Sardinia‘s capital Cagliari is famous for its huge, bright sandy beach called Poetto. The beach is about 8 km long and can be reached from the city centre in 15 minutes by car. There are also good bus connections and a cycle path from the city. There are parking areas along the entire length, some of which are free of charge. Finding a parking space can be a challenge in summer, as all of Cagliari meets on its beautiful beach. At the end close to the city there are also some beach hotels and accommodation in the residential area behind the beach.
White sand, turquoise water, promenade and flamingos
The fine, light sand makes the mostly clear water glow wonderfully turquoise. The entrance is very shallow and the standing area is huge. There are only a few contaminations on the beach. At the ends it becomes much narrower than in the wide centre. Behind the beach there is a new promenade for walking, jogging and cycling and there are bus stops at regular intervals. Behind it is a road which in turn opens the view to large salt lagoons. Bird watching and large groups of flamingos can be seen in these lagoons that separate Cagliari from Poetto.
Various services and urban ambience
The beach has countless couches, discos, bars and restaurants. At regular intervals there are large bathing establishments framed by walls, in which a very special beach life takes place. At the south-east end there is a windsurfing club and a sailing school offering courses. You can also stroll along the promenade in winter and you can feel that you are on a city beach. Several bike rentals offer bikes that make it a wonderful way to cycle along the promenade. There is even an extra strip for joggers, so they don’t have to walk on the bike path. On weekends and in summer, various discos fill the beach also in the evening and many beach bars offer DJs or live music. At the end far away from the city, the last beach was declared a dog beach. Barrier-free access is available at the Poetto.
Mixed clientele and water sports enthusiasts in low season
In summer the beach is extremely crowded and there are families, singles and couples on the beach. The closer you get to the end close to the city, the younger the audience gets. Water sportsmen must keep a safety distance of 150 m to the beach and find actually only in the area of the windsurf club a zone marked out with buoys. Kitesurfers have no chance at all during this time. In the low season, however, the picture changes. Then mobile kite schools and even surfers are drawn to the beach. When bathers become scarce, the beach belongs to water sports enthusiasts who enjoy the regular wind and waves. Then there is enough space for everyone and sport is the top priority for visitors. The Poetto is a universal, impressive city beach that every visitor to Cagliari should have seen.