Cagliari – Sardinia's maritime metropolis

Cagliari is very different from the Sardinia of shepherds and unspoilt nature that I love so much. Nevertheless, I am fascinated by its almost oriental flair, which I have only encountered in a few other port cities – Naples, Athens, Palermo and Marseille.

Cagliari – Capital of Sardinia

Cagliari is the largest city in Sardinia, capital of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia, and capital of the Province of Cagliari. Around 430,000 people live in the greater Cagliari area, which is almost a third of the island's total population. The port city has a university and is the seat of the Archdiocese of Cagliari. The old town of Cagliari is called Castello and is located on a hilltop overlooking the entire Gulf of Cagliari.

As the capital of Sardinia, Cagliari is the administrative centre for numerous offices, ministries and institutions. The island's capital is also a goods handling centre with a free trade port and one of Italy's largest fish markets. The city's diverse industrial production also includes factories belonging to numerous international corporations.

A must (not only) for gourmets – the markets of Cagliari

But back to the special flair of Cagliari. Anyone who, like me, loves good food, enjoys cooking and needs a good selection of ingredients, doesn't like shopping in supermarkets. It's just no fun pushing a trolley through the aisles – no matter how well stocked they are – going to the checkout and not exchanging a word with anyone. Who would you talk to? The goods are hygienically packaged and precisely labelled. The staff are usually not trained to provide further information.

I really appreciate the markets in Cagliari! The market in San Benedetto, for example, is the most striking example. It fills the largest market hall in Italy and exudes the liveliness of oriental markets.

Here you will find an overwhelming selection of fruit and vegetables from the region, fish, seafood, meat and sausage in every conceivable form. There are even specialists who only offer certain types of meat. They are excellent to talk to about the different qualities and provide excellent advice. Whatever I bought in San Benedetto, I was never disappointed.

The old town of Cagliari – shopping, strolling, feasting.

Summers in Cagliari are really hot. No Sardinian would dream of voluntarily spending time outside during the hottest part of the day, either in the city or by the sea. During siesta time from one to five, public life shifts to the numerous restaurants or to private homes. It is not until 5 p.m. that you can go shopping again, but then you can continue until late in the evening. And it's worth it, because you won't just find the same old fashion found in every city in the world, but also small boutiques with unusual, one-of-a-kind items. What's more, the old town atmosphere alone is fun.

That's why I enjoy accompanying my wife on her shopping trips through Cagliari's old town, even though I'm not really a fan of shopping myself. Cagliari's alleys and squares offer plenty to feast your eyes on, and fortunately there are plenty of places nearby where you can indulge your other senses too: a really well-brewed caffè, “corrected” with sambuca, a Vermentino frizzante, a snack and a chat with the barista: wonderful! What more could you want? If you now feel like doing the same, Piazza Yenne is the ideal starting point for a stroll through the city, as it is the hub of several districts. From there, you can head to Via Manno, Via Roma, Via Garibaldi and the surrounding streets and alleys. Just let yourself drift, there is so much to discover!

Flea market – Cagliari at its most colourful!

When I'm in town on Sundays, the flea market ‘Mercatino’ in Piazza Trento is a wonderful change of pace. I like it because there are only a few professional dealers. Even I, an old shopping grouch, enjoy searching for colourful treasures and rarities here. It's amazing what you can find there, unbelievable what people try to sell!

The historic centre of Cagliari

I particularly like the historic centre. Because it is located on one of the seven hills of Cagliari with a fortress, it has been given the name ‘Castello’. This district shares the fate of similar neighbourhoods in many other cities. At some point, the original, wealthy residents fled from the cramped, noisy city to the suburbs. The old houses were left to decay and attracted those who could not afford modern flats. This creates a peculiar mixture of decaying grandeur and vibrant life, which in turn attracts the bohemians. Suddenly, the neighbourhood becomes ‘hip’, city fathers and investors come to their senses, stop the decay and renovate. The rest is history.

Castello is currently still in a transitional phase. Visitors to the neighbourhood today will be pleased to see that the restoration of the buildings is progressing. However, those who love the morbid charm of decay should hurry. It won't be long before everything is restored to museum standard.

After all that strenuous shopping, when my stomach starts to rumble, I look forward to visiting "Dal Corsaro", perhaps the best restaurant in Cagliari. The head chef, Stefano Deidda, is a true Cagliaritan and learned his craft in Italy and Spain from renowned chefs. It's amazing what he does with local produce, and I particularly like how he presents his creations. After all, you eat with your eyes first.

Relax and enjoy la dolce vita on the beach in Cagliari

If I didn't have such fantastic beaches and an incredibly blue sea in my ‘home town’ of Budoni, I would also visit the beaches in Cagliari. But it's definitely worth visiting Cagliari's local beach, the ‘Poetto’. There's always something going on here. During the day, people swim, dine or play sports, and in the evening you can stroll from one beach bar to another to choose what kind of live music you want to listen to until late into the night.

With a Sardinian ‘Adiosu’, I bid you farewell for today.

Yours, Joachim Waßmann