What's on in Cagliari (Sardinia), Italy through the year

Busy — Christmas holidays in Italy, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in January.

Still on: Winter: routes and beach kiosks shut (1 Nov – 20 Mar)

Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in February.

Still on: Winter: routes and beach kiosks shut (1 Nov – 20 Mar)

Shoulder season — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in March.

Still on: Winter: routes and beach kiosks shut (1 Nov – 20 Mar)

Busy — Easter holidays in Italy, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it

• Nature

  Flamingos nesting at Molentargius

  1 Apr – 15 Aug · usuallyBirdlife season

  The salt lagoon between the city and Poetto beach holds one of the Mediterranean's larger breeding colonies, close enough to reach on foot from the centre.

Busy — Festa di Sant'Efisio, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Festa di Sant'Efisio

  1–4 MayMajor festivalCrowdedClosures

  On 1 May the saint is carried out of the city towards Nora behind thousands of Sardinians in the costume of their own village, and the whole island turns up to watch it pass. Source ↗

Still on: Flamingos nesting at Molentargius (1 Apr – 15 Aug (usually))

Busy — Summer holidays in Italy, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Hazard

  Sardinian fire season

  1 Jun – 15 OctSmoke season

  The regional fire campaign runs through summer and the hills either side of the city carry the risk. Bad days put smoke over the plain and close scrub roads. Source ↗

• Season

  Poetto swimming season

  10 Jun – 10 Oct · usuallySea warm enough

  The city beach runs eight kilometres and the kiosks work from June until the water goes off in October. Residents use it before work rather than at midday.

Still on: Flamingos nesting at Molentargius (1 Apr – 15 Aug (usually))

Busy — Summer holidays in Italy, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in July.

Still on: Flamingos nesting at Molentargius (1 Apr – 15 Aug (usually)), Sardinian fire season (1 Jun – 15 Oct), Poetto swimming season (10 Jun – 10 Oct (usually))

Peak crowds — Ferragosto, Summer holidays in Italy

• Holiday

  Ferragosto

  5–25 AugSchool holidaysClosuresCrowded

  Ferries and flights from the mainland are at their dearest and the city's own restaurants shut for a fortnight while their owners go to the coast. The beach is full; the centre is not. Source ↗

Still on: Flamingos nesting at Molentargius (1 Apr – 15 Aug (usually)), Sardinian fire season (1 Jun – 15 Oct), Poetto swimming season (10 Jun – 10 Oct (usually))

Busy — Summer holidays in Italy, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in September.

Still on: Sardinian fire season (1 Jun – 15 Oct), Poetto swimming season (10 Jun – 10 Oct (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in October.

Still on: Sardinian fire season (1 Jun – 15 Oct), Poetto swimming season (10 Jun – 10 Oct (usually))

Quiet — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

• Season

  Winter: routes and beach kiosks shut

  1 Nov – 20 MarOff-season shutdownClosures

  Seasonal flights stop and Poetto goes back to dog walkers, but unlike the resort towns Cagliari is a working city and the old quarters stay open all winter.

Busy — Christmas holidays in Italy, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in December.

Still on: Winter: routes and beach kiosks shut (1 Nov – 20 Mar)