nora
 
The easiest excursion you can make from Cágliari is to the waterside archeological site at NORA , 40km south of the city. In July and August two daily ARST buses follow the coast past Sardinia's biggest industrial complex at Sarroch, where the huge refinery imports eighteen million tonnes of oil annually, mainly from Libya. At other times of the year you'll have to get off at PULA (10 buses daily), and then walk the 3km to the sea. It's worth going to Pula anyway, as the village museum (daily: April-Oct 9am-8pm; Nov-March 9am-6pm; L5000/¬2.58, or L8000/¬4.13 including site at Nora) gives a good explanation of the Nora finds.

Founded by the Phoenicians and settled later by Carthaginians and Romans, Nora (daily: April-Oct 9am-8pm; Nov-March 9am-6pm; L5000/¬2.58, or L8000/¬4.13 including museum) was abandoned around the third century AD, possibly as a result of a natural disaster. Now partly submerged under the sea, the remains on land include houses, Carthaginian warehouses, a temple, baths with some well-preserved mosaics, and a theatre in an equally good state of repair. The rest is rubble, though its position on the tip of a peninsula gives it plenty of atmosphere.

Outside the site stands the rather ordinary-looking eleventh-century church of Sant'Efísio, site of the saint's martyrdom and the ultimate destination of Cágliari's three-day May Day procession. Behind the church is an exquisite sandy bay, lapped by crystal-clear water, but rapidly transformed into day-tripper hell in season. The nearest hotel lies a kilometre away on the road back to Pula, Su Guventeddu (tel 070.920.9092; L90,000-120,000/¬46.48-61.98), offering bright, quiet rooms, with a recommended restaurant downstairs; in the village itself there's the basic Quattro Mori at Via Cágliari 10 (tel 070.920.9124; up to L60,000/¬30.99), and, further along the same road at no. 30, the better-equipped Sandalyon (tel 070.920.9151; L90,000-120,000/¬46.48-61.98).

The coast south has a few of Sardinia's most exclusive hotels, biggest and flashiest of which is the Forte Village , spread over a huge area, and catering largely to package groups (mid-April to mid-Nov; tel 070.92.171, fax 070.921.246; L300,000-400,000/¬154.94-206.58), though luxury-lovers might prefer the more select Flamingo (late April to mid-Oct; tel 070.920.8361, fax 070.920.8359; L250,000-300,000/¬129.11-154.94), where you can stay in hotel rooms or in detached villas; the half-board requirement bumps up the price. There are fine beaches all down this coast, especially around Chia , while beyond Capo Spartivento , the coastal road offers terrific views over a deserted cliff-hung coastline, sheltering a few small sand beaches which are accessible on an infrequent bus service in summer.