# Cagliari and Sardinia's South Coast

Castello, the Poetto, the flamingos of Molentargius, the ruins of Nora, the dunes of Chia and the sea at Villasimius, with a direct flight from Barcelona and Seville.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/sardinia/cagliari-south-coast · Revisado: 2026-11-13

Cagliari is the capital of Sardinia and the gateway to the south of the island. It's a real city, with a market, traffic and life out of season, built on a hill looking over the gulf. At the top is Castello, the walled district built by the Pisans; below, the port and the districts of Marina and Stampace. To the east, between the city and the sea, the old salt pans of Molentargius are now a park where flamingos nest, and behind it begins the Poetto, eight kilometres of city beach.

The best thing is that within an hour by car the landscape changes. Towards the south-west, along the Pula coast, you reach Nora, the Phoenician and Roman city by the sea, and the dunes of Chia and Su Giudeu. Towards the east, Villasimius and the Capo Carbonara marine area, with the Isola dei Cavoli and Porto Giunco. This page brings together the city and those two coasts.

## How do you get there from Spain?

Fly to Cagliari-Elmas (CAG) airport, which has a direct flight from Barcelona and from Seville. From other cities you need to connect. The airport is right next to the city: the train from Elmas Aeroporto station reaches the centre in about 6 minutes and costs €1.30, and by taxi the minimum daytime fare is €17.

If you're staying in Cagliari, you don't need a car: Castello is explored on foot and the CTM bus takes you to the Poetto. For Nora, Chia and Villasimius, hire one. From the centre it's about 45 minutes to Nora, an hour to Chia and a little more to the port of Villasimius.

## Where to stay: city or coast?

With three to five nights, the most convenient is to sleep two in the city and one or two on the coast. In Cagliari, the Hotel Regina Margherita is between the port and Castello, with a small garage. In Chia, the Hotel Su Giudeu is small and a few steps from the beach, for adults and children from age 10 only. In Villasimius, the Hotel Mariposas has a pool and Simius beach a few minutes' walk away.

For eating, the Antico Caffè, at the foot of the Saint Remy bastion since the 19th century; the tuna cooking of Luigi Pomata, opposite the port; and Don Carlo, on the beach next to Nora. There are two day plans, Castello, flamingos and Poetto and Nora and the beaches of Chia, and a two-night getaway with a boat at Capo Carbonara.

## What to do

In the city. Climb up to Castello by the Saint Remy bastion and pass under the Pisan towers of San Pancrazio and the Elephant. In the afternoon, go and see the Molentargius flamingos, free and a step from the centre, and finish at the Poetto with the Sella del Diavolo in the background.

Towards Pula and Chia. The ruins of Nora are on a peninsula over the sea, with a theatre, baths and Roman mosaics. Further south, the beaches of Chia and Su Giudeu have dunes up to twenty metres high and an islet you can walk to at low tide.

Towards Villasimius. From May to September, the sailing boat Matilda II leaves Villasimius harbour with lunch on board and stops at the Isola dei Cavoli. On land, Porto Giunco combines a pale-sand beach with another flamingo pond.

## When to go?

May, June, September and October. That's when the water is good and the beaches have space. July and August are the hottest months with the most people on the beaches. From November to March the city stays open and Molentargius park is a good visit, but the sailing boat doesn't run and many beach businesses close.

