Cagliari – history of the city

Cagliari, called by the inhabitants of Casteddu, meaning ‘the castle’, is a city, like Rome, raised on the hills, but Cagliari is older than the capital of Italy. It was founded by the Phoenicians in the 7th century BC. And they made it their colony. Then it was taken over by the Carthaginians, and then the Romans.

Cagliari has always been a tasty morsel for all invaders and has often fallen prey to them, as it is a great communication center with the northern coast of Africa. Traces of these historical turbulences are visible in the city in the form of architectural monuments.

Tourist attractions

Cagliari is full of tourist attractions. Certainly, there are enough places worth visiting for at least a week’s stay. The district of the city called Castello is known all over the world, even from postcards. It is the oldest part of Cagliari and at the same time the most picturesque. It is worth staying here for a longer time to feel the specific atmosphere of this place. You must climb one of Cagliari’s towers: Torre dell’Elefante or Torre di San Pancrazio.

The list of must-visit places in Cagliari also includes the oldest monument in the city, i.e. the Roman amphitheatre. It comes from the 2nd century and remembers the times of gladiator fights, as well as public executions. To this day, only those elements that the Romans carved in solid rock have survived, but it is still a breathtaking sight.

While visiting Cagliari, it is also worth seeing beautiful, historic churches, such as San Saturnino, as well as the university building from 1606 and fragments of fortifications, which prove how often Cagliari was besieged. After a day of exploring the city, it is worth taking a break on one of the beaches in Cagliari – Poetto, it is one of the longest Italian beaches and stretches for 13 km.