Hire Car Cagliari Tips, Experiences & Comparison

Exploring Cagliari by Hire Car

Cagliari, capital and largest city of Sardinia, is a destination that opens many possibilities for the holidaymaker.

Historic buildings, elegant boulevards and numerous beaches make the place attractive.

The surrounding countryside with many charming places is also worth exploring and can be easily reached by hire car. For rental and travel we have compiled a few tips.

Receiving the hire car

Many hire car companies can be found at the hire car center just outside the airport. Just make sure your rental company is there as well.

Because there are also providers whose station is only near the airport. In this case, you will have to wait for a shuttle to take you to the station. And that can really take time.

Choosing the right car

Consider what you should do during your trip. If you are planning a beach stay with short trips to neighboring towns, you can have a lot of fun with a fancy convertible.

But if you’re planning to go all over the island in the height of summer, you’ll be very glad of an enclosed vehicle with air conditioning that works well. Many travellers also underestimate their luggage and only realise at the hire car station that the car they have booked is too small.

Hire car prices

In Cagliari hire car prices are in the mid price range. The cheapest way to get your hire car is usually to book well in advance and use the handy price comparison tool on this page.

hire car price comparison Cagliari

Insurance

Even on narrow and winding roads in the interior of the island of Sardinia, an accident can happen quickly. But also in Cagliari itself it comes again and again to fender benders. Therefore, it is best to take out a comprehensive insurance without excess.

And pay attention to the liability sum insured. This should be at least one million euros. Because in an accident, numerous other vehicles and, in the worst case, people can also come to harm. And then it can quickly become very expensive.

age limit

With most rental companies, you have to be at least 21 to even get a hire car. And many providers charge extra if drivers are under 25. Check out the terms before you rent.

Accessories

If you need a navigation device or a child seat for the trip, you should inform your rental company about this in good time. Only in this way can you be sure that the desired items will be available on the day of rental.

Language barrier

In Cagliari, it can happen every now and then that an employee of a rental station interprets the English language in such a way that you don’t understand a word. To be on the safe side, you should save the number of your rental company’s Italian headquarters in your mobile phone. There you can ask for translation help in case of emergency.

Free kilometers

If you want to get to know not only the surroundings of Cagliari, but the whole of Sardinia, you should definitely hire car that allows you to drive unlimited kilometres at no extra cost.

Tank control

There are always rental companies where you have to buy a full tank of gas and then return the car with an empty tank. Since the full tank is usually sold significantly above market price and since you will never manage to return the car completely empty, you always pay with this variant on it. It is better to choose a rental company where you take over the car with a full tank and return it with a full tank.

Customer Review Hire Car

Most of the customers are satisfied with the hire car in Cagliari. However, some complain that they were coerced into buying unnecessary insurance on the spot. Make sure the car is adequately insured at the time of rental and consistently refuse to sign any further contracts at the rental station.

And before booking the car, read the customer reviews on this portal to avoid getting a black sheep in the first place.

Safety Hire Car

Always check the vehicle’s lights before your first drive. Don’t forget the indicators and brake light either. And do a little brake test while still in the rental company’s parking lot.

Bail

Only book with rental companies that promise to only block the deposit on the credit card. Because there are also providers who actually collect the money. And then it can take quite a while to get the amount back after returning the hire car.

Sights in Cagliari

Torre dell’Elefante: Grandiose view
Perhaps you start your stroll at the Castello. This doesn’t just mean the fortifications, but also the whole surrounding old town area. First visit the Torre dell’Elefante. The defence tower was built in 1307. In ancient times, it served mainly as a deterrent.

Cages were placed at the Torre to display the heads of executed prisoners. Today, thankfully, there are no cages here. If you climb the tower, you’ll have a terrific view of the city and surrounding area.

Museo Archeologico Nazionale: Journey to the Past
Another beautiful viewpoint is the Torre di San Pancrazio, built in 1305. Now you can explore the district on your own, strolling through the medieval alleyways to embark on an adventurous journey back in time.

The Museo Archeologico Nazionale could be the next point of your city tour. Exhibits dating back over 1,000 years are housed here, showcasing the island’s turbulent history.

Orto Botanico: Diverse plant life
If you are now in the mood for nature, you should visit the Orto Botanico. Created back in 1858, it is considered one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in Italy. There are over 3,000 different species of plants to see here.
Marina: Into the shopping pleasure

A stroll through the Marina district could conclude the city tour. Here there are no sights but many small shops in picturesque alleys to discover.

Find a good restaurant

Cagliari is teeming with good restaurants. The proximity to the coast means you should order fish dishes first and foremost. You’ll rarely be served anything fresher. You can get the best Sardinian cuisine at the Trattoria Lillicu, for example. The ambience is relaxed, but nevertheless cultivated. Since the trattoria also enjoys great popularity among the residents of the city, you should book well in advance.

Find a good hotel

A city as beautiful as Cagliari always has good hotels to offer. We recommend the Miramare Boutique Hotel. Located on the harbour, in an old palazzo, it is wittily decorated and offers good comfort. Since the hotel has only 18 individually decorated rooms, you should book well in advance.

Discover a delightful destination in the area

Villasimius: Relaxed village with nice shops
Drive to Villasimius with your hire car. You will reach the village, which is 66 kilometres away, after a driving time of about 90 minutes. The pretty village has only about 3,500 inhabitants, but in the high season it is one of the most popular holiday resorts in Sardinia. Here you can stroll through the pretty alleys of the village and stock up on souvenirs in one of the numerous shops. Afterwards you have the possibility to have a cool drink in a bar.Or you can explore one of the beaches, which can be found numerous around Villasimius. Lie on the hot sand, listen to the surf and take your time planning which destinations around Cagliari you would like to explore next by hire car.

Suggestion of a round trip

Armungia: Discover the old Sardinia
Direct the hire car first to Armungia. In just over an hour you will be there. A charming village in the hills awaits you, along with a museum that shows you how farming used to be done on the island.

Escalaplano: Rare testimony of the Renaissance
From Armungia the journey continues to Escalaplano where you will find a pretty Renaissance church. It was very rarely built in this style in Sardinia.

Tertenia: Small village with a beautiful beach
Back to the sea, the tour concludes. Near Tertenia you can enjoy the sun on a beautiful beach and relax after the exhausting ride with a swim in the sea. And back to Cagliari it is only an hour and a half drive from here.

Conclusion

On Sardinia you will have a lot of fun with your hire car. The island is extremely diverse and almost all destinations are easily accessible. And with our handy hire car comparison, you will always find a good deal and a car that suits you.