Cagliari
in Southern Sardinia
For many the starting point of any Sardinia road trip, the island’s capital deserves more than a quick in-and-out. Stay a little, wander La Marina, linger over aperitivo, and catch flamingos drifting through the salt pans by Poetto.
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Similarly to its beachside outpost, Antica Cagliari serves a refined take on traditional Sardinian cuisine, where seasonality and subtle innovation take centre stage. Grab a table outside in the heart of the charming Marina district and settle in for generous plates of seafood fregula. And if they're on the menu, don't miss the culurgiones served with carbonara sauce and crispy guanciale
Framed by colourful Bali-inspired parasols and raffia-clad interiors, the team behind Caffè Svizzero has created one of the city's most stylish spots for an aperitivo. Overlooking the harbour, it's the perfect place to linger at sunset with a generous charcuterie board and a fizzy Aperol Spritz as boats drift in and out of the marina. It's equally well suited for a grilled lunch or one of their breakfast pizzette sfoglia between sightseeing.
We could fill books with Cagliari’s great pizza spots, but Civico 8 has been a firm favourite since opening in 2016. From the team behind beloved Corso Dodici, this buzzy spot overlooking the boats in the harbour and the porticoes of Via Roma was an early champion of the city’s gourmet-pizza movement, turning out wonderfully fluffy bases piled with seasonal ingredients. For something properly local, order the Carlofortina, a nod to nearby San Pietro island’s Ligurian heritage, topped with fresh tuna, freshly ground pesto and gloriously juicy cherry tomatoes.
From the minds behind nearby Corso Dodici, Ex Tipografia swaps the classic espresso-and-cornetto breakfast for a decidedly more indulgent international brunch: think maple syrup-drizzled pancakes, generous bagels and a very Italian plate of pan bauletto tostato, sausage, bacon, fried eggs, roasted mushrooms and Dolcesardo cheese. Set in a former printworks overlooking buzzy, locals-filled Piazza Yenne, it’s just as good come dinnertime. If asparagus or artichoke carbonara makes an appearance, order it without hesitation.
