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Where to Stay in Cagliari? The 6 Best Areas & Places to Stay

Heading to Cagliari in Sardinia? See where to stay in Cagliari: six areas, from Castello on the hill to Poetto beach, and my hotel picks in three price ranges.

Panorama of Cagliari with the Castello on the hill and the sea in Sardinia

Cagliari is the capital of Sardinia, and the city is spread across a series of hills running down to the sea. At the top sits the fortified Castello quarter with its towers and bastions, below it lie the harbour and the Marina and Stampace districts, and a few kilometres to the east the sandy beach of Poetto begins, stretching all the way to the neighbouring town of Quartu Sant’Elena.

Planning a last minute trip to Sardinia? 🇮🇹
Here are some of my favourite places to stay & things to do:

🛌 Places to Stay:
1. 7Pines Resort Sardinia (literally the perfect, luxurious place to stay in Sardinia)
2. Cervo Hotel (fantastic hotel right in the heart of Sardinias Emerald Coast)
3. Hotel Corallaro (family-friendly hotel 200m from the beach)

🎟️ Top Activities & Tours:
1. Take a day trip to La Maddalena (probably the most beautiful small island near Sardinia)
2. Visit the iconic Tavolara Island and enjoy sailing in some of the bluest water in Europe
3. Do an eco-friendly Dolphin watching tour
🚘 If you want to rent a car, I recommend getting an overview on this website.

When you’re working out where to stay in Cagliari, it mostly comes down to city or beach, and how many steps you can be bothered to climb. Here are my six picks for areas, with three hotels in each, from luxury to budget.

Planning your trip to Sardinia at the last minute? 🇮🇹

Here are some of the best things to do, plus hotels and other tips for your trip to Sardinia.

🎡 Top Activities & Tours:

1. Heading to Costa Smeralda? You can book a private transfer to Porto Cervo direct from Olbia Airport
2. Heading to the east coast? You can book a transfer to Orosei and Cala Ginepro from Olbia Airport

🛌 Best Hotels:

1. 7Pines Resort Sardinia is a Costa Smeralda-style luxury resort with exclusive service and beautiful surroundings
2. Hotel Calabona is a 4-star seafront hotel with its own small beach
3. Hotel Due Colonne is a budget-friendly, central hotel in Cagliari close to the port

🚗 If you want to explore beaches and small towns, a hire car is the easiest option in Sardinia

Where to Stay in Cagliari: The Best Areas

Below, I go through the areas one by one with a map, transport, price level and three hotels in each. The prices come from a search for a weekend in May for two people, so expect them to rise in July and August and around the Feast of Sant’Efisio at the beginning of May.

1. Marina - best area for first-time visitors ⚓

  • 📍 Distance to the centre: You’re right in the centre. Via Roma and the harbour are at the lower end of the district, and it’s a 10 to 15-minute walk up to Castello.
  • 🚆 Transport: The railway station and the stops for city and regional buses are on Piazza Matteotti in the western corner of the district. Everything else you can do on foot.
  • ✈️ Time from Cagliari Airport: Around 15 minutes. The train from the airport’s Elmas Aeroporto station runs to Cagliari station in 5 to 7 minutes, and from there you walk into the district.
  • 💰 Price level: € to €€€€. The three hotels below cost roughly 67 to 312 euros (around £55 to £260) per night when I searched for a weekend in May.
  • 👮 Safety: Safe and lively until late in the evening. As always, keep an eye on your pockets in the crowds on Via Roma and around the station.

Marina is the old harbour district between Via Roma and the hill leading up to Castello. Along the waterfront runs Via Roma with its long arcades, where the cafés have set their tables out, and this is also where you’ll find the city’s grand town hall, Palazzo Civico. Behind the façades lies a dense web of narrow streets such as Via Sardegna, Via Napoli and Via Cavour, and here you’ll find the biggest choice of trattorias, seafood restaurants and small hotels in the whole city.

The Marina waterfront with Via Roma and Castello on the hill in Cagliari

In the middle of the district is the church of Sant’Eulalia, where you can walk among Roman ruins beneath the floor. If you’d like to see them with a guide, you can join a walking tour of underground Cagliari for around 30 euros (about £25), which also takes in Marina and Stampace. In the evening the streets fill with people heading out to eat, and this is where you feel the city’s buzz the most.

See hotels in Marina here.

I’d stay here if it’s your first trip to Cagliari, or if you’re arriving by train or ferry. The train from the airport stops right by the district, and the harbour is just across Via Roma. According to the airport, the train ticket into the city costs 1.30 euros (around £1.10), and all the options by train, bus and taxi are in my guide to getting from the airports in Sardinia.