## Dónde está
- Cerca: Barbagia (a 111.8 km)

## Qué hacer
- **A walk through Castello, Cagliari's walled quarter, from the Saint Remy bastion** (2 h 30 · All ages · Free): Castello is the upper quarter of Cagliari, the one you see from the port with its pale stone walls. The Pisans fortified it in the late 13th century as a citadel on the hill, and for centuries it was the fortified district of the city, with the Marina, Stampace and Villanova quarters at its feet. Today you explore it on foot, along narrow streets that are flat once you are up, with viewpoints over the gulf on almost every side.
Where to climb up
Start at Piazza Costituzione, at the foot of the Saint Remy bastion. It is the most spectacular way in: a monumental flight of steps with arches leading to the Umberto I terrace, an open promenade above the rooftops of Villanova and Marina, with the port and the salt pans in the distance. The bastion is not medieval: it was built in the early 20th century on the old bulwarks of Sperone and Zecca, and takes its name from the Baron of Saint Remy, the island's first Piedmontese viceroy.
The Pisan towers
From the terrace, continue north through the streets of Castello. Four towers of the medieval wall remain. The oldest is the Sperone tower, or degli Alberti, from 1293. The two famous ones are the Tower of San Pancrazio, from 1305, beside the Porta Cristina, at the highest point of the quarter, and the Elephant Tower, built two years later, which takes its name from the small statue of an elephant placed on a corbel on the seaward side. Both are attributed to the architect Giovanni Capula.
Next to San Pancrazio is the Cittadella dei Musei, which occupies the old royal arsenal of 1727. If you want to go into a museum, check opening hours and prices on its website beforehand: we have not checked them for this entry.
The Santa Croce bastion at sunset
Return along the west side to the Santa Croce bastion, opposite the basilica of the same name. It was built during Viceroy Dusay's term, between 1491 and 1508, and Jacopo Fratino gave it its pentagonal shape. Today it is where the people of Cagliari go up to watch the sun set over the port and the Santa Gilla lagoon. From there you can go down to Stampace or return by the same streets to Saint Remy.
When and how
The full walk takes two or three hours at an easy pace. The climb is the only tiring part; up top it is almost all flat. Go early or late in the day: at midday the bastion and the stone streets build up a lot of heat in summer. Do not drive up: the quarter has limited traffic and parking is difficult. From the port and the station it is a ten- to fifteen-minute walk.
- **Flamingos in Molentargius Park, the old salt pans between Cagliari and Poetto** (2 h · All ages · Free): Between the centre of Cagliari and Poetto beach there are salt pans that stopped producing salt in 1985 and are now the Molentargius-Saline Regional Nature Park: about 1,600 hectares of ponds, canals and dykes surrounded by four municipalities. It is unusual to have this inside a city: you leave a neighbourhood of apartment blocks and ten minutes later you have hundreds of pink flamingos in front of you, feeding in the shallow water. According to the park itself, in recent years the Molentargius pond has been the most important site in the Mediterranean for flamingo nesting.
What you see
The flamingos are here all year, in greater or lesser numbers, and you can see them from the paths without getting close: the water is shallow and they keep their distance. There are also other wetland birds: the park is one of the places in Sardinia with the most species, and some routes are named after birds, such as the little egret (Garzetta) or the little owl (Civetta). The old salt-works buildings and the straight dykes are a reminder that this was a place of work.
The routes
The green areas are free to enter and free of charge. There are walking routes through natural areas (Perdabianca, Is Arenas, Perdalonga) and cycle-and-walking routes you can do on foot or by bike: Saline, Garzetta, Civetta, Olivastro, Oleandro and Tamerice. They are flat and suitable for all ages. The park's website does not publish the length or access points of each one: ask for the map at the infopoint or download it from its website before you go.
The park also has guided boat trips along the canals and electric minibus tours, organised by the Molentargius Environmental Education Centre and local companies. Prices and times are not published on its website; ask at the infopoint or on 070 379191.
Opening hours and rules
The green areas are open every day: from 6:30 to 21:00 from 1 March to 15 October and from 7:00 to 18:00 from 16 October to 28 February. The infopoint is open from 8:30 to 20:30 from April to September and until 18:30 from October to March. Cars are for reaching the car parks only. The park advises against bringing a dog, and if you do, always keep it on a lead. Do not pick flowers or branches and do not light fires.
When to go
First thing in the morning or at the end of the afternoon: the light is better for photos, it is cooler and there is more bird movement. Bring binoculars, water and a hat; there is no shade on the dykes.
