You can spot Piazza d’Italia by looking for the grand building with a neoclassical facade, standing right in front of you with tall windows, a central staircase, and a beautiful clock at the top.
Welcome to the true living room of Sassari! Right now, you’re standing where the city likes to gather, gossip, and-let’s be honest-show off a bit. Imagine this place back in the 1800s, a brand-new piazza carved just outside the old medieval walls, designed by a clever engineer named Enrico Marchesi. It was supposed to be octagonal, but, like my attempts at baking a pizza, it wound up more rectangular in the end. They started building in 1872, and soon, this piazza became the city’s elegant centerpiece, a perfect meeting point on the old Roman road connecting Port Torres to Cagliari. Ahead, the palazzo della Provincia dazzles you with its neoclassical flair, while the neo-gothic Giordano Palace adds a splash of drama. In the center, you’ll find the monument to Vittorio Emanuele II-a 19th-century king who never missed a good unveiling. From here, covered porticos whisk you toward the old castle, and wide avenues stretch like arteries into modern Sassari. With laughter, festivals, and maybe a few political debates, Piazza d’Italia has seen it all. Ready to keep exploring? Or perhaps you want to wave to the king’s statue first!
