The name Stampace probably originates from the old greeting stai in pace (stay in peace). Stampace is, among the four historical quarters of Cagliari, probably the one which still bears the most testimonies of the ancient civilizations which lived in the area since the Punic and then Roman colonisations.
After the Pisan conquest, in the 13th century, Stampace was a village mainly lived by artisans, wrapped inside its no-longer existing walls, of which the only remnant is the Buttress Gate (Porta dello Sperone), at the top of via Azuni. Although Stampace suffered badly during the WWII bombings and has now become largely multi-ethnic, it still preserves its traditional character. A street festival called Cuccurus Cottus (the old nickname for the inhabitants of Stampace, which in Sardinian means ‘hot heads’) is held every August, when the quarter is brought back to life by the thousands of people that gather.
Nightlife in Stampace is definitely Cagliari's liveliest, with its dozens of bars and restaurants, both north and south of the main street, corso Vittorio Emanuele II. Don't miss it!