Where to Stay in Cagliari: The Best Neighborhoods & Hotels

Where to Stay in Cagliari for YOU

Keep reading to learn more about each of these areas, with pros & cons + hotel recommendations.👇

The Best Neighborhoods to Stay in Cagliari – Pros & Cons

Cagliari is the main hub of the island: from there, you can easily reach the rest of the region, and it is most likely where you’ll first arrive. So it’s almost impossible (and unthinkable!) to skip it out of your Sardinia itinerary.

So, if you want to stay there and enjoy the sun of Italy, here are my personal recommendations, adapted to your needs.

THE BEST Place to Stay in Cagliari Sardinia: Quartiere Castello

Quartiere Castello is basically the old town of Cagliari, and easily its most charming and attractive area. If you are looking for the most well-rounded and safest neighborhood for a successful stay in the capital, this is definitely where you should head to!

From there, you can reach all of the main points of interest, from the historical marvels of the center to the neighboring, splendid beach.

Besides, it is made of plenty of cute, narrow streets, and it offers excellent bars and restaurants, as well as unique, local architecture. All in all, you could get lost in the maze of the pavedways whilst feeling the authentic vibe it gives off. Amazing!

Where to Stay in Quartiere Castello

While Quartiere Castello is just stunning, it is also filled with tons of fantastic accommodations. Because of this, finding the one that truly meets your requirements can be challenging.

Don’t worry though, I’ve got you covered! Here are my 3 favorite picks, based on your needs:

✅ Best Hotel: Al Duomo di Cagliari

There is no doubt in my mind that Al Duomo di Cagliari is the best hotel you can find in Quartiere Castello.

With such great value for money, an ideal location (right in the heart of the neighborhood), and stunning decoration, it’s just fantastic. So, what are you waiting for?

✨ Luxury Choice: Palazzo Doglio

For those of you who are looking to take their stay in Cagliari to a whole new level, I give you the Palazzo Doglio, an exceptional accommodation.

It features classy and beautiful architecture, a kind and responsive staff, and an exquisite on-site restaurant serving gastronomic Sardinian cuisine. How awesome!

💰 Budget Pick: Hotel Nautilus

Finding an affordable accommodation in Cagliari’s best neighborhood could be tough… if it weren’t for the Hotel Nautilus.

Although considered a resort, this cozy hotel offers all you need, from 2 beautiful swimming pools and a location on the beachfront to modern and colorful rooms and a peaceful area.

Best Area to Stay in Cagliari Sardinia for the Beach: Poetto

It’s no surprise that the beach is the best thing about Sardinia. From pristine and warm sand to turquoise and seemingly infinite waters, the seaside draws plenty of travelers each year, especially with such a fantastic sea as the Mediterranean.

And well, if you want to enjoy the beach as much as possible in Cagliari, then you should stay in Poetto, near the city’s most famous beach.

With a lovely beachfront featuring small waves and open showers, Poetto is for sure a wonderful neighborhood. After a long and exhausting day under the warm sun of Sardinia, you will be pleased to eat in one of the many restaurants and bars the area has to offer.

If you ever wanted, you could also rent loungers or parasols, or simply relax on the sand: the beach is extremely wide and simply lovely!

Where to Stay in Poetto

Sure, the beach is fantastic and everyone would love to stay as close to it as possible, but it doesn’t mean there aren’t endless options.

For you, I have narrowed down my 3 favorite picks in Poetto:

✅ Best Hotel: Appartamenti sulla SPIAGGIA al POETTO

Believe me, you won’t find any hotel with a better location than this one, especially if you want to spend all of your time by the beach: it is literally on the sand!

Besides, this accommodation is fairly affordable, and, with traditional, whitewashed decoration, it features a stunning interior.

✨ Luxury Choice: New Bussola

The New Bussola is easily one of the best luxury hotels I have ever seen when it comes to decoration: the rooms are nothing but otherworldly, and you will feel all of the class and fanciness of Italy in this hotel.

Plus, it has a magnificent outdoor swimming pool, as well as a nice and competent staff.

💰 Budget Pick: Hotel Poetto

This hotel bears its name very well: it is the place to go if you are looking for a budget-friendly stay in Poetto!

Don’t be fooled by its pricing though, as it is a very solid choice. It offers free parking spots, comfortable beds, spacious rooms, and a sunny terrace. Lovely!

Read this post for more beach hotels in Cagliari.

Best Place to Stay in Cagliari for Families: Monte Urpinu-Bonaria

There are plenty of convenient neighborhoods for families in Cagliari: the city is overall nice and safe, well-equipped, and pretty cute. However, for the best experience, I have to recommend Monte Urpinu-Bonaria, a greener and more isolated area of the capital.