- **Nora archaeological site, the Phoenician and Roman city by the sea in Pula** (2 h · All ages · Desde 10 € per adult): Nora sits on a low peninsula in the Gulf of Cagliari, in the municipality of Pula, joined to the mainland by a narrow spit. The Phoenicians founded a trading port here between the 9th and 8th centuries BC; the Carthaginians came next and, in the 1st century BC, Rome made it a municipality. It lived its best days between the late 2nd and 3rd centuries AD and was abandoned between the 7th and 8th centuries. What you see today is above all the Roman city, with the sea on both sides of the path.
What you see
The guided visit starts at the temple of Tanit, the Phoenician goddess of fertility. Then you walk through the forum, which was the centre of public life; the theatre, the most recognisable monument; and the baths, with the Terme a Mare complex excavated since 1977 beside the water. Among the houses, mosaics remain on the floors. The University of Padua keeps a research mission here. The visits have 3D viewers that reconstruct the city at its height.
At the tip of the peninsula is the Coltellazzo tower, which together with the cliff shelters the bay from the wind. Next to the entrance, on the beach, the little church of Sant'Efisio marks the place where tradition locates the saint's martyrdom; Cagliari's great procession reaches here on 3 May, during the four days of the festival.
Tickets and opening hours
Admission costs €10 for adults, €6 for under-18s and is free for under-5s. There is a combined ticket with the Conti Vecchi salt pans for €17. Buying online saves queuing: you receive a PDF with a QR code that you show on your phone.
Opening hours change with the month: 9:00 to 17:00 from November to February, until 18:00 in March, until 19:00 in April, May and October and until 20:30 from June to September. The foot of the website says 20:00 in summer, so confirm it if you are going late.
Beware of the guided visit. The ticket bought online does not include the guided visit; book it by phone (070 9209366) or by email.
Getting there and how long it takes
From Cagliari, 45 minutes by car along the Pula road. There is parking beside Nora beach. The visit takes an hour and a half or two hours. Go first thing or last thing in summer: there is no shade among the ruins.
To round it off
Swim at Nora beach, white sand with shallow water, good for children. A few minutes away, Su Guventeddu beach has the Don Carlo restaurant. And if you like archaeology, the Giovanni Patroni Museum, in the centre of Pula, holds finds from Nora.
- **Chia and Su Giudeu beaches: dunes, an islet you can walk to and flamingos in the lagoon** (5 h · All ages · Free): Chia is the stretch of coast of Domus de Maria, south of Pula, where the water turns turquoise and the sand forms tall dunes covered in juniper. There are about seven kilometres of sand split between several beaches. The best known is Su Giudeu: in front of it lies a dark rock islet, about 100 metres away, which you reach on foot at low tide, with the water up to your knees.
The beaches, from east to west
Sa Colonia is a long beach of pale sand east of the Chia tower, a Spanish-era watchtower on a headland. On the other side of the tower is Su Portu. Continuing west you reach Su Giudeu, with dunes up to twenty metres high, and Porto Campana, also with dunes. At the far end, from the last access point, a path leads on foot or by bike to Cala Cipolla, a small cove sheltered among rocks.
The Spartivento flamingos
Behind Su Giudeu is the Spartivento lagoon, where you can see pink flamingos, herons and coots. From the access path to the beach you have them in view: it is easy to combine a swim and a spell with the binoculars in the same morning.
Getting there and parking
From Cagliari, an hour by car on the SS195: you pass Pula and, about ten kilometres later, turn towards the coast in the direction of Capo Spartivento. Su Giudeu has three access points and parking, as well as umbrella and sunlounger hire, bars, a restaurant and a diving centre. In July and August, arrive early. By bus it is very complicated: this outing is done by car.
With children
The water between the shore and the islet is shallow and clear, good for children to walk to the islet holding hands. The dunes are fragile: enter the beach by the marked access points and do not climb on them. There is no natural shade on the sand; bring an umbrella or hire one.
When to go
From May to October for swimming. June and September are the best months: warm water and parking with room.
- **Poetto Beach, eight kilometres of sand beneath the Sella del Diavolo** (4 h · All ages · Free): Poetto is Cagliari's beach: a strip of sand eight kilometres long running from the foot of the Sella del Diavolo to Margine Rosso, in Quartu Sant'Elena. About four kilometres belong to Cagliari and another four to Quartu. Behind it lies the Molentargius salt-pan park, where flamingos nest, so between the road and the beach there are no apartment blocks, just water and sky. It is an urban beach, with a bus and services, but with open sea and a sandy bottom.
Which stretch to choose
Marina Piccola, the Cagliari end, is the stretch with the most atmosphere: a small marina, bars and the headland of the Sella del Diavolo above. From Calamosca, on the other side of the headland, a path leaves that takes an hour to climb to the 17th-century Spanish tower; Sardegna Turismo recommends doing it at night too, with the city lit up. Towards the middle of the beach, the sand opens out and there is more room. The Quartu stretch, towards Margine Rosso, is the quietest.