The downside is the noise. The restaurants have diners until late in the evening, Via Roma is one of the city’s busiest roads, and many of the small hotels are in old buildings without a lift. Ask for a room facing the courtyard if you’re a light sleeper, and eat in the side streets rather than under the arcades on Via Roma, where prices are highest.

Hotels in Marina

Palazzo Tirso MGallery Cagliari - five-star palazzo hotel with a rooftop pool by the harbour

Palazzo Tirso is on Piazza Deffenu at the eastern end of Via Roma, right by the harbour. It’s a five-star hotel with a restaurant, bar, spa with sauna, gym and a rooftop pool. Wine and breakfast are expensive, some guests can hear the music from the restaurant, and parking is off-site at 20 euros (around £17) per day.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “The staff were fantastic, and the room is quiet and comfortable.”

See photos and book Palazzo Tirso here.

Hotel Regina Margherita - classic four-star hotel between the harbour and Castello

Hotel Regina Margherita is on Viale Regina Margherita on the eastern edge of Marina, with the harbour five minutes down the road and Bastione di Saint Remy just above. There’s a restaurant, bar, gym and 24-hour reception, and it’s a good choice if you want a proper hotel without paying five-star prices. A few guests have heard their neighbours through the walls.

From one review: “The room was lovely and clean and quiet.”

See photos and book Hotel Regina Margherita here.

SoleLuna b&b - simple, clean rooms right among the restaurant streets

SoleLuna is a small bed and breakfast on the first floor on Via Barcellona, midway between Via Roma and the restaurants of Marina. There’s a lift and self check-in, and the price was the lowest in this entire guide when I searched. Breakfast isn’t included, there’s no parking, and some guests have been given a room where the bathroom is outside the room itself.

One guest highlights: “Close to shops and restaurants.”

See photos and book SoleLuna b&b here.

2. Castello - best area for views, history and romance 🏰

  • 📍 Distance to the centre: Castello sits on the hill just above Marina and Stampace. Walking down to Via Roma takes 10 to 15 minutes, but the walk back up is steep.
  • 🚶 Getting around: On foot and up steps. There are public lifts up to Castello from several sides, but they are sometimes closed for maintenance, so don’t count on them.
  • ✈️ Time from Cagliari Airport: About half an hour by train to Cagliari station, then a short taxi ride up the hill, because the steps are tough with a suitcase.
  • 💰 Price level: €€ to €€€€. The three hotels below cost roughly 123 to 291 euros (around £105 to £245) per night when I searched for a weekend in May.
  • 👮 Safety: Very safe. The streets are quiet in the evening, and there are people around Bastione di Saint Remy until late.

Castello is Cagliari’s Old Town and the historic heart of the city, a fortified hilltop quarter with city walls, bastions and two 14th-century towers, Torre di San Pancrazio and Torre dell’Elefante. Behind the walls you’ll find Santa Maria Cathedral, the former viceroys’ residence Palazzo Regio and narrow streets where washing hangs out over the cobblestones.

Castello and Bastione di Saint Remy above the bay in Cagliari

At the northern end is the Cittadella dei Musei with the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, where you can see bronze figures and finds from the island’s Nuragic culture, and a ticket costs 10 euros (around £8). At the southern end stands Bastione di Saint Remy, the large terrace from 1902 with views over Marina, the harbour and the bay. If you want the history too, you can take a guided tour through the streets of Castello for about 28 euros (around £25).

See hotels in Castello here.

I would stay here if you’re a couple, or if you want to wake up to views over the city and the sea. In the evening, once the day-trippers have headed back down into town, Castello goes quiet and you have the bastions and the sunset almost to yourself. Many of the city’s small boutique hotels and apartments in old palazzi are here, and several have balconies or roof terraces that you rarely find down in the city.

The downsides are the hills and the car. Castello is a camera-controlled limited traffic zone, known as a ZTL, and if you drive in without a permit you’ll get a fine, so park below and walk up. The climb from Marina with suitcases is hard work in summer, and there are few supermarkets and cheap places to eat within the quarter itself.

Hotels in Castello

Palazzo Boyl 1840 - elegant palazzo hotel by Bastione di Saint Remy

Palazzo Boyl 1840 is on Via Mario de Candia at the southern tip of Castello, a few minutes’ walk from Bastione di Saint Remy. It’s the most expensive of my picks in Castello, with a bar, gym, lift and concierge, and several rooms have views over the city. On the other hand, guests find the breakfast average and say it’s served slowly.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “Fantastic rooms, great views and a good location.”

