Alghero

Alghero – Sardinia of the Catalan conquerors and coral

Alghero is one of the liveliest, exhilarating towns in Sardinia. Formerly a Catalan enclave, it’s impossible not to fall in love with its picturesque old town, mix of architectural cultures and jewellery crafted from its world-famous coral. All the way from the picturesque old town perched on a promontory to the enchantingly traditional harbour and sprawling beach, a unique atmosphere presides over the town. This has a lot to do with the history of Sardinia's fifth largest town – Alghero was a Catalan enclave for more than 400 years. The native Sardinian inhabitants were replaced by Catalans, and many of the town’s older residents still speak the Catalan dialect Algherese today.

Above the town hall, the Catalan flag flies alongside the Sardinian, Italian and European ones. This dynamic juxtaposition of cultures has also had a significant impact on the architecture. Traces of Catalan Gothic can be found in many buildings throughout the town, such as the church of San Francesco at the heart of the old town. It’s therefore hardly surprising that the locals fondly refer to their home town as ‘Barcelonetta’ or Little Barcelona. For centuries, lobster fishing has been the backbone of the town’s industry, although the north-west coast of Sardinia is also world-renowned for its coral. Numerous jewellers still use Alghero's colourful marine invertebrates to create unique jewellery.

Around Alghero: virgin nature and mysterious caves

Nearby beaches

- Spiaggia di Maria Pia
- Spiaggia Le Bombarde
- Spiaggia Lazzaretto

Captivating, rocky coast and mystical grottos

Majestic