Alghero

Italy

Old Town skyline and marina Alghero is a beautiful town at the North-Western shore of Sardinia, Italy.

Piazza Civica Alghero, Catalan: L'Alguer, It is best known for its beautiful beaches, very good food at reasonable prices, and also for its Catalan origin; in fact, it was known in the past as la Barceloneta sarda, little Sardinian Barcelona. This historic town is one of the most popular destinations for Sardinia's visitors.

At its atmospheric narrow lanes you'll find numerous bars and cafés. Its restaurants are renowned for excellent seafood. The surrounding area brings many delights for those who venture out of the city. These include the famous beaches at La Pelosa - Stintino, the eerily abandoned mining town of Argentiera and the ancient palace complex at Nuraghe di Palmavera.

  • InfoAlghero, Largo San Francesco (Lo Quarter, +39 079 97 90 54. M-F 09:00–13:00 15:30–18:30; Sa 09:00–13:00 16:00–19:00; Su 10:00–13:00 (only Mar-Oct).

InfoAlghero, Largo San Francesco (Lo Quarter, +39 079 97 90 54. M-F 09:00–13:00 15:30–18:30; Sa 09:00–13:00 16:00–19:00; Su 10:00–13:00 (only Mar-Oct).

Church of San Michele

Religious architecture:

  • Cattedrale di Santa Maria, Piazza Duomo, 2. Dating back to the 16th century, it is one of the landmarks of the town. Its neo-classical façade was added in the 19th century. campanile. Gothic interior of the Chiesa di San Francesco
  • Chiesa di San Francesco. 15th-century church in Gothic-Catalan style.
  • Chiesa San Michele. The church itself is dating back to the XVI century. Its polychrome tiled dome is one of the symbols of the town. It's quite remarkable though that the dome has received this colourful decoration only in 1950s (designed by Antonio Simon Mossa and Filippo Figari)
  • Parrocchia di Nostra Signora della Mercede.

Secular architecture:

Liberty villas along the Lungomare Dante and the Lungomare Valencia:

Cattedrale di Santa Maria, Piazza Duomo, 2. Dating back to the 16th century, it is one of the landmarks of the town. Its neo-classical façade was added in the 19th century. campanile.

Chiesa di San Francesco. 15th-century church in Gothic-Catalan style.

Chiesa San Michele. The church itself is dating back to the XVI century. Its polychrome tiled dome is one of the symbols of the town. It's quite remarkable though that the dome has received this colourful decoration only in 1950s (designed by Antonio Simon Mossa and Filippo Figari)

Parrocchia di Nostra Signora della Mercede.

Forte della Maddalena. 16th-century fort.

Teatro civico, Piazza Teatro, 1. The town theatre opened in 1862. This building is unique as its supporting structure is made of wood.

Palazzo d’Albis. A notable 16th century Gothic building. In 1541 the Emperor Carlos V stayed there.

Palazzo Machin.

Palazzo Serra. 18th-century Baroque building.

Palazzo Lavagna. 19th-century Neoclassical building.

Palazzo Civico.

Palazzo Peretti. 15th-century Gothic-Catalan palazzo.

Palazzo Carcassona.

Palazzo Simon. Built in 1865.

Torre di San Giovanni. A 16th-century massive defensive tower.

Villa Mosca, Lungomare Dante. Now a hotel.

Villa las Tronas, Lungomare Valencia. Yet another villa, now a hotel.

  • Museo Archeologico della Città, Via Carlo Alberto, 72, +390799734045. 11:00-13:30, 17:30-21:30. .
  • Museo del Corallo, Via XX Settembre n. 8, +390799897502. 10:30-13:00, 17:00-21:00. The Museum of Coral in the Libery villa. .
  • Museo Diocesano, Piazza Duomo, +39 079 973 3041. W-M 10:30-13:00 18:00-20:30., + Cathedral's campanile.

Museo Archeologico della Città, Via Carlo Alberto, 72, +390799734045. 11:00-13:30, 17:30-21:30. .

Museo del Corallo, Via XX Settembre n. 8, +390799897502. 10:30-13:00, 17:00-21:00. The Museum of Coral in the Libery villa. .

