateway to Sardinia and a centre for Mediterranean cruise ships. In its four historical districts, it preserves thousands of years of memory, dating from prehistoric times to the reign of the Savoy dynasty.

The Castello district rises on the highest promontory and is dominated by ancient walls, modern terraces alive with a lively nightlife, and picturesque streets lined with lavish residences. Among the most important buildings are the representative royal palace (Palazzo Regio), the old town hall (Palazzo di Città), and the Cattedrale di Santa Maria. Very fascinating are the medieval entrance towers to the castle, the so-called Elephant Tower and the Tower of St. Pancras. The new town is connected to the castle by the staircase of the Bastione di Saint Remy: every year at Easter you can experience the atmosphere of the Passion Week - the commemoration of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. All year round, you can shop in the elegant boutiques or visit cultural and historical treasures such as the Monastery of Saint Dominic, the Church of Saint Saturninus and the Basilica of Our Lady of Bonaria, Sardinia's temple of Christianity.

From the foot of the castle, you will descend to the Marina district, which will attract you with its magnificent buildings and arcades on the main Via Roma and, last but not least, the Palazzo Civico town hall. Particularly popular with fishermen and traders, the district is a symbol of the multi-ethnic city. In its surroundings you will find the Church of Sant'Eulalia with precious remains from the Roman Empire. Another historic quarter, Stampace, is bathed in many colours every May Day, on the occasion of the celebration of Saint Ephisius, a spectacular event that the whole island awaits. Among the narrow streets stands the baroque church of St. Anne. A short walk from the historic centre, do not miss the amphitheatre, one of the most important Roman testimonies present in Sardinia, or the Botanical Garden, a green oasis in the centre of the city. Outside the city centre, you can admire the Castle of Saint Michael and Tuvixedda, the largest Phoenician-Punic burial crypts located in the Mediterranean area (from the 7th to the 3rd century BC). At the end of the cultural tour, you can enjoy a thousand natural attractions, such as the salt lagoon and the Molentargius-Saline Park, which you can ride a mountain bike through, or watch pink flamingos and the sea. Visit the mundane urban beach of Poetto, sink into the soft sand of an eight-kilometre beach lined with walking and cycling paths. It's also beautiful at night, when it reveals its mysterious charm. From Poetta you can take a trip to the coves of Calamosca or Sella del Diavolo. Finally, enjoy the local specialities - spaghetti with artichokes and traditional dried caviar bottarga, fish soup burrida made with spotted cod and walnuts, or fregola, pasta pearls with clams.

Historic fortifications:

The old fortifications of towers and bastions, the original guard system of the Sardinian capital, remain almost intact and offer a unique panoramic view of the landscape, so appreciated by tourists from all over the world.

The city's fortifications were built around the entire perimeter of the ancient Castello district, with careful placement of the individual watchtowers. The Tower of the Elephant and the Tower of St Pancras were built to protect the city and, as they have survived in excellent condition, are frequent destinations for tourists competing for the best panoramic shot from the top. From the elegant elevated terraces, you can comfortably sip an aperitif and take in the breathtaking views to the full.

Between 1491 and 1508, a bastion was built on the Castello hill, the seat of the highest civil and religious authorities of the city.

In 1534 a wall was built between the Elephant Tower (Torre dell'Elefante) and the Church of the Holy Cross (Chiesa di Santa Croce), a former synagogue converted into a Christian church in 1492. The Bastion of the Holy Cross now serves as an elegant terrace and is the centre of the city's vibrant nightlife.

The 1305 tower of St Pancras, designed by the architect Giovanni Capullo, is built of thick stone, white limestone quarried from the Bonaria hill, on which stands the magnificent basilica of the same name. At the base of the tower is the Gate of St Pancras, which opens the way to the Castello district.

The Elephant Tower was built two years later. It was so named after the statue of an elephant placed on a pedestal facing the gate, which eventually became the symbol of the city. It is divided into four floors. It will amaze you with the majesty of the elevated gateway enclosing the entrance to the old quarter and is one of the always open (and very busy) access routes to the beauty of Cagliari.