Facilities
Along the promenade there are beach establishments with paid umbrellas and sunloungers, and free stretches. The official listing mentions a diving centre, sailing schools, boat hire, canoe trips, volleyball and beach tennis courts, toilets, showers and dog areas. With children, look for a stretch with a lifeguard and go into the water gently: the bottom is sandy and slopes gradually, but with a southerly wind there are waves.
Getting there without a car
From the centre, on CTM buses: lines PF and PQ run along Poetto. The 90-minute ticket costs €1.30 and the day ticket €3.30; on the Poetto buses you can pay by card on board. By car, in summer the car parks on the promenade fill up early at weekends: the bus is usually quicker.
When to go
For swimming, May to October. In July and August on Sundays it fills with local families from mid-morning; on weekdays there is room. Out of season, the seafront is where Cagliari goes running, walking and watching the sunset behind the Sella del Diavolo.
- **A day on the Matilda II sailing boat around Capo Carbonara and Isola dei Cavoli, with lunch on board** (6 h 30 · All ages · Desde 70 € per person): Off Villasimius, the southeastern tip of the Gulf of Cagliari, lies the Capo Carbonara Marine Protected Area: created in 1998, it covers about 14,360 hectares of sea including Isola dei Cavoli, Serpentara and several islets. There are posidonia meadows, red gorgonians and, with luck, dolphins. The most relaxed way to see it is to spend a day on a sailing boat that stops for swimming, lands on the island and serves lunch on board. The Matilda II is a 22-metre schooner authorised by the marine area to carry passengers.
The day on board
You meet at pier M of the Villasimius marina, no later than 10:00. After a first stretch under sail, a tender takes you to a beach: Punta Is Molentis, Cuccureddus, Simius or Is Traias, depending on the wind and sea of the day.
Then, if conditions allow, the boat anchors at Isola dei Cavoli, at Cala Is Scasciu or beside the small harbour. You have an hour to walk its short paths and climb up to the old lighthouse, with a view over the whole cape. The next stop is the buoy of the Madonna del Naufrago: about 30 minutes of snorkelling to see the submerged statue by the sculptor Pinuccio Sciola. For the rest of the day there are one or more swims from the boat at Porto Giunco, Simius, the Proceddus pools or the bay of the island of Santo Stefano. At 16:30 you are back in the harbour.
Lunch
It is served around 12:30 and is included: malloreddus alla campidanese, the Sardinian pasta with tomato and sausage sauce; then cured sausage, pecorino and spianata bread; for dessert, filled biscuits. To drink, water, wine, soft drinks, coffee and mirto.
Price and booking
€80 per adult and €70 for ages 2 to 12, from 1 May to 30 September, every day. It holds up to 40 people, and in July and August it is best to book days ahead: online on its website, by WhatsApp or by phone. The website does not publish the cancellation policy; ask when booking what happens if the wind forces a cancellation. The sailing stretches depend on there being enough wind, neither too little nor too much.
Getting there
Villasimius is a little over an hour from Cagliari by car. Park near the marina and arrive with time to spare to find pier M. If you are staying in the town, the harbour is a few minutes away by car.
- **Porto Giunco and the Notteri lagoon, a pink-tinged sandy beach and flamingos in Villasimius** (4 h · All ages · Free): Porto Giunco is the beach that appears in the photos of Villasimius: a tongue of sand between the sea of the Capo Carbonara marine area and the Notteri lagoon, with a Spanish tower on the headland. The sand is very pale, with pinkish tones that come from fragments of granite, and the seabed is sandy and very shallow for many metres. It is the westernmost part of a long beach that begins at Simius, the town beach.
The Notteri lagoon
Behind the sand is the Notteri lagoon, where pink flamingos and other migratory birds stop. From the beach you see turquoise water on one side and flamingos in the still water on the other. Do not go into the lagoon or approach the birds: they are watched from the edge, ideally with binoculars.
The Porto Giunco tower
On the southwest headland stands the Porto Giunco tower, nine metres high, which the Spanish built in the 17th century to watch the coast for pirates. You climb to it on foot by a path from the end of the beach. From the top you see the beach with the lagoon behind it, Capo Carbonara and, opposite, the isola dei Cavoli. Wear closed shoes: the path is stony scrubland.
Getting there and parking
From the centre of Villasimius it is a few minutes by car, following the signs to the marina. There is a large car park and, from it, a path through eucalyptus trees leads down to the sand. From Cagliari it is a little over an hour by car. In August, arrive early.
Facilities
The beach has establishments with umbrellas and sunloungers, equipment hire, kiosks and bars along the shore, and hotels and apartments nearby. In the afternoon, some bars stay open for an aperitivo.
With children
It is one of the best beaches in the south for small children: the water does not get deep until very far out. Bring an umbrella if you are not hiring one, and sun cream: there is no natural shade on the sand.

