Usually, Cagliari’s café scene tends to stick to tradition. That’s the opposite of what pastry chef Gabriele Giambastiani set out to do with Matrice, a contemporary pasticceria agricola in Piazza Yenne. With its open, glass-walled lab, the space invites passersby into a literal sweet-watching: croissants, cinnamon rolls, and delicate mignons are crafted in full view. Rooted in a farm-to-pastry ethos and set within warm sandstone and olive wood interiors, breakfast and aperitivo are served daily – best paired with the signature Caffè Matrice, where a melting praline turns espresso into dessert.

Corso Dodici has been a favourite local address since opening in 2013. Part bistro, part cocktail spot, it pairs comforting Sardinian flavours with contemporary flair – from silky cacio e pepe to tender octopus served on a smooth chickpea cream. Inside, warm wood, soft lighting and vintage objects create an inviting, slightly retro atmosphere where a quick dinner easily turns into a long, convivial evening.

On the edge of Cagliari’s Castello district, Palazzo Boyl is set a neoclassical residence built in 1840 on the city’s former Pisan walls. Today the restored Liberty cream-coloured palace is an intimate boutique hotel, its sea-facing windows opening onto views of the harbour and the historic centre below. Along the marble balustrade, statues of the four seasons quietly preside, while tucked within the palace stands the Torre del Leone – a 14th-century Pisan tower still bearing cannonballs from the sieges that once rattled the city.