Poetto, the long beach of Cagliari

On the southern coast of Sardinia, right in the centre of the gulf of Angeli, lies the renowned beach of Cagliari, Poetto. The beach is an arch of 8km of sand, dividing the sea and the pond of Molentargius. The beach is just short walk from the city, and is popular with both locals and tourists; an ideal destination of soaking up the sun in a fun atmosphere thanks to its lively night-life.

The beach is set in splendid landscape, closed off at the western point by the headland of Capo Sant'Elia and another promontory which from afar looks like the shape of a saddle and has therefore been given the evocative name of Sella del diavolo (Devil’s Saddle).

At the slopes of this promontory lies the small harbour, Marina piccola, a well-tended harbour mooring tourist and fishing boats, and ideal for wandering around the jetties and wharfs, home to waterside bars.

Poetto however remains the beach of the Cagliaritani (local residents of Cagliari). Since the early nineteen hundreds, the beach has been a popular destination for swimmers and sun-bathers, when once lay the colourful casotti di legno (wooden cabins) which were slightly larger than traditional cabins, and were a base for bathers and holiday-makers, however they were destroyed around the mid 1980’s. Today the beach features numerous kiosks open day and night.

At sunset, Poetto beach transforms into a lively night-spot, with live concerts and atmospheric bars, attracting young locals and tourists.

A natural aspect not to be missed is without doubt the fabulous spectacle of flamingos in flight at sunset, which live in the nearby pond of Molentargius, behind Poetto. Along the beach at the various restaurants, food-lovers can samples the local speciality; spaghetti ai ricci di mare (spaghetti with sea urchin).

Poetto beach is accessible from Cagliari by public transport, including buses, or by bike along the straight but busy road. A curiosity; locally, the names of the bus-stops are used to indicate the different areas of the beach, i.e “Let’s meet at the first stop, or the second stop”.