Initially, there were a few houses, used as a ‘base’ by shepherds during transhumance, located around a small church dedicated to St. Catherine. From the middle of the 20^th century, progressive growth in construction turned the little village by the sea, a district of Cuglieri, into today’s renowned seaside resort. Santa Caterina di Pittinuri is located on spectacular cliffs, surrounded by the green elevations of Montiferru, with the sixteenth-century tower of Pittinuri overlooking it, which gave it its name and stands on the promontory to the north of the village. As well as the village, an inlet of limestone rocks contains and shelters a beach of golden, reddish and black pebbles. The sea is clear and shallow, making it suitable for children, while on days when the northwesterly wind is blowing, the cove is a paradise for wind and kite surfers. The view a little further north, at su Riu ‘e sa Ide, is decidedly wilder, where strips of limestone rock gently slope towards the emerald green sea.

Inside the village, there is a little church of medieval origin, where the feast of St. Catherine is celebrated in mid-May: the sanctuary becomes the destination of a pilgrimage that starts at the basilica of Cuglieri. Three kilometres away, to the south-east, the ruins of Cornus will tell you a story that dates back to the Punic era, about prosperous trade, the struggle for independence against Rome and a new existence as episcopal centre of the island in the early Christian era. A little closer, two kilometres from Santa Caterina, you will find another of Cuglieri’s marine hamlets, that of s'Archittu, featuring a spectacular arch sculpted by nature on the limestone rock and its ochre-coloured beach. In the southern part of the village, you will find the beach of Stella, also known as the ‘beach of priests’ because it was once the site of a summer seminary. The light sandy beach is dotted with flat rocks and enclosed by the rocks of the promontory of Balena (the Whale), where the Torre del Pozzo stands, which is also the name of Cuglieri's third coastal hamlet. Here, a flight of stone steps leads to the little beach of sa Capanna, where you will be struck by the beautiful contrasting colours of the light sand, the turquoise reflections of the sea and the white tuffaceous rocks. This is one of the favourite locations of diving, underwater fishing and snorkelling enthusiasts.