## Dónde comer
- **Antico Caffè** (Restaurant, Cagliari, €€). Qué pedir: at midday, the culurgiones ogliastrini with potato, mint and pecorino (€14) or the fregola with lobster sauce (€18); for dessert, the sebada with strawberry-tree honey
- **Ristorante Luigi Pomata** (Restaurant, Cagliari, €€€). Qué pedir: the Fuori Tonno menu (€90), all bluefin tuna; a la carte, the hand-cut bluefin tuna tartare (€24) and the linguine alla Nicolo with the house tuna reserve (€24)
- **Ristorante Don Carlo** (Restaurant, Pula, €€€). Qué pedir: at midday, the handmade fregola cooked like a risotto with prawn sauce or the culurgione that meets the sea; for a main course, the barely seared bluefin tuna cube, and seadas for dessert

## By plane: Fly to Cagliari and drive the coast
The airport is Cagliari-Elmas (CAG), with direct flights from Barcelona and Seville; from other Spanish cities you have to change. It is right next to the city: the train reaches the centre in about six minutes. For Cagliari you do not need a car; for Nora and Chia, an hour away, and for Villasimius, a little more, hire one at the airport.
### Dónde dormir if you're flying
- **Hotel Regina Margherita** (Hotel): A city hotel between the port and Castello
The Hotel Regina Margherita is on Viale Regina Margherita, the avenue that runs down from the Castello quarter to Cagliari's port. It is a large, modern four-star hotel with 100 rooms, designed for business travellers and tourists alike. Its great advantage is the location: you can walk out to the Saint Remy steps, the Marina quarter, the shopping streets of the centre and the quay, and the railway station, where the airport train arrives, is a short stroll away.
The rooms
There are several categories: the simpler Smart rooms, single, double or twin; the Superior rooms; the Family Rooms for families; and two types of suite, the Suite and the Suite Presidenziale. Two rooms are Easy Access, adapted for guests with disabilities. Wifi is free and unlimited throughout the hotel. The website does not publish check-in and check-out times or prices: you see them when you book.
Bistro, spa and gym
On the ground floor is the Bistrot Regina Margherita, which is open at lunchtime from 12:00 to 14:00 and in the evening from 19:30 to 22:00, and sends food up to your room if you ask. There is also a lounge bar. For unwinding after a hot day, the hotel has the Therms SPA and a gym open 24 hours. They also offer an ironing room and a laundry service.
If you are driving
Parking in the centre of Cagliari is not easy. The hotel has a small garage that can hold your car subject to availability: ask for a space when you book. There is also a charging point for electric cars. If you are going to use the car only to go out to Nora, Chia or Villasimius, the hotel puts you a few minutes from the road to the coast.
Who it is for
For sleeping two or three nights in Cagliari and getting around the city on foot, and for a first or last night near the station and the port. With children, the Family Rooms are the option.
- **Hotel Su Giudeu** (Small hotel): A small hotel beside the Chia dunes
The Hotel Su Giudeu is at Località Capo Spartivento, in Chia, the dune coast of Domus de Maria, about 50 km from Cagliari and 60 from the airport. It is about 500 metres from the sea: a small road takes you on foot to Su Giudeu beach, the one with the islet you can walk to at low tide. It is a quiet, unpretentious hotel with 18 rooms, for anyone who wants to sleep next to the best beaches in the south without going into a big resort.
