Cagliari

Cagliari is the capital of Sardinia, built across a set of hills that overlook the Gulf of Cagliari. Whitewashed buildings with terracotta roofs stack up from the harbour, and the old walled quarter of Castello sits at the top with views in every direction. The cruise terminal is modern and sits close to the city centre, so you can walk into town within minutes. Phoenicians, Romans and Spanish all left their mark here, and the layers show. The National Archaeological Museum in the Castello quarter has an excellent collection of bronzetti, small Nuragic bronze figurines unique to Sardinia. Below the old walls, the Marina district has most of the restaurants and shops. Poetto Beach, a long strip of sand on the eastern edge of the city, is easy to reach by bus. Try culurgiones, handmade Sardinian pasta stuffed with potato, pecorino and mint, at one of the smaller trattorias away from the main tourist drag.