Cagliari Things to Do

The Roman amphitheatre in Cagliari, is one of the most important buildings in the island and is situated on the foot of the viale Buoncammino promenade, in the Palabanda valley, a very rich archaeological site. It was erected between the end of the 1st century and the beginning of the 2nd century. The building with an elliptical plan, 89 metres long, could contain about 10,000 spectators. During the centuries, many of its flights of steps, for which it was called ”centu scalas“ (one hundred stairs) were removed and used as building material. Part of the terraces, the corridors and underground rooms are still in fairly good conditions (the ditches for the wild beasts are still visible today). In the arena, gladiators fights, fights between gladiators and wild beasts and death sentences were held. Sometimes, even theatre plays took place here.

The Necropolis of Tuvixeddu rests on the hills of the same name in the quartiere of Sant'Avendrace. The Necropolis was used by the Romans and behind this lies a tomb monument known as Grotta della Vipera the viper's cave. Artifacts from the Tuvixeddu necropolis (objects produced by the Phoenicians, or imported from Greece, Italy, and Spain) are particularly interesting and now are exhibited in National Archaeological Museum.

Largo Carlo Felice is a very nice street. It begin in Via Roma and end in Piazza Yenne where is the Monument to Carlo Felice de Savoia, king of Sardinia. In the corner with Via Roma stops the bus 8 to Castello.

The Cathedral is in the Castello Neighborhood. Near the Cathedral are the former City Hall, the Viceregal Palace, and the Archbishop's Palace, all them with beautiful facades. The building was erected in 1200 and in 1664 its choir and transept were renovated and the baroque-like dome was added: in 1702 the façade was changed: in 1933 the façade was changed again, in Tuscan neo-Romanesque style. The cathedral, dedicated to Saint Mary, of the original structure keeps the architrave of the central door, the arms of the transept and the bell tower. The Cagliari Cathedral was erected in the 13th century with a Romanesque style from Pisa and modified many times in the centuries. Today, the template of the central door, the bell tower and the transept are what remains of the original structure. The presbytery leads to the suggestive sanctuary, excavated in stone, which contains the remains of Christian martyrs. The central chapel is remarkable: it is decorated with 584 rose windows.
The Capitolare Museum contains the treasure, with an 18th-century golden ostensory with more than 1,500 diamonds.

The Church of Sant Anna is the most spectacular church in the city. It was erected between 1785 and 1817, but it was heavily damaged during the Second World War and recently rebuilt, respecting its original shape. It has the late-baroque Piedmont style. The interior consists in only one nave with lateral chapels; the statue of saint Amedeo di Savoia by Andrea Galassi is remarkable.

If you prefer walk searching narrow and silents streets with old buildings Cagliari is the best place to do it. History seems to seep through every brick in every wall, a history made up of art, ancient flavours and thousands of years of tradition. Dont miss them.

Via Roma is a beautiful avenue with many art nouveau style buildings who can be seen along all the street, but whose boundaries are marked by the church of San Francesco di Paola, the town hall and the modern building which houses the regional Council. Canary palms line Via Roma's traffic median and seat market stands.

The Saint Remy Bastion ; situated on the eastern edge of the ancient Castello neighbourhood , it was erected between the 19th and the 20th century and dedicate to the first Savoy viceroy in Sardinia. The Bastione di S.Remy seat a weekly flea market.