Cagliari's waterfront is undergoing a makeover: the new beach at Sant'Elia has been approved.
The green light has been given to the second and third lots of the Parco degli Anelli. The old fishing canal is being replaced by a cycle/pedestrian bridge and a restaurant. The former Arena Grandi Eventi area will feature soccer fields and a skate park. Work is expected to be completed in 2029.Per restare aggiornato entra nel nostro canale Whatsapp
A beach replaces the old fishing canal. It features a pedestrian and cycle bridge and a brand-new restaurant. A sports area is also being built in the former "Arena Grandi Eventi" area, along with parking. The city's waterfront is undergoing a transformation with the approval of the municipal offices for the project for the second and third lots of the Anelli di Sant'Elia park (an €11 million investment). The project, funded under the Development and Cohesion Plan of the Metropolitan City of Cagliari, aims to reclaim a degraded area on the outskirts of the city, yet with great potential, located between the sea and Via Utzeri and Via Vespucci. This project is part of a broader project developed by the Public Greens Office with landscape consulting from Portuguese architect Joao Nunes.
The crown jewel of the plan is the redevelopment of the "La Palma" canal. The area, currently used as a storage area for fishing boats and severely degraded, will become a tree-lined plaza. Meanwhile, the stretch of canal in contact with the sea will be converted into an " urban beach ," with a wooden sundeck, grass lawn, sand, and outdoor showers. The current vehicle bridge will be demolished, and the military pipeline will be rerouted and buried. In its place, a new 4-meter-wide pedestrian and cycle path will be built.
The fishermen's cooperative's headquarters will be relocated to the park entrance at the roundabout between Via Utzeri and Via Schiavazzi, with direct access from Via Navigatori. A multipurpose facility will be built on an area of approximately 3,500 square meters, featuring a restaurant, large windows overlooking the greenery, areas shaded by steel and wood pergolas, and outdoor terraces for outdoor activities.
The plan also includes the redevelopment of the concrete surface of the former Arena Grandi Eventi , which will become a sports area equipped with basketball courts, five-a-side football pitches, bocce ball courts, a skate park, an athletics track, and an ice-skating rink, complete with changing rooms and green areas. The entire park will be traversed by a main 4-meter-wide cycle/pedestrian path, directly connecting the first completed lot and the new San Bartolomeo cycle/pedestrian bridge, completing the connection between the urban fabric of Sant'Elia and the sea.
The technicians identified some technical and financial challenges, but the project was nevertheless deemed feasible. On Facebook , Councilor for Public Parks Luisa Giua Marassi described the work on the second lot of the Ring Park as "a project that will return to the public a 15-hectare area (including the first lot, already completed) rich in greenery and spaces dedicated to socializing. The preliminary phase of the wartime clearance is currently underway, and we expect to complete the work in 2029."
