Spiaggia Cala Cipolla

Cala Cipolla is a small, sheltered cove at the southern end of the Chia coastline in southern Sardinia, Italy, in the Pula and Domus de Maria area south of Cagliari. Tucked behind a fragrant pine and juniper wood, it is one of the prettiest and most intimate beaches of a coast otherwise known for its long open strands and dunes. The sand is fine and white-gold, and the water is clear turquoise and shallow, shelving gently and usually calm thanks to the protecting rocks and small islets at the cove's mouth — conditions that make it especially good for families and relaxed swimming rather than surf. Low rocks at the edges of the cove offer easy snorkelling, and the pine backdrop provides natural shade, a rarity on Sardinian beaches. Because it is smaller and a little less obvious than the headline Chia beaches such as Su Giudeu, it can feel calmer, though in peak August it still fills. Facilities are modest but present: there is a car park behind the dunes (paid in summer), a seasonal beach bar or kiosk, and sun-loungers and umbrellas for hire. Access is by road via the panoramic Chia coast road to the car park, from which a short walk on a path through the pines and over low dunes leads to the sand. The setting lends itself to combining a beach day with the nearby Phoenician and Roman ruins of Nora and the Chia watchtower on its headland. With its calm shallow water, soft sand, pine shade and easy access, Cala Cipolla is a relaxed, family-friendly highlight of southern Sardinia's coast.