The city beach and the promontory
Few European capitals have a beach like the Poetto: about eight kilometres of fine pale sand and clear water, a few minutes by bus from the centre of Cagliari, stretching from the promontory of the Sella del Diavolo to the coast of Quartu Sant'Elena, between the sea and the lagoon of Molentargius. It is the beach of the people of Cagliari, crowded on summer weekends, with beach clubs, the "chioschi" (kiosks) that serve aperitifs until late, and space for walking, running and cycling along the seafront promenade.
At its western end rises the Sella del Diavolo, the "Devil's Saddle", a limestone promontory whose shape, with a hollow in the middle, recalls a saddle. According to legend, Lucifer and his devils tried to conquer the gulf, called the Golfo degli Angeli, the "Gulf of Angels", but the Archangel Michael and his angels defeated them, and in the battle the devil's saddle fell from his horse and turned to stone. A path climbs the promontory among Mediterranean scrub, with remains of a Punic cistern, a Spanish tower and Second World War bunkers, offering magnificent views over the Poetto, the city and the coast. Below, the small bay of Calamosca has a quieter beach.
Tip: the walk on the Sella del Diavolo takes about an hour and a half; go early in the morning or at sunset, there is no shade.
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