Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia, climbs from its harbour to a walled hilltop quarter that Pisan builders fortified 700 years ago. Phoenicians, Romans, Pisans, Aragonese and the House of Savoy all left their mark, and pink flamingos live in the lagoons at the edge of town. Here are the facts and stories that make the city special.
10 fun facts about Cagliari
- A Phoenician foundation: the city began as a Phoenician trading post on the gulf, later called Karalis by the Romans, and is one of the oldest towns in Sardinia.
- Named after its castle: in Sardinian, the whole city is called Casteddu, the castle, after the walled Castello quarter on the hill.
- Two Pisan towers: the Torre di San Pancrazio, built in 1305, and the Torre dell'Elefante, built in 1307, guarded the gates of Castello. Look up at the Elephant Tower and you will see the small marble elephant that gave it its name.
- A terrace built for the view: the Bastione di Saint Remy, a grand staircase and terrace on the old walls, was designed in 1896 and opened in 1902. It is named after the Baron of Saint-Rémy, the first Piedmontese viceroy of Sardinia.
- Pulpits made for another cathedral: the two carved pulpits in Cagliari Cathedral were made in the 12th century by Master Guglielmo for Pisa Cathedral. Pisa sent them to Cagliari in 1312.
- A crypt full of martyrs: under the cathedral, the Sanctuary of the Martyrs has 179 niches holding relics found in the 17th century and venerated as those of early Christian martyrs.
- A Roman arena cut into the rock: the amphitheatre, built in the 2nd century AD, was carved largely out of the limestone hillside, and its tiers can still be seen.
- Flamingos in the city: pink flamingos live in the Molentargius salt marshes between the centre and Poetto beach, and nest there, within sight of apartment blocks.
- A link with Buenos Aires: Spanish sailors were devoted to the Virgin of Bonaria, whose statue legend says washed ashore at Cagliari in 1370. The founders of Buenos Aires named their settlement after the Virgin of Buen Aire, a devotion shared with the shrine.
- Stone giants: the Giants of Mont'e Prama, stone warriors and archers from Sardinia's prehistoric Nuragic civilisation, were found in a field near Cabras in 1974. Several are on show in Cagliari's National Archaeological Museum.
The legend of the Devil's Saddle
At the eastern end of Poetto beach rises a headland with a dip in its ridge, called the Sella del Diavolo, the Devil's Saddle. Legend says that Lucifer and his demons wanted to take the beautiful gulf for themselves. God sent the archangel Michael and his angels to defend it, and in the battle Lucifer was thrown from his horse. His saddle fell into the sea and turned to stone. Since then the bay has been known as the Golfo degli Angeli, the Gulf of the Angels. A footpath crosses the headland to old watchtowers and views over the city and the gulf.
The festival of Sant'Efisio
Efisio was a Roman soldier who, according to tradition, became a Christian and was put to death at Nora, south of Cagliari, in 303. In the 1650s plague struck the city, and the townspeople vowed that if it ended they would carry the saint's statue to the place of his martyrdom every year. The first procession took place on 1 May 1657, and it has been held ever since. Each 1 May thousands of people in traditional Sardinian costume, decorated ox carts and riders accompany the statue through the streets before it sets out for Nora, returning a few days later.
What to eat in Cagliari
- Fregola with clams: small toasted balls of semolina pasta cooked with clams and a little tomato, a typical Cagliari dish.
- Culurgiones: plump pasta parcels filled with potato, pecorino and mint, sealed with a pleat that looks like an ear of wheat.
- Bottarga: dried, salted mullet roe, grated over spaghetti or sliced thin with olive oil.
- Seadas: a fried pastry filled with fresh cheese and drizzled with honey, served hot as a dessert.
- Mirto: a dark liqueur made from myrtle berries, served cold at the end of a meal.
Good to know before you go
- Public lifts connect the lower districts with the Castello quarter and save a steep climb.
- Go up to the Bastione di Saint Remy at sunset for the view over the roofs, the harbour and the lagoons.
- Poetto beach is a short bus ride from the centre, and the path over the Devil's Saddle starts at its eastern end.
- The ruins of Nora, a Phoenician and Roman town by the sea, make an easy half-day trip south of the city.
Explore Cagliari with World City Trail
Our Cagliari scavenger hunt turns these sights into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around three hours, with about 45 minutes of walking, and its stops include the Bastione di Saint Remy and Cagliari Cathedral.
At each stop you solve a puzzle and hear a short story, at your own pace. You can start whenever you like.
Play the Cagliari scavenger hunt →
Facts checked in October 2026.