Poetto beach

The Poetto is the main beach of Cagliari which stretches for about eight Kilometers, from Sella del Diavolo (Devil's Saddle) up to the coastline of Quartu Sant'Elena. The Poetto is also the name of the district located in the western stretch of the strip between the beach and the saline di Molentargius (Molentargius's Salt Mine).

Etymology

The name of the beach's supposed to derive from an Aragon Tower named "Poet's Tower", which it is still visible above the Sella del Diavolo. Another hypothesis is that the name "Poetto" is linked to catalan "pohuet" (well), referring to the numerous wells and tanks scattered on the Sella del Diavolo for storage of rainwater.

History

Until 1900 Poetto beach was not well-attended by Cagliaritani who instead preferred the west side of the gulf, with the beaches of "Sa Perdixedda" (in sardinian "small stone") and Giorgino. It was during the first decades of the XX century that the people began to appreciate the white dunes of Poetto and that the first seaside resorts ( "Lido" and "D'Aquila") [http://www.hellosardinia.com/eng/Cagliari/spia_poetto.htm Informations about the Poetto] , bars and even a Hospital (Ospedale Marino) has been build. Imitating the first Lido's "cabine" (Dressing rooms) a number of "casotti" were built. These are coloured wood constructions halfway between a dressing room and a tiny house on the seashore. The casotti were entirely removed in 1986 for sanitation reasons. Due to their removal, the overcrowding and a lack of erosion prevention work, there was gradual dispersal of sand and a fast erosion of shoreline in the nineties.

To avoid the disappearance of the beach a

Administrative division

The Poetto is popularly divided into "fermate" (stops), which means the various stretches of beach are recognized by the ordinal number of bus stops urban lines linking the city centre district. The most popular is the 1st stop, adjacent to the port of Marina Piccola. Very famous and popular are the 4th, 2nd (D'Aquila), 3rd (Lido) and the 6th, home of major events (Championships of Beach Volleyball, Beach soccer, Beach Football and concerts). Around the 10th stop begins the coastline belonging to the Comune of Quartu Sant'Elena.

Nightlife

The Poetto is also the entertainment district of the Cagliaritani nightlife and destination must for any tourist. Virtually all year, but especially from June to September, you can listen to live music, go to disco, participate in dance lessons, try in karaoke or simply walking on the seashore.

ee also

*Cagliari
*Golfo degli Angeli
*Quartu Sant'Elena

External Links

* [http://web.tiscali.it/poettos2k/ Information and old pictures (Italian)]

References