- I've been to all 20 regions of Italy and visited famous cities like Milan and Rome.
- After I spontaneously visited Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia, it became my favorite Italian city.
- I love Cagliari's unique cuisine, laid-back pace, and proximity to beautiful beaches.
In February, I was in Florence, staring at the Delta Air Lines email telling me to check in for my flight back to New York.
I had a gut feeling that I wasn't ready to leave Italy yet, but what would I do here? Where would I stay?
My mom sent me a picture of the snow back home, and if Florence's cool weather gave me seasonal depression, I couldn't imagine New York's frigid temperatures would help. So, I did the unthinkable: I canceled my flight with no set plan.
Needing some sunshine as much as I needed a place to sleep, I impulsively booked a flight to Sardinia, where the temperature would be just a touch warmer than it was in Florence.
This would mark my first time visiting the region. As spontaneous as it was, checking out Sardinia was a great decision, because I discovered one of my favorite cities on the planet: Cagliari.
I instantly fell in love with Sardinian cuisine
I arrived late at night in Cagliari and immediately felt the warm, salty air, even in the offseason.
It was nearly midnight, but I wanted to check out the city. As an avid solo traveler, I typically avoid late-night walks, but Cagliari pushed me to make an exception.
Despite the odd hour, the city was alive. There were crowds of people dancing, drinking, and eating, so much so that I could hardly find a free table in Piazza Yenne, a central square in the city.
The next morning, I started learning about the magic of Sardinian food. I headed to I Fenu Gelateria, a gelateria known for its unique, local flavors.
I ordered pardula gelato, which tasted like the Sardinian dessert of the same name. Later that day, I tried a real pardula, a star-shaped pastry filled with ricotta, orange zest, and saffron.
Throughout my week there, I also ate chewy malloreddus pasta, potato and mint-stuffed pasta known as culurgiones, a couscous-like pasta called fregola, and plenty of pecorino Romano, a sheep's milk cheese that you'll find just about everywhere in Sardinia.
The archaeological ruins and beaches make this city a must-visit
It's not just the food that made me fall in love with Cagliari, though.
Archaeological buffs will especially enjoy it here: The city is full of Roman ruins, including its own designated Roman amphitheater and a network of underground caves, which can best be explored by booking a tour.
Of course, no visit to Sardinia is complete without seeing at least one beach. I took a day trip to Villasimius, a beach town about an hour outside the city.
Because I went in February, I had Porto Giunco Beach, one of the most popular beaches on the island, completely to myself.
I even learned a few lessons from the Sardinians' way of life
Sardinia is one of the world's five Blue Zones, meaning this region has a particularly high concentration of people who live longer lives.
Almost immediately, I felt like I could understand why.
Though Cagliari is a metropolitan area, people around me generally seemed calm and relaxed, which felt especially jarring compared to the bustling vibe of other major cities.
Whenever I told locals it was my first time in Cagliari, they nearly dropped everything they were doing to offer some guidance.
Even the man I sat next to on the airplane talked to me the entire flight about what I must do in the city, boasting about how beautiful his island is.
From its ancient ruins to the salty sea, Cagliari absolutely stole my heart — and I would trade all of my future visits to Rome and Milan for another day there.