The rooms
There are 13 doubles, one single, two triples and two rooms adapted for guests with disabilities. They fall into two types: the Superior Mare, with a sea view from a balcony or a window, and the Standard Collina, which face the hill, also with a balcony or window. All have television, air conditioning, hairdryer, minibar, safe and a bathroom with a shower. Extra beds are not provided.
Garden, bar and breakfast
The hotel has a garden with shaded areas, a bar with a terrace, a small library for guests and a breakfast room. It has no restaurant or pool: the sea is five minutes' walk away. Wifi works only in the common areas. Inside the grounds there is free parking, something you will appreciate in summer, when the car parks at the Chia beaches fill up.
Rules
The hotel accepts children only from the age of 10 and does not accept animals. The website does not publish prices, check-in and check-out times or opening dates: email or call them before booking, especially outside the summer.
What is nearby
Su Giudeu beach and the Spartivento lagoon, with flamingos, a few steps away; Tuerredda, another well-known beach in the area, about two minutes by car; and the ruins of Nora, in Pula, half an hour away. For dinner you will need to take the car.
- **Hotel Mariposas** (Small hotel): A family hotel a step from Simius
The Hotel Mariposas is on Via Mar Nero, in Villasimius, between the centre of the town and Simius beach, the main beach, which you reach on foot in a few minutes. It opened in 2007 and is run by its owners, with the feel of a family home. What sets it apart is the tropical garden with a pool, which means you do not miss being on the front line.
The rooms
There are six types. The Junior Suites, of 27 m² for two to four people, with one large bed and one French bed: the Superior, on the first floor with a terrace with a sea view; the Garden, on the ground floor with a veranda towards the pool and garden; and the Classic, also on the ground floor with a veranda. For two, the Garden Room (15 m²), modern and with a veranda onto the garden; the Doppia Superior (15 m², up to three people), with a sea terrace or a veranda on the pool; and the Doppia Classic (14 m²), with a veranda or terrace that does not face the pool. The Junior Suites are the choice for families with two children.
Pool, breakfast and beach
The pool is free for guests, with umbrellas and sunloungers. The buffet breakfast is included, with Italian and international products. Beside the pool they serve food and drink, and there is a bistro bar for a drink or a light meal. Wifi reaches the rooms, the pool and the garden. Parking is free.
On Simius beach, the hotel has a service with one umbrella and two sunloungers for the whole day, which is booked and paid for separately. The website does not publish prices, check-in and check-out times or opening dates: ask for a quote or check availability on its booking engine.
What is nearby
From the hotel, the centre of Villasimius and Simius beach are on foot. By car, a few minutes away, you have Porto Giunco and the marina, from where the Matilda II sailing boat leaves for Isola dei Cavoli. Cagliari is a little over an hour away.
### Servicios
- **Cagliari-Elmas airport train to the centre**: Trenitalia train between Elmas Aeroporto station and Cagliari station · about 6 minutes · €1.30
- **CTM buses to Poetto**: CTM lines PF and PQ from the centre of Cagliari to Poetto · 90-minute ticket €1.30 · card payment on board

