Cagliari

The highest rents in Sardinia and among the highest in the South, driven by students, tourism and limited supply in the historic quarters and at the Poetto; lower prices in Pirri and the hinterland. Groceries and restaurants average, with an island surcharge on some goods. Cheap CTM pass; travel to the mainland expensive outside the territorial continuity scheme.

Castello and Marina for those who want the historic centre and accept stairs and tourists; Villanova and Stampace the most sought after; San Benedetto and Bonaria residential with services; Poetto for the sea; Pirri, Is Mirrionis and the hinterland to spend less. Public housing run by AREA Sardegna; ERSU university residences.

Registry and ID card at the Comune and the Municipalità di Pirri, by appointment. Door-to-door collection across the city with a calendar by zone, recycling centres and municipal TARI tax. Mains water from Abbanoa, drinkable but hard. The MEM media library and municipal libraries; San Benedetto, Santa Chiara and Sant'Elia markets.

To enter with a dog, cat or ferret you need a microchip, an EU pet passport or health certificate and a valid rabies vaccination. Mandatory registration in the regional pet register, lead at all times and a muzzle to hand. Pets allowed on trains under Trenitalia rules and in apartment buildings by law.

Rules depend on who is arriving: EU/EEA/Swiss citizens (no visa, registration with the Comune after three months), non-EU citizens for stays up to 90 days (Schengen rule, type C visa where required) and for long stays (national type D visa and a residence permit within eight working days of arrival).

CTM buses in the city and hinterland; ARST metro-tram from Piazza Repubblica to Monserrato (Policlinico) and Settimo San Pietro; Trenitalia trains from the Piazza Matteotti station, with the Elmas Aeroporto stop a few minutes away. Ferries to Civitavecchia, Naples, Palermo, Arbatax. Limited-traffic zones in the four historic quarters; a compact, cyclable city.

Euro, cards accepted almost everywhere, a legal cash limit. Anyone living in Italy for most of the year is tax resident and taxed on worldwide income under three IRPEF brackets; specific regimes exist for the self-employed (forfettario), inbound workers, foreign pensioners and new residents. Contributions go to INPS; annual return with the 730 or Redditi form.

The area falls under ASL no. 8 of Cagliari, which runs the SS. Trinità and the Binaghi in the city. High-specialisation care is at the ARNAS Brotzu — San Michele (level II DEA), Businco and Microcitemico — and at the AOU of Cagliari (San Giovanni di Dio and Policlinico Duilio Casula). GP registration online with SPID/CIE or at the Cittadella della Salute on via Romagna.

Non-EU pensioners enter with the elective residence visa, EU pensioners through free movement; public healthcare is accessible by compulsory or voluntary registration. Optional 7% regime on foreign income for those moving to small southern municipalities. Cheap houses in villages, services concentrated in cities.

Regional and state public employment, health care and university first; then retail, tourism and catering, port and logistics, ICT (Tiscali, CRS4 at Pula, start-ups) and energy with the Sarroch refinery. The island's best job market but a small one; employment rates below the national average. ZES unica for investors.

A VAT number (partita IVA) from the Agenzia delle Entrate for freelancers; for businesses the Comunicazione Unica to the Registro delle Imprese, which also notifies the Agenzia, INPS, INAIL and SUAP. Main forms: sole proprietorship, SNC/SAS, SRL and SRLS, SPA. Compulsory PEC, annual chamber fee, e-invoicing. Invitalia incentives; non-EU citizens need a self-employment permit or the investor visa.

The University of Cagliari, recognised by Pope Paul V in 1606 and active since 1626, has sites in the centre (rectorate in Via Università, in Castello), at Sa Duchessa (humanities) and in the university Cittadella of Monserrato (medicine, sciences), reached by metro-tram. Student support through ERSU Cagliari. Students in Is Mirrionis, San Benedetto, Villanova and Monserrato.

Capital of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia and of the Metropolitan City set up in 2016; Pirri has its own Municipalità. Campidanese Sardinian, with the city variety (casteddaiu), is a recognised language. Saint Ephysius: procession from 1 to 4 May to Nora, uninterrupted since 1657.

Among Italy's sunniest and least rainy regional capitals: mild winters, hot but dry summers tempered by the sea. The north-westerly Mistral blows often and hard. The Molentargius and Santa Gilla lagoons host nesting flamingos. Summer wildfires on the island; water from drought-prone reservoirs; PM10 above the limit on some days.

Castello with the Bastione di Saint Remy, the Pisan towers, the Cathedral and the Cittadella dei Musei; the Roman amphitheatre, Botanical Garden, Bonaria sanctuary; the Poetto, the Sella del Diavolo and the Molentargius flamingos. Day trips to Villasimius, Chia and Nora, Su Nuraxi di Barumini (UNESCO). Municipal tourist tax.

Fregola with clams, malloreddus alla campidanese, culurgiones, burrida, bottarga, pane carasau and seadas; the San Benedetto market. The Poetto for sea, windsurfing and running; Sella del Diavolo and Monte Urpinu for free. Teatro Lirico, football at the Unipol Domus; evenings in Marina, Stampace and Castello, at the Poetto in summer.