This vast neoclassical structure, comprising a gallery space, monumental stairway and panoramic terrace, was built into the city's medieval walls between 1899 and 1902. The highlight is the elegant Umberto I terrace, which commands sweeping views over Cagliari’s jumbled rooftops to the sea and distant mountains. To reach the terrace, you can try the stairway on Piazza Costituzione or take one of the elevators – eg from the Giardino Sotto Le Mure or Piazza Yenne – although at the time of research they were closed and you needed to walk up via the streets.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Santuario & Basilica di Nostra Signora di Bonaria
0.69 MILES
Crowning the Bonaria hill, around 1km southeast of Via Roma, this religious complex is a hugely popular pilgrimage site. Devotees come from all over the…
0.19 MILES
Cagliari’s graceful 13th-century cathedral stands proudly on Piazza Palazzo. Except for the square-based bell tower, little remains of the original Gothic…
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0.45 MILES
Of the four museums at the Cittadella dei Musei, this is the undoubted star. Sardinia’s premier archaeological museum showcases artefacts spanning…
18.14 MILES
Clad in thick forest, the mountain massif known as the Monte dei Sette Fratelli dominates the remote Sarrabus area. Its granite peaks and woodlands…
2.75 MILES
An easy bus ride from the centre, Cagliari's fabulous Poetto beach extends for 7km beyond the green Promontorio di Sant'Elia, nicknamed the Sella del…
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0.19 MILES
This hilltop citadel is Cagliari’s most iconic image, its domes, towers and palazzi, once home to the city’s aristocracy, rising above the sturdy ramparts…
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23.33 MILES
If you embark on just one excursion from Villasimius, make it the 15-minute drive south to Capo Carbonara, a protected marine park. The promontory dips…
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22.72 MILES
The pick of Villasimius' spiagge (beaches), Cala Giunco is a vision of beach perfection: a long strip of silky white sand sandwiched between tropical…
Nearby Cagliari attractions
0.1 MILES
A small strip of park in the shadows of the Castello's mighty walls, this 500m-long green space is home to seven works by leading Sardinian sculptor…
0.12 MILES
The most astonishing feature of this church is an enormous 17th-century gilded wooden altarpiece housing a figure of the Virgin Mary. From the church,…
0.13 MILES
Treasures from the Cattedrale di Santa Maria are displayed at this compact museum just around the corner from the cathedral. One standout is the 15th…
4. Museo del Tesoro e Area Archeologica di Sant'Eulalia
0.14 MILES
In the heart of the Marina district, this museum contains a rich collection of religious art, as well as an archaeological area beneath the adjacent…
0.15 MILES
One of only two Pisan towers still standing, the Torre dell’Elefante was built in 1307 as a defence against the threatening Aragonese. Named after the…
0.17 MILES
Erected in Piazza Yenne in 1860, this melodramatic statue shows Carlo Felice, Sardinia's king from 1821 to his death in 1831, posing as an ancient Roman…
0.18 MILES
Cagliari's town hall from medieval times to the 19th century, the beautifully restored Palazzo di Città has been converted into a small museum. It…
0.18 MILES
The focal point of the Marina district, and indeed of central Cagliari, is Piazza Yenne. The small square is adorned with a statue of King Carlo Felice to…