## By car: Southern Sardinia by car
You do not need a car in Cagliari, where parking is difficult, but it is the way to reach the beaches of the south. From the centre it is about 45 minutes to Nora, an hour to Chia and a little more to Villasimius harbour. The practical approach is to use it only on coast days, or to sleep outside the city.
Presupuesto orientativo: 100–170 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're driving
- **Hotel Regina Margherita** (Hotel): A city hotel between the port and Castello
The Hotel Regina Margherita is on Viale Regina Margherita, the avenue that runs down from the Castello quarter to Cagliari's port. It is a large, modern four-star hotel with 100 rooms, designed for business travellers and tourists alike. Its great advantage is the location: you can walk out to the Saint Remy steps, the Marina quarter, the shopping streets of the centre and the quay, and the railway station, where the airport train arrives, is a short stroll away.
The rooms
There are several categories: the simpler Smart rooms, single, double or twin; the Superior rooms; the Family Rooms for families; and two types of suite, the Suite and the Suite Presidenziale. Two rooms are Easy Access, adapted for guests with disabilities. Wifi is free and unlimited throughout the hotel. The website does not publish check-in and check-out times or prices: you see them when you book.
Bistro, spa and gym
On the ground floor is the Bistrot Regina Margherita, which is open at lunchtime from 12:00 to 14:00 and in the evening from 19:30 to 22:00, and sends food up to your room if you ask. There is also a lounge bar. For unwinding after a hot day, the hotel has the Therms SPA and a gym open 24 hours. They also offer an ironing room and a laundry service.
If you are driving
Parking in the centre of Cagliari is not easy. The hotel has a small garage that can hold your car subject to availability: ask for a space when you book. There is also a charging point for electric cars. If you are going to use the car only to go out to Nora, Chia or Villasimius, the hotel puts you a few minutes from the road to the coast.
Who it is for
For sleeping two or three nights in Cagliari and getting around the city on foot, and for a first or last night near the station and the port. With children, the Family Rooms are the option.
- **Hotel Su Giudeu** (Small hotel): A small hotel beside the Chia dunes
The Hotel Su Giudeu is at Località Capo Spartivento, in Chia, the dune coast of Domus de Maria, about 50 km from Cagliari and 60 from the airport. It is about 500 metres from the sea: a small road takes you on foot to Su Giudeu beach, the one with the islet you can walk to at low tide. It is a quiet, unpretentious hotel with 18 rooms, for anyone who wants to sleep next to the best beaches in the south without going into a big resort.
The rooms
There are 13 doubles, one single, two triples and two rooms adapted for guests with disabilities. They fall into two types: the Superior Mare, with a sea view from a balcony or a window, and the Standard Collina, which face the hill, also with a balcony or window. All have television, air conditioning, hairdryer, minibar, safe and a bathroom with a shower. Extra beds are not provided.
Garden, bar and breakfast
The hotel has a garden with shaded areas, a bar with a terrace, a small library for guests and a breakfast room. It has no restaurant or pool: the sea is five minutes' walk away. Wifi works only in the common areas. Inside the grounds there is free parking, something you will appreciate in summer, when the car parks at the Chia beaches fill up.
Rules
The hotel accepts children only from the age of 10 and does not accept animals. The website does not publish prices, check-in and check-out times or opening dates: email or call them before booking, especially outside the summer.
What is nearby
Su Giudeu beach and the Spartivento lagoon, with flamingos, a few steps away; Tuerredda, another well-known beach in the area, about two minutes by car; and the ruins of Nora, in Pula, half an hour away. For dinner you will need to take the car.
- **Hotel Mariposas** (Small hotel): A family hotel a step from Simius
The Hotel Mariposas is on Via Mar Nero, in Villasimius, between the centre of the town and Simius beach, the main beach, which you reach on foot in a few minutes. It opened in 2007 and is run by its owners, with the feel of a family home. What sets it apart is the tropical garden with a pool, which means you do not miss being on the front line.
The rooms
There are six types. The Junior Suites, of 27 m² for two to four people, with one large bed and one French bed: the Superior, on the first floor with a terrace with a sea view; the Garden, on the ground floor with a veranda towards the pool and garden; and the Classic, also on the ground floor with a veranda. For two, the Garden Room (15 m²), modern and with a veranda onto the garden; the Doppia Superior (15 m², up to three people), with a sea terrace or a veranda on the pool; and the Doppia Classic (14 m²), with a veranda or terrace that does not face the pool. The Junior Suites are the choice for families with two children.
Pool, breakfast and beach
The pool is free for guests, with umbrellas and sunloungers. The buffet breakfast is included, with Italian and international products. Beside the pool they serve food and drink, and there is a bistro bar for a drink or a light meal. Wifi reaches the rooms, the pool and the garden. Parking is free.
On Simius beach, the hotel has a service with one umbrella and two sunloungers for the whole day, which is booked and paid for separately. The website does not publish prices, check-in and check-out times or opening dates: ask for a quote or check availability on its booking engine.
What is nearby
From the hotel, the centre of Villasimius and Simius beach are on foot. By car, a few minutes away, you have Porto Giunco and the marina, from where the Matilda II sailing boat leaves for Isola dei Cavoli. Cagliari is a little over an hour away.

