A Cagliari Walkabout, Cagliari, Italy

Not without interest. This is my usual polite way to indicate that the town in question may have a few interesting features but in no way rises to the “must-see” category. If you are in the area, you probably should visit, but don’t lose sleep over not being able to allocate significant time to its exploration.

Cagliari - the capital and the biggest city of Sardinia - is exactly that: not without interest. As in any large town with a long history, there are notable points of interest, impressive monuments, and winsome perspectives. But very little comes with a “wow” factor, and on average Cagliari feels short of remarkable.

The killer feature has got to be the Bastion Saint Rémy, a 19th-century limestone structure that acts as the cinematic entry point to the historic district of Cagliari.

Other notable structures in the Castello district include a couple of early 14th-century towers, one of which is known as Torre dell’Elefante on account of a small sculpture on an elevated shelf on the wall.

Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta e Santa Cecilia is probably the second most impressive sight in Cagliari after the bastion.

The lions guarding the steps in front of the altar seem to be unusually engaged in risqué activities. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).