There, you will find a beautiful and wide natural park with animals and playgrounds for kids. There are also historic buildings such as a basilisk and other churches, but what’s best about it is for sure the peacefulness: if you want memorable family times in a quiet area, this one’s just what you need.

On top of that, because you will live higher up the streets, you will enjoy marvelous views of both the rest of Cagliari and the shore. Trust me, sunsets there are just magical!

Where to Stay in Monte Urpinu-Bonaria

For a stay with your loved ones, in a peaceful neighborhood, you must pick your accommodation pretty carefully: you won’t want to ruin an otherwise fantastic holiday, right?

Don’t be afraid! Here are 3 picks you simply cannot go wrong with:

✅ Best Hotel: Mapi’s Rooms

Although it is the best hotel in Monte Urpinu-Bonaria, this place is also a pretty affordable pick, and it could suit most budget travelers in my opinion.

In this hotel, you will live in a modern, bright, clean, and classy interior, with comfortable beds and a lovely balcony.

✨ Luxury Choice: 18 Dante Luxury Suites

Featuring an absolutely amazing lit-up, rooftop jacuzzi, the 18 Dante Luxury Suites are all you need for the most comfortable stay possible with your loved ones.

With the incredible views and quietness it offers, this hotel is just fantastic, especially for larger groups such as families.

💰 Budget Pick: Iola Rooms – Q9416

For such affordable pricing, this place offers incredible perks. The rooms are fully equipped with anything you could need, the bus line is right in front of the property and the center of Cagliari isn’t too far either.

Also, the hosts will warmly welcome you, so you and your family won’t have to worry.

Best Place to Stay for Nightlife in Cagliari: Stampace

The Mediterranean is one of the best areas for nightlife you can find across Europe, with its magnificent beaches and buzzing bars; and well, you’ve guessed it, Cagliari and Sardinia are no exception, as the city is also great for having a fun night out. And, if you want to make sure you enjoy the best of it, although you could stay anywhere around the town, Stampace is the place to go to.

On top of featuring loads of restaurants, bars, and shops for a bustling nightlife, Stampace is also one of the more historical neighborhoods of the city, and it is renowned for being home to more locals and fewer tourists.

Lastly, it is located right next to my favorite neighborhood, Quartiere Castello, which is also awesome.

Where to Stay in Stampace

So, you are looking to have fun nights out in southern Sardinia and would love to stay in Stampace, Cagliari. Fantastic idea, but I have to tell you that finding a comfortable and affordable hotel is particularly important for that!

Thus, here are my 3 personal recommendations:

✅ Best Hotel: L’ISOLA CHE C’E’

Believe me, no hotel in Stampace can compete with this place, the best compromise you can find, no matter your requirements.

Not only are the beds particularly comfortable (which is perfect because you’ll need plenty of rest after a long night), but the interior is spotlessly clean and decorated with high-end amenities.

✨ Luxury Choice: NEW HOME – appartamento in centro storico

Featuring magnificent decoration and cutting-edge amenities, this accommodation is the best for luxury lovers.

Ideally located, with bars and restaurants within reach, this hotel is exceptionally spacious and comfortable. Fully air-conditioned, it will guarantee restful sleep, even if you’re napping during the day, so just go for it if you can!

💰 Budget Pick: La Dolce Cagliari holiday home

La Dolce Cagliari holiday home offers excellent value for money: budget travelers are going to love it!

You will have both coffee and tea at your disposal and will live in clean rooms. Everything is white and modern, and the property feels cozy and bright. A very nice pick!

Best Place to Stay in Cagliari for History Lovers: Quartiere Villanova

For those of you who are looking for either peacefulness or historic sites, Quartiere Villanova is the place to go. You can enjoy relaxing walks and discover the best of Cagliari’s ancient architecture there, all the while having everything you need in the vicinity: Quartiere Castello is just next to it!

Interestingly enough, there are 4 historic neighborhoods in Cagliari, and Quartiere Villanova is the most recent and most attractive of them, according to me. Its architecture hasn’t changed in centuries, apart from the areas destroyed during World War II.

Also, there are very few tourists, as most people usually rush to the other neighborhoods, so you are guaranteed a quiet stay. You will find plenty of greenery by the windows, and can also go on a shopping spree in the main street of the neighborhood.

Where to Stay in Quartiere Villanova

As colorful and ancient as Quartiere Villanova can be, there are still tons of great hotel options.

However, I think the 3 best of them are these ones, as they each stand out for their own reasons:

✅ Best Hotel: Nero Luxury Suites

Don’t be fooled by its name, the Neko Luxury Suites is definitely an affordable hotel for most travelers, and it offers the overall best compromise in Quartiere Villanova, no matter your needs.

