Orto Botanico dell'Università di Cagliari

The first attempt to establish a botanical garden in Cagliari dates back to the planting carried out between 1752 and 1769 in a district to the east of the Sardinian capital, Su Campu de Su Re (Sardinian-language term for “King's field”) in what is now the Villanova district, in a place that had subsequently long retained the name of Sa Butanica (the botany).

Its first seed index was published in 1885, and by 1901 the garden contained some 430 species (of which 36 were killed by that year's deep frost).

The garden was damaged in World War II but has subsequently been restored.

Today the garden contains some 2000 species, predominantly of Mediterranean origin but with a good collection of succulents and tropical plants as well.

The site also contains ancient Roman cisterns and natural caves.