Poetto beach, one of the world's longest natural beaches
Another view of the same Poetto beach surrounded by hills
Largo Carlo Felice going towards beautiful Via Roma, near the main train station
Lovely Via Roma, what comes to my mind when I think of Cagliari. Close to the "wonderful harbour"
A little alley off trendy Via Manno, as picturesque as it gets especially lunch time!
Going to Via Garibaldi, the city's shopping Mecca.
A quaint corner off Via Garibaldi called "Scalette di Santa Teresa", Saint Therese's little staircase.
"Bastione Saint Remy", in Piazza della Costituzione, between Via Manno and Via Garibaldi. An old bastion coupled with Cagliari's oldest bistro-café
Another view of Poetto beach, just to keep you inspired..
I’ve always liked going to Cagliari, or going back, I should probably say, since it’s my birthplace where I lived the first three years of my life. Not that I remember much of those days, but every time I go, Cagliari conveys a sense of openness and space. So much openness that it was conquered by no less than everybody, or better, I should say it let everybody conquer it.
Its strategic position made it naturally the best link between Europe, North Africa and the Near East, plus an invaluable departure point from where to “borrow” the island’s multiple resources of minerals, wood, agricultural products.
Obviously not all who came had the aim to conquer or loot Sardinia, many were just my ancest0r’s commercial, political and even military partners, such as Etrurians coming from central Italy and Phoenicians from Lebanon.
In all this coming and going, also a reputable traveler stopped by, Ibn Battutah, Islam’s first travel writer, a little like their version of our Marco Polo. I was happy to see in his journey map also a stop in Cagliari, likely a short one because on his way to Maghreb from Andalusia, or al-Andalus, as he used to call it. Troubled times, Muslims and Christians were fighting (already), conquests and re-conquests were happening and travelers weren’t sleeping very tight.
This is what Ibn Battutah reported on his Travels: “We reached the island of Sardaniyah, a Christian island in which there is a wonderful harbour with huge beams of wood around it and an entrance like a gate, which is opened only with their permission. In the island are fortresses, one of which we entered and in which there were many bazaars. I vowed God Most High that if He delivered us from this island I would fast for two months, because we had learnt that its people had resolved to follow us and take us prisoner when we left. But we departed from the island in safety, and after ten days reached the coast of the Maghrib.”
A real testimony of that time here, right from the words of who lived it.
The “wonderful harbour” is obviously Cagliari’s port, probably the same I still admire every time I go, and the “many bazaars” were probably where the Mecca of the shopping is today. We Sardinians have a knack for claiming resilience against mdoernization, so I like to believe that although we changed the “look”, we kept the original layout of the city pretty much unscathed.
Bella descrizione di Cagliari, e molto belle le fotografie.
Grazie
J’y étais et je peux garantir que les couleurs de cette merveilleuse ville sont authentiques!
Merci!
I’ve never even heard of Cagliari but it looks amazing, especially the beach. I’m going to Umbria in August, hm, maybe a journey from there … by the way, I love the layout of your blog. I need to revamp mine. Yours looks so clean and uncluttered.
From central Italy you can easily jump on a plane and get to Cagliari, you’ll certainly enjoy the vibe
Looks like a wonderful place indeed! I like the shots of the streets.
Thanks Audrey, I love those streets too, they are always busy but somehow relaxing. Must be the everh-shining sun or their pebbly look!
Looks gorgeous! Would love to be lying on the beach right now
I hear you are in Italy, get on a plane to Cagliari!
What inviting photos, Angela. Sardinia looks enchanting–and clean! I should try to get there when I’m in Sicily next.
You would love it, never thought about cleanness but you’re right, Sardinia is very clean!
Nice photos, Cagliaria now seems so much more to me than just a crappy football team! I never even knew it had a beach for example!
LOL! Will! I’m surprised someone knows of the local football team actually! Usually Sardinia is known for completely different things! The Poetto, for example, Cagliari’s beach, is one of the longest natural beaches in the world!