Surrounded by luxurious tones of black and gold, I’m sure you will enjoy the comfort and class of this hotel.

✨ Luxury Choice: Palazzo Tirso Cagliari MGallery

If you want the most luxurious and fanciest of options, the Palazzo Tirso Cagliari MGallery is right there for you.

Located right by the seaside, it offers absolutely incredible swimming pools, as well as a tastefully decorated and particularly bright interior. Just amazing!

💰 Budget Pick: GUEST HOUSE SONNINO 37

Although there aren’t that many cheap hotels in Quartiere Villanova, I believe this guesthouse is the best of them.

With an extremely special but lovely decoration, it stands out among all of the hotels in the neighborhood, without being too extravagant or uncomfortable. Definitely a perfect budget-friendly getaway.

Cheapest Area Where to Stay in Cagliari: Quartu Sant’Elena

Speaking of budget-friendly getaways, you have probably noticed how expensive Cagliari can be overall.

It is coveted by tons of tourists, and for good reasons; unfortunately, this also means that budget travelers can have a rough time going there and enjoying comfortable hotels and tasty restaurants. If you want to make sure you spend as little as possible during your next trip to Cagliari, you should stay in Quartu Sant’Elena.

Despite its location, which is pretty far from the center of Cagliari, Quartu Sant’Elena offers plenty of interesting perks.

You can enjoy local festivals such as religious processions there, as well as relaxing nature reserves (with their pink flamingos!) and magnificent beaches. All in all, you won’t even need to go to the heart of Cagliari, everything you want is already in Quartu Sant’Elena!

Where to Stay in Quartu Sant’Elena

Do you want to stay in the cheapest area of Cagliari? Pretty smart of you, because it also offers unique activities and stunning beaches everyone should check out!

Just in case you want to live in a cheap neighborhood but not necessarily a cheap accommodation, I have kept the previous way of sorting out accommodations by budget:

✅ Best Hotel: A casa di nonna

With a name translating to “at grandma’s house”, A casa di nonna is a welcoming and traditionally decorated hotel. It has a near-perfect rating of 9.8 out of 10 and for very good reasons.

The interior is a wonderful blend between authentic amenities and modern ones, and it features a long and sunny balcony, as well as tons of equipment.

✨ Luxury Choice: Gioja suite

For those of you who want to spend more on your accommodation than on your day-to-day expenses such as restaurants and groceries, I give you the Gioja suite, the best luxury hotel in the cheapest area of Cagliari.

This accommodation is super spacious and features particularly modern amenities, as well as a stunning balcony with magnificent views of the neighborhood.

💰 Budget Pick: CIVICO 16A – Apartment

On the other hand, if you want to spend as little as possible during your stay in Cagliari while still having a decent hotel, you should consider the CIVICO 16A – Apartment, a clean and affordable hotel.

If you decide to book this beautiful place, you can stay for much longer in Cagliari than you usually would; what do you think about that? It has all you need, believe me!

Check out this guide to get more hotel recommendations in Cagliari.

Is Cagliari Worth Visiting?

Short answer: yes.

There are tons of incredible activities you must try in Cagliari, from relaxing on the pristine sand beaches to learning more about the ancient history of the city, and it is simply a stunning town.

Also, it is most likely the place where you’ll first arrive in Sardinia, which is pretty handy if you want to save time and money and not travel all across the island. Thanks to its southernmost location, the weather there is almost always fantastic, and you can realistically enjoy it at any time of the year. How marvelous!

More Hotels in Sardinia

Couldn’t find the right area for you? Or you’d prefer to see other options before making up your mind?

Check out our main Sardinia guide to find the best location for you:👉 The Best Places to Stay in Sardinia 👈

Or, here are other guides to help find the right location in Sardinia depending on your travel purpose:

• Where to Stay in Sardinia for families
• Where to Stay in Sardinia for couples
• Where to Stay in Sardinia for beaches
• Where to Stay in Sardinia without a car
• Where to Stay in Sardinia for nightlife

Or by location:

• Where to Stay in South Sardinia
• Where to Stay in North Sardinia
• Where to Stay in La Maddalena Archipelago

I have even more Sardinia guides, click here to check them out.

Final Thoughts

Well, that’s it, you now know the best areas to stay in Cagliari for your next trip. I hope you loved this list, that you learned more about the city, and most importantly that you found where you wanted to head.

And, if you still haven’t, remember that the overall best choice is Quartiere Castello, with its charming streets, local vibe, and perfect location. You just cannot go wrong with it!