## As a family: Cagliari and the south with the family

With children, southern Sardinia is a trip of beaches with shallow, sandy bottoms, flamingos you can see from the path and the odd short visit. Nora is free up to age 5, the Villasimius sailing boat has a child price for ages 2 to 12 and Molentargius park costs nothing.

### What works best
The Molentargius flamingos, on flat paths for walking or cycling

Porto Giunco, in Villasimius, with very shallow water and flamingos in the lagoon behind

Su Giudeu, in Chia, with an islet you can walk to at low tide

The Matilda II sailing boat, with lunch on board and €70 for ages 2 to 12

The ruins of Nora, €6 for under-18s and free up to age 5, and the shallow-water beach at the exit

### Where to stay
Hotel Regina Margherita, with Family rooms in the centre of Cagliari

Hotel Mariposas, with Junior Suites for four and a pool in the garden

### Where to eat
Antico Caffè, open from morning to night, with pastries and Sardinian food

### Bear in mind
The Hotel Su Giudeu accepts children only from the age of 10

There is no shade at Nora or on the beaches: bring a hat, water and an umbrella

The Saint Remy steps and the slopes of Castello: a baby carrier is better than a pushchair

The sailing day runs from 10:00 to 16:30

### Qué hacer as a family
- A walk through Castello, Cagliari's walled quarter, from the Saint Remy bastion
- Flamingos in Molentargius Park, the old salt pans between Cagliari and Poetto
- Nora archaeological site, the Phoenician and Roman city by the sea in Pula
- Chia and Su Giudeu beaches: dunes, an islet you can walk to and flamingos in the lagoon
- Poetto Beach, eight kilometres of sand beneath the Sella del Diavolo
- A day on the Matilda II sailing boat around Capo Carbonara and Isola dei Cavoli, with lunch on board
- Porto Giunco and the Notteri lagoon, a pink-tinged sandy beach and flamingos in Villasimius

## Consejos

### Use the airport train
Six minutes and €1.30 to the centre: you don't need a car for the first days.

### Hire the car for the coast
Nora, Chia and Villasimius are an hour away and buses are few.

### Go up to Castello early or at sunset
At midday the stone heats up and the bastion has no shade.

### Bring binoculars
The Molentargius flamingos are best seen with them.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### Is there a direct flight from Spain to Cagliari?
Yes, from Barcelona and from Seville. From other cities you fly with a connection.

### How do I get from the airport to the centre?
By train from Elmas Aeroporto station, about 6 minutes and €1.30, or by taxi from €17.

### Do I need a car in Cagliari?
In the city, no: Castello is explored on foot and the bus goes to the Poetto. For Nora, Chia and Villasimius, yes.

### Where can you see flamingos?
In Molentargius park, between the city and the Poetto, and also in the ponds at Chia and Notteri, next to Porto Giunco.

### How many days do I need?
Three or four: one for the city, one for Nora and Chia and another for Villasimius and the sea.

### Which beach is closest to Cagliari?
The Poetto, a few minutes from the centre by bus, with eight kilometres of sand.