The province of Cagliari, on the books since 1859, no longer exists: a regional law of 2016 split it between a metropolitan city and the new province of South Sardinia. What carries the name today is a compact block of 17 municipalities on Sardinia's southern coast, facing the Mediterranean and packed around the capital — five of them above twenty thousand people. It works as a single urban area rather than a spread-out province.
Cagliari is walkable. The Castello quarter sits on the ridge with the Elephant Tower and the cathedral of Santa Maria; below are the basilica of San Saturnino and the sanctuary of Bonaria, while the national archaeological museum is worth an hour before you head into the rest of the island. The necropolis of Tuvixeddu lies inside the built-up area. Poetto, the beach the city shares with Quartu Sant'Elena, is a bus ride away and used year round.
Map and list are connected: hover one to light up the other, click to enter.
Our editors' ranking: the area's most important places, drawn from the individual town guides. See the national rankings →
1 🏰 Castles & palaces Torre di Foxi 📍 Quartu Sant'Elena Spanish coastal tower of Foxi at Quartu Sant'Elena, truncated-cone in shape, possibly completed in 1578. 
2 ⛪ Churches & sanctuaries basilica di San Saturnino 📍 Cagliari Cagliari's oldest church and an essential Palaeo-Christian site featuring a 5th-century dome and ancient necropolis. 
3 🏰 Castles & palaces castello di San Michele 📍 Cagliari Medieval fortress in Cagliari with three towers and a moat, built in the 12th century and now a cultural center. Straight-line distances from the town centre. Tap a point to open its page.
🏖️ Seaside 7 🏘️ Villages 4 🏝️ Islands 1 🏛️ UNESCO heritage 1
No events match these filters.
📅 Every year, on 30 October
On 30 October Cagliari celebrates Saint Saturninus, a Cagliari martyr of 304. The city's oldest church is dedicated to him, part of one of the most important early Christian complexes in Sardinia.
📅 Every year, on 4 December
Sinnai celebrates Saint Barbara on 4 December.
📅 Every year, on 7 December; the Grape Harvest Festival is held on the last Sunday of September
Monserrato celebrates Saint Ambrose on 7 December; in August the feast of Saint Lawrence is also celebrated, while on 8 September, before the start of the grape harvest, the celebrations for the Blessed Virgin Mary take place, followed on the last Sunday of the month by the Grape Harvest Festival.
📅 Every year, on 15 January
Capoterra celebrates Saint Ephysius on 15 January, in the church of Sant'Efisio di Su Loi dedicated to him, next to the coastal tower of the same name.
