From the famous Poetto city beach, which links it to Cagliari, to the splendid sandy shores of Mari Pintau (the ‘Painted Sea’, so named for its beauty), Murtaucci (the ‘Sweet Myrtle’, where the strong scents of the sea mingle with the fragrance of the island’s most widespread shrub) and Kala ‘e Moru (meaning ‘Saracen Landing’, in memory of the raids by Arab pirates). Poetto and Mari Pintau boast the European ‘Blue Flag’, a recognition linked to the quality of the waters and tourist facilities; this title has also been awarded to the port of Marina di Capitana, a safe and well-equipped mooring for pleasure craft. In the Quartu coastal area, along the provincial road leading to Villasimius, there are also locations of considerable scenic interest, such as the Geremeas coastline, Punta Is Mortorius and the Cala Regina cove.

The town is fortunate to be situated at the heart of an integrated network of parks, making its area rich in environmental and natural attractions. It lies on the shores of the Molentargius Marsh which, together with the Poetto and the now-disused State Salt Pans, forms a protected wetland where extremely rare species of birds nest. In particular, a colony of pink flamingos has been present there since 1993. For those who love birdwatching and dare to venture into the lush reed beds of the surrounding marsh, it is not at all difficult to spot the Avocet, the Black-winged Stilt, the Sultan Chicken, the Grey Heron and the Egrets