Sardinia Entertainment

The towns and resorts are the only places where you will find any real entertainment and nightlife in Sardinia. In these areas, visitors are well catered for with terraced cafés, bars, pubs, theatres and some quality, open-air nightclubs.

Nightlife

The cities of Cagliari, Olbia, Sassari and Alghero are the main towns on Sardinia where the nightlife is evident, while the many beach resorts, such as Porto Cervo and all around the Costa Smeralda, are also loaded with bars and pubs aimed at tourists. One of the best areas in Cagliari for nightlife is along Poetto, where there are many small bars and terraced cafés, while via Carlo Alberto in Alghero overlooks the sea and has a similar set up to Poetto in the capital. A circolo is the name given to a discreetly hidden bar in Sardinia which can be found in all the major towns, although more so in the smaller villages.

Theatre and music

Although more of a laid-back island as opposed to being revered for the arts and music, Sardinia does have several choices for those so-inclined. There are many established theatres and music centres in the big cities of Cagliari, Sassari, Alghero and Oristano where performances are staged year-round at major establishments. The Lyric Theatre in Cagliari is the main theatre on the island. The best places in Sardinia to catch some live music are in the coastal areas along the Costa Smeralda, in the northeast of the island.

Festivals

Sardinia has a festival or event happening every month of the year, often commemorating Sardinian or Italian culture and traditions in some way or another. Festivals on Sardinia tend to involve lots of colour and much frivolity, while spectators usually get in on the act and are treated to competitions, live music and games.

• San Bachisio Festival, this three-day annual festival of dancing and religious processions features a Sardinian language poetry competition and a slew of colourful oxen-driven floats (May).
• S’Ardia Festival is another favourite Sardinian religious and music-based festival which lasts for two days, with much dancing and horse racing (July).
• Sant’ Agostino Festival is a 10-day event that is an amalgamation of the San Bachisio and S’Ardia festivals, with dancing, singing, fireworks and general merry making. There are also a number of sporting competitions during this festival including horse racing and parading (August).