The sea air invades the cobblestone streets of its historic center, its architecture and atmosphere you breathe still remember its Catalan origins, its beaches and promontories are breathtaking: Alghero is a surprising and magical city, a destination perfect for those who do not want to choose, but desire to experience sea, nature, gastronomy, history and culture. Because the Capital of the Coral Riviera is this and much more.
We spent a few days in this beautiful city, lively, but at the same time characterized by slow rhythms. We fell in love with the small Barcoleneta and its naturalistic surroundings of great value and we can only recommend it for your next slow and sustainable vacation. We have chosen 10 things you can’t miss, but make sure you fully enjoy this jewel of Sardinia.
A walk in the historic center of Alghero
One cannot but start from here: from the Alguer Vella. Thus the Algheresi call their historical center, a suggestive succession of narrow cobblestone streets and beautiful buildings, evidence of the Catalan-Aragonese domination. It is a real jewel, where you can still feel the Catalan and immerse yourself in the local life. Don’t miss the Cathedral of Santa Maria, in the typical Catalan Gothic style.
Neptune Caves
656 steps carved into a rocky wall form the escala del Cabirol, which leads to the Neptune Caves. They are located about 24 kilometers from Alghero, in the Capo Caccia promontory, and can be easily reached by bus or by boat. They are among the largest marine cavities in Italy and their formation, of karstic origin, dates back to two million years ago. The show that awaits you is indescribable: an underground lake, karst flows and ravines will surely leave you breathless.
Diving and trekking on Capo Caccia promontory
Neptune Caves are not the only attraction of Capo Caccia promontory, one of the most beautiful cliffs in the Mediterranean and which together with the Island Piana form a protected area. Choose whether to arrive from the land or from the sea: in the first case you can dedicate yourself to trekking and enjoy a breathtaking view, in the second you can instead immerse yourself in incredible depths, observe crustaceans and with a little luck the red coral.
A via ferrata above the sea
If you are an expert hiker we have one last tip for when you will visit the Capo Caccia promontory. An experience that is a perfect combination of sea and mountain. The Cabirol ferrata is a coastal via ferrata that develops for about 1000 meters along the limestone cliffs of the promontory, from here you can admire an amazing natural environment.
Along the walls at the most beautiful time
The historic center of Alghero is surrounded by the old city walls, which run from Piazza Sulis to the city’s tourist port. Give yourself a unique emotion and walk along the ramparts and between the towers at sunset, when the sky is tinged with orange and yellow creating an unparalleled spectacle.
An eco-friendly accommodation for your stay in Alghero
The guesthouse Actinia welcomes you in spacious and comfortable rooms, in a friendly and familiar environment, perfect for both couples and families. All in a dreamy location: the sea and the historic center of Alghero can be reached in a few minutes on foot. At guests’ disposal there is a self service corner to organize a DIY breakfast or relax after a day at the beach with good fruit. For the interiors, paintings have been used for the walls, made with vegetable raw materials. The hosts’ commitment to an eco-sustainable home is confirmed by the use of solar panels for hot water, energy savings and careful separate collection of waste.
Discovering the Nuragic civilization
In the territory of Alghero there is a village of almost four thousand years ago, among the most important that the Nuragic civilization has left us as a legacy. The Palmavera complex is divided into two towers made up of large blocks of limestone and sandstone, located in the center of a pentagonal wall that incorporates three towers inside. The village currently consists of about 50 huts. Walking through the narrow streets that join the huts, entering those large stone towers that represent works of high engineering and constructive ability, you will be able to breathe the scent of history, imagining the daily life of this ancient village.
Domus de Janas, symbol of Sardinian history
Visiting the Nuragic complex of Palmavera you can make a single ticket to visit also the necropolis of Anghelu Ruju, a valley with 38 hypogeal tombs dug into the sandstone, dating back to 3200-2800 BC These are the sepulchral structures known as Domus de Janas, which are found throughout the Mediterranean basin, but particularly in Sardinia. That of Anghelu Ruju is the largest necropolis of pre-Nuragic Sardinia.
In pristine nature
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The beautiful Porto Conte is a natural inlet of Coral Riviera, and at the same time a Natural Park with more than 5000 hectares of Mediterranean vegetation, high coasts, small islands, garrigue areas, wooded areas and wetlands. Here you can stroll among breathtaking nature, admire Punta Giglio, observe numerous animal species, such as griffins, wild boars, hares, horses, Sardinian partridges, albino donkeys and fallow deer.
Relax on the beach
In Alghero there is no shortage of beaches: there is the beautiful Bombarde beach, among the most beautiful of the whole island, the Lazzaretto beach with its tower, Cala Dragunara immersed in the Mediterranean scrub and Lido San Giovanni, in the city center, where the inhabitants whenever they have a free minute, for a dive, a walk or an aperitif.