See photos and book Palazzo Boyl 1840 here.

Albergo Diffuso Birkin Castello - scattered hotel with rooms in several old houses

Birkin Castello is an albergo diffuso, where the rooms are spread across several old houses on Via Lamarmora in the middle of Castello. Breakfast is included, and the hotel has over 2,000 reviews with a high score on Booking.com. There’s no private parking, and only some of the buildings have a lift.

From one review: “The hotel is fantastic, and the staff are really, really lovely.”

See photos and book Birkin Castello here.

Le Torri - clean apartments on a quiet street near the cathedral

Le Torri has apartments on a side street off Via dei Genovesi, a few minutes’ walk from the cathedral and Torre dell’Elefante. The apartments are clean and well equipped, and the price was the lowest of my three picks in Castello. There’s no breakfast, parking outside the traffic zone takes a bit of luck, and some guests have heard the neighbours.

One guest highlights: “A really nice, clean apartment that had everything we needed.”

See photos and book Le Torri here.

3. Stampace - best area for local atmosphere and good prices 🍷

  • 📍 Distance to the centre: Just west of Largo Carlo Felice. From Piazza Yenne it’s a five-minute walk to Via Roma and around ten minutes up to Castello.
  • 🚆 Transport: The railway station and the buses on Piazza Matteotti are at the foot of the neighbourhood, and you can get everywhere else on foot.
  • ✈️ Time from Cagliari Airport: Around 15 to 20 minutes by train to Cagliari station, then a few minutes’ walk up Largo Carlo Felice.
  • 💰 Price level: € to €€. The three hotels below cost around 80 to 152 euros (roughly £65 to £125) per night when I searched for a weekend in May.
  • 👮 Safety: Safe. Piazza Yenne and Corso Vittorio Emanuele are packed with people in the evening, and as in any city, keep an eye on your pockets in the weekend crowds.

Stampace is the neighbourhood on the western slope below Castello, between Largo Carlo Felice and the Roman amphitheatre. Its heart is Piazza Yenne with the statue of King Carlo Felice, where locals meet for aperitivo, and from here Corso Vittorio Emanuele runs through the area, lined with bars, pizzerias and small restaurants. A little way up the hill stands the baroque church of Sant’Anna, and every year on 1 May the city’s biggest festival starts here, when the statue of Sant’Efisio is carried out towards Nora in a procession with thousands of participants in traditional Sardinian dress.

The baroque church of Sant'Anna in the Stampace neighbourhood of Cagliari

At the top of the neighbourhood is the Anfiteatro Romano, the city’s Roman amphitheatre, and right next to it is the university’s botanical garden, Orto Botanico. The garden is closed on Mondays, and a ticket costs 4 euros (around £3.50). It’s one of the few places in the centre where you’ll find shade on a hot afternoon.

See hotels in Stampace here.

I would stay here if you want the most for your money and still be able to walk everywhere. Stampace is just as central as Marina, but more ordinary Cagliaritani live here, and the area has plenty of well-reviewed guesthouses at mid-range prices. It’s also a good choice if you’re arriving by train or travelling on by bus, and you can read how to buy tickets for the regional trains in my guide to trains in Italy.

The downside is that Stampace has no real luxury hotels, and many of the places to stay are guesthouses on the first or second floor of old buildings without a 24-hour reception. The upper part of the neighbourhood is uphill, and the streets down towards the station and Viale Trieste are busier with traffic than they are charming.

Hotels in Stampace

Hotel Flora - the most complete hotel in Stampace

Stampace has no proper luxury hotels, so my best bet is Hotel Flora on Via Sassari, a four-star hotel with a bar, garden, 24-hour reception and breakfast included. It’s a five-minute walk to Piazza Yenne and Via Roma. Parking costs 10 euros (around £8.50) per day and must be booked in advance, some rooms have a spiral staircase, and the breakfast buffet is a little limited.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “Great location in a lovely hotel.”

See photos and book Hotel Flora here.

La Maison Coloniale - suites with free wellness area, sauna and hot tub

La Maison Coloniale is on the first floor on Via Sassari, a couple of minutes’ walk from Piazza Yenne. The suites are beautifully decorated, guests have free access to a small wellness area with a sauna and hot tub, and its score on Booking.com is one of the highest in this entire guide. Parking in the area is hard to find, and some rooms face the street.

