Porto Giunco is one of the most beautiful beaches on the south east coast of Sardinia. This spectacular stretch of coast is a continuation of magnificent white sandy beaches washed by crystal clear waters, and lagoons populated by pink flamingos and numerous other species of bird. Ten years ago the entire area was nominated Marine Reserve. The Protected Marine Area of Capo Carbonara includes the islands of Cavoli and Serpentara, this latter home to the Spanish tower of San Luigi.
Before arriving in Cagliari, it's well worth stopping off at Quartu S.Elena, one of the most important towns of the hinterland, to visit the "Sa Dom'e farra", or House of Flour Museum, which recounts the history of peasant society and Quartu's great bread-making tradition. Quartu is where the legendary Poetto beach begins, and continues for over ten kilometers of glorious white sand.
Beneath the provincial capital lies another city - that of Cagliari underground. In the heart of the historic center, under the Villa di Tigiello and the numerous 18th century palazzi dating back to the time of the House of Savoy, underground paths lead past a series of cisterns created by the Phoenicians, the most famous of which is the Vittorio Emanuele II Cistern. Returning to the surface, we discover a city still scattered with the traces of its distant past: the Roman Amphitheatre, the Cittadella dei Musei, the Cathedral, the Torre dell'Elefante, the Saint Remy Bastion, and the Necropolis of Tuvixeddu.
With Cagliari behind us, we proceed along the coast, past beaches and dunes, so as to arrive in the Sulcis, and southernmost Sardinia. Nora, in the vicinity of Pula, is an antique Phoenician-Punic city. From here visitors can partake in boat trips across the lagoon or visit the archaeological area at the feet of the Capo di Pula promontory.
Whilst in the Sulcis, visitors have the opportunity to explore some of the most beautiful landscapes. The Is Cannoneris wood, in the territory of Domus de Maria, near Chia, is one of the most extensive in the region and the natural habitat for deer (there is a deer repopulation center here) and numerous bird's of prey. Sant'Anna Arresi, just over ten kilometers from Teuleda, is the host town for an important annual international jazz festival.
The island of Sant'Antioco, together with that of San Pietro, forms the Sulcis archipelago. Italy's fourth largest island, its economy rotates around the numerous archaeological findings discovered here and conserved in the town's Archaeological Museum. In the nearby archaeological area, the remains of a necropolis, Phoenician tophet and Hypogeum village can be seen.