Museo Diocesano, Piazza Duomo, +39 079 973 3041. W-M 10:30-13:00 18:00-20:30., + Cathedral's campanile.

Alghero beach in September The coastal road south of Alghero is beautiful, an unspoilt and protected panorama of sparkling sea, lush vegetation, and rocky mountains. It leads to Bosa, a small medieval town, which has a distinctive and living historic center and many points of interest. Bosa is an ideal spot for a relaxing holiday, as it is friendly and has a character and economy which is not based solely on tourism.

Near Alghero, accessible by car, is the spectacular Capo Caccia/Porte Conte Bay, well worth a visit.

  • Scuba diving - The area with the Marine Reserve Capo Caccia/Isola Piana is one of the best dive destinations in Europe.
  • Caving
  • Climbing
  • Mountain Biking
  • Bird watching
  • Hunting
  • Archeology
  • Botany

Alghero is famous for its red coral jewelery and silverware. Tourists should be aware of potential environmental damage to coral reefs before buying red coral jewellery.

As in most parts of Italy food in Alghero is an important thing. The town's fishing port provides seafood fresh from the sea. Make sure that you try Catalan lobster, lobster salad with raw tomatoes and onion. Ricci (sea urchins) are also very popular in Alghero with a festival being held in their honor around February during the "Sagra del Bogamarì".

Basically, anywhere in town is good, as long as you avoid the tourist restaurants with "il menu turistico".

  • Al Vecchio Mulino, Via Don De Roma, 3. A good restaurant where you can try typical dishes. The same management for 30 years.
  • Embarcadero, Localita Portoconte. A very good restaurant in Portoconte, which serves fish dishes, meat dishes, and pizzas. It has a very nice view of the bay.

Al Vecchio Mulino, Via Don De Roma, 3. A good restaurant where you can try typical dishes. The same management for 30 years.

Embarcadero, Localita Portoconte. A very good restaurant in Portoconte, which serves fish dishes, meat dishes, and pizzas. It has a very nice view of the bay.

Take in the beautiful views at cafe Latino located on the battlements overlooking the harbour. There are also lots of late night bars on the Lungomare Valencia that get going at around about midnight. Local drinks are limoncello, mirto and some local wines that they serve in all restaurants.

Also you should not miss the Bar La Perla in Viale Sardegna. It serves great cappuccino.

Staircase down to the Grotta di Nettuno

See Neptune's Grotto, which includes the "Goat's Staircase" and under water the limestone cliffs continue creating the most vaste underwater marine cave system, Nereo Cave is the bigger and famous with its huge halls and tunnels.

* Grotte di Nettuno, +39 079 979054. Guided tours every hour: Apr-Oct daily 08:00-19:00; Nov-Mar daily 10:00-15:00. Guided tours (1/2 hour) are in Italian, English and German. (guided tours only).
* Tourist agencies organise boat excursions to the other caves: Grotte Navisarda and Attilio Regolo.
  • Complesso nuragico di Palmavera, +39 329 4385947. May-Sep 09:00-19:00; Apr Oct 09:00-18:00; Nov-Mar 10:00-14:00. a complex nuraghe, that consists of several towers joined together. The nuraghe and the surrounding village were built in various phase during the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. . Church in Fertilia
  • Fertilia. Fertilia is small town in a few kilometres north-east of Alghero. It was built by the Fascist government of Italy in the 1930s, after the draining of the marshes which covered the area. It was planned by the architect Arturo Miraglia and the town still bears some elements of the rationalist style.

Complesso nuragico di Palmavera, +39 329 4385947. May-Sep 09:00-19:00; Apr Oct 09:00-18:00; Nov-Mar 10:00-14:00. a complex nuraghe, that consists of several towers joined together. The nuraghe and the surrounding village were built in various phase during the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. .

Fertilia. Fertilia is small town in a few kilometres north-east of Alghero. It was built by the Fascist government of Italy in the 1930s, after the draining of the marshes which covered the area. It was planned by the architect Arturo Miraglia and the town still bears some elements of the rationalist style.

  • Sassari -- is a capital of a province -- a good destination for a pleasant half day trip
  • Bosa -- a quaint old town further on the South