From one review: “This is a beautiful little gem in Stampace, very close to all the main sights in Cagliari.”

See photos and book La Maison Coloniale here.

Arcobaleno Suites - cheap, clean rooms by Largo Carlo Felice

Arcobaleno Suites is on Via Mameli right by Largo Carlo Felice, so the station, Via Roma and Piazza Yenne are all within a five-minute walk. The rooms are simple and clean, and the price was the lowest of my three suggestions in Stampace. There’s a restaurant below the rooms, and some guests have heard noise from the kitchen.

One guest highlights: “The location is absolutely the best, everything you need is close by.”

See photos and book Arcobaleno Suites here.

4. Villanova - best area for peace and quiet and charming streets 🌸

  • 📍 Distance to the centre: Just east of Castello. From Via Garibaldi it’s a five-minute walk to Bastione di Saint Remy and 10 to 15 minutes to Via Roma.
  • 🚶 Getting around: You’ll walk most places. The railway station and the buses on Piazza Matteotti are a 15 to 20-minute walk away.
  • ✈️ Time from Cagliari Airport: About 20 minutes by taxi, or half an hour by train to Cagliari station followed by a short taxi ride.
  • 💰 Price level: € to €€€€. The three hotels below cost around 97 to 346 euros (roughly £80 to £290) per night when I searched for a weekend in May.
  • 👮 Safety: Very safe. Villanova is a quiet residential area where not much happens after midnight.

Villanova means “the new town”, and the district grew up outside Castello’s walls in the Middle Ages. Today it’s one of the most charming areas to wander around, with low, colourful houses, flowers outside the doors and little shops along streets such as Via San Giovanni and Via Garibaldi, one of the city’s best shopping streets. The San Domenico monastery has a peaceful cloister in Catalan Gothic style, and on the south-eastern edge of the district you’ll find the early Christian Basilica di San Saturnino in a small park.

If you head downhill towards the sea, it takes about a quarter of an hour to reach the Santuario di Nostra Signora di Bonaria, the large basilica on the hill above the Su Siccu marina. According to legend, a chest containing a wooden statue of the Madonna washed ashore here in 1370, and a long staircase runs from the square in front of the church down towards the water.

See hotels in Villanova here.

I’d stay here if you’re spending several days in the city and would rather sleep in a quiet neighbourhood than right among the restaurant streets. Villanova has one of the city’s five-star hotels, but also plenty of well-reviewed mid-range guesthouses, and you can still walk to both Castello and Marina in no time. In the mornings the streets are almost empty, and this is where you see how the people of Cagliari actually live.

The downside is that you’re further from the harbour, the railway station and the beach, and the nightlife is quiet. If you want to eat out, you’ll usually end up walking down to Marina or up to Castello, and several of the streets leading up to Castello are steep. Parts of the district are also inside the restricted traffic zone, so check the hotel’s address before you drive there.

Hotels in Villanova

Palazzo Doglio - five-star hotel with spa and restaurant near San Saturnino

Palazzo Doglio is on Vico del Logudoro on the south-eastern edge of Villanova, right by the Basilica di San Saturnino and less than ten minutes’ walk from the harbour and Via Roma. It’s a five-star hotel with a restaurant, bar, spa with sauna, gym and garden, and the rooms are large. Breakfast and the spa cost extra, parking is 15 euros (around £13) per day, and some guests have heard noise from neighbouring rooms.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “The rooms were very spacious and clean.”

See photos and book Palazzo Doglio here.

Bluemoon Sardinia Roof Garden Jacuzzi - guesthouse with a roof terrace and rooftop hot tub

Bluemoon Sardinia is on Via Sebastiano Satta in the heart of Villanova, a few minutes’ walk from Via Garibaldi. The roof terrace with its hot tub is the big draw, breakfast is included and gets praised again and again, and parking costs 15 euros (around £13) per day. The rooftop hot tub has limited opening hours in some months, and a few guests have heard the lift and the communal areas.

From one review: “Breakfast was fantastic, we had freshly baked cake and pancakes every day.”

See photos and book Bluemoon Sardinia here.

I’MC IoAMoCagliari - small guesthouse with self check-in

I’MC IoAMoCagliari is a small guesthouse on Via San Saturnino in Villanova, about five minutes’ walk from Bastione di Saint Remy. The rooms are clean and simple, you check yourself in following the host’s instructions, and the price was the lowest of my three suggestions in the area. There are stairs, and some guests have heard the other guests.

One guest highlights: “The location is good, and it’s clean and comfortable.”

See photos and book I’MC IoAMoCagliari here.

5. Poetto - best area for a beach holiday 🏖️

  • 📍 Distance to the centre: The beach starts about 5 kilometres east of Via Roma at the Sella del Diavolo headland and carries on towards Quartu Sant’Elena.
  • 🚌 Transport: City buses run from Piazza Matteotti out along the beach in about 20 minutes, with more departures in summer. A standard ticket costs under 2 euros (around £1.70).
  • ✈️ Time from Cagliari Airport: About 20 minutes by taxi or hire car. By train and bus, allow around an hour.
  • 💰 Price level: €€ to €€€€. The three hotels below cost roughly 103 to 289 euros (around £85 to £240) per night when I searched for a weekend in May.
  • 👮 Safety: Safe. In summer the promenade is busy until late, but don’t leave bags and phones unattended on the beach.

Poetto is Cagliari’s city beach, a long, pale sandy beach of around eight kilometres, where the first half belongs to Cagliari and the rest to Quartu Sant’Elena. To the west it ends at the Sella del Diavolo headland and the small Marina Piccola yacht harbour, and a promenade runs the whole length of the beach, where locals walk, jog and cycle. The old bathing establishments D’Aquila and Lido sit at the second and third fermata, as the stops of the tram that once ran out here are still called.

Poetto beach with the Sella del Diavolo headland in Cagliari

Behind the beach lies the Molentargius nature park, with salt pans and lagoons where pink flamingos breed, and the green areas are free and open every day. If you’d like a guide, you can take an e-bike tour to the Old Town and the flamingos for around 50 euros (about £40). From Calamosca bay, a path of roughly an hour also leads up Sella del Diavolo to an old watchtower with views over the whole beach.

See hotels in Poetto here.

I would stay here if you’re coming in summer to swim and only want to head into town in the evenings. It’s also a good choice for families, as there are bathing establishments, kiosks and an amusement park along the promenade, and you walk straight from the hotel onto the sand. The hotels are mostly at the western end of the beach near Marina Piccola, while the rest of the stretch is dominated by apartments.

The downside is that Poetto is a city beach. In July and August it’s packed with locals at weekends, the wind can be strong, and a sunbed with parasol at a bathing establishment costs more than many people expect. Out of season, quite a few of the kiosks close, and in the evening it’s a bus or taxi ride to the restaurants in Marina.

Hotels in Poetto

Hotel Nautilus Excelsior - adults-only four-star hotel with an infinity pool opposite the beach

Hotel Nautilus Excelsior is on Lungomare Poetto, right across from the beach at the western end of Poetto. The hotel is adults-only and has an infinity pool, restaurant, bar and breakfast included, and some rooms have their own hot tub on the terrace. Parking costs extra, and guests complain about slow Wi-Fi and a small cocktail menu in the bar.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “The room was amazing, and we really enjoyed having our own hot tub on the terrace.”

See photos and book Nautilus Excelsior here.

Hotel La Villa Del Mare - small hotel directly opposite the beach

Hotel La Villa Del Mare is on Lungomare Poetto, right across from the beach, a little further towards Quartu than Nautilus Excelsior. It’s a three-star hotel with a garden, terrace and breakfast included, and the staff are praised in many reviews. The rooms are smaller than expected, some have no windows, and there’s no private parking, though there is free public parking nearby.

From one review: “Lovely place with a location right on the beach.”

See photos and book La Villa Del Mare here.

Hotel Poetto - simple budget hotel two minutes from the sand

Hotel Poetto is on a side street off the promenade, less than a two-minute walk from the beach. The rooms are small and simple, and the price was the lowest of my three suggestions in Poetto. Breakfast isn’t included but can be bought at a nearby bar, there’s no private parking, and the furniture is starting to look a bit worn.

One guest highlights: “The location was perfect. The staff were friendly, a great budget hotel!”

See photos and book Hotel Poetto here.

6. Quartu Sant’Elena & Margine Rosso - best area for families with a car 🚗

  • 📍 Distance to the centre: Quartu’s part of Poetto begins about 9 kilometres from Via Roma, and Margine Rosso is about 13 kilometres out along the coast road.
  • 🚗 Transport: You’ll need a car here. Buses run along the coast, but getting into Cagliari and back again in the evening takes time.
  • ✈️ Time from Cagliari Airport: About 25 minutes by car.
  • 💰 Price level: € to €€€€. The three hotels below cost roughly 87 to 531 euros (around £75 to £445) per night when I searched for a weekend in May.
  • 👮 Safety: Safe and quiet. In summer there can be music from the beach bars until late in the evening.

If you carry on east along Poetto, you cross the border into Quartu Sant’Elena at the La Bussola beach club. Quartu is Sardinia’s third-largest town, but the part you want to stay in is the coast: about four kilometres of beach that ends at Margine Rosso, a quiet residential area of villas, holiday homes, apartments and beach bars along the water. Behind the beach lie the salt lagoons of Molentargius.

The vibe here is more beach holiday than big city. To the west, you’re at Poetto and in Cagliari in about 20 minutes by car, and to the east the coast road continues towards Villasimius and the white beaches on the island’s south-eastern corner. If you’re travelling on around the island, my guide to where to stay in Sardinia can help you with your next stop.

See hotels in Quartu Sant’Elena and Margine Rosso here.

I would stay here if you’re a family with a car who wants a beach, a garden and parking by the door, and only head into Cagliari on day trips. There are several places here with free parking, which you’ll hardly find in the centre, and the easiest option is to pick up hire cars from Booking.com at the airport when you land. Many of the places have self check-in, so message your host before arrival if your flight lands late.

The downside is that you depend on the car. It’s a long way to Castello and the restaurants in Marina in the evening, and outside the summer season many beach bars and restaurants are closed. If you drive to Poetto on a summer’s day, get there early, as the car parks along the beach fill up quickly. There are few proper hotels, and most places to stay are apartments and guesthouses with self check-in.

Hotels in Quartu Sant’Elena & Margine Rosso

New Bussola Suites and Beach Club - luxury suites with an infinity pool and private beach at La Bussola

New Bussola sits at La Bussola, where Poetto turns into Quartu, with direct access to the beach. There’s an infinity pool, a private beach area, a restaurant, a bar and a steam room, and breakfast is included. It’s the most expensive place in this whole guide, parking costs extra, and guests mention music from the nearby beach clubs.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “The location is right on the beach, so you walk from your room out to the pool and from the pool straight down to the beach.”

See photos and book New Bussola here.

Flamingo Poetto - small guesthouse with free parking

Flamingo Poetto is on Via Madrid in Quartu’s part of Poetto, about a 15-minute walk from the beach. The rooms are clean, there’s a terrace and free parking, and its score on Booking.com is high. Check-in is self-service with a code, and some guests find it a hassle and would like more contact with the hosts.

From one review: “Very communicative host, fantastic location, and overall everything was perfect, especially for the price.”

See photos and book Flamingo Poetto here.

Spacebility Beach - budget guesthouse by the water in Margine Rosso

Spacebility Beach is on Via Neapolis in Margine Rosso, facing the coast at the eastern end of the beach. There’s a garden, a terrace, free parking and self check-in, and the price was the lowest of my three suggestions in Quartu. The facilities are basic, and some guests have experienced noise during quiet hours.

One guest highlights: “The location was also good, not too far from Cagliari city.”

See photos and book Spacebility Beach here.

Where not to stay in Cagliari?

I wouldn’t stay by the airport in Elmas. The hotels there are handy for an early flight, but the train into town takes less than ten minutes, so you gain nothing from sleeping out there. The large residential districts on the outskirts, such as Is Mirrionis, San Michele and Pirri, are also a long way from the sights and the beach, and the same goes for Sant’Elia by the stadium, where there are big concrete blocks and nothing for tourists.

Also be wary of cheap apartments described as central that are actually out by the main roads on the edge of town, as your walk into the centre will then be along busy roads. If you’re arriving by car, always check whether the address is inside a ZTL zone before you drive there.

If it’s your first trip to Cagliari, I would stay in Marina, or in Stampace if you want to save a bit and are arriving by train. If you’re a couple who want views and peace in the evening, choose Castello, and if you want to stay somewhere quiet and local within easy reach of everything, Villanova is the best bet. If you’re coming in summer to swim, stay at Poetto, and if you have a car and children with you, Quartu Sant’Elena and Margine Rosso are the most relaxed choice.

Cagliari is also a good start or finish to a longer trip in Italy, and ferries sail from the port to the mainland. If you have more days, my guide to where to stay in Italy can help you with your next stop.

Travel ressources & websites I use all the time 👇

• Booking.com has the best offers on hotels and unique places to stay
• GetYourGuide is the best place to book tours & activities with free cancellation
• Welcome Pickups is the best & safest place to pre-book airport transfers

Psst 👀 Have you subscribed to my Youtube channel and my Instagram where I provide more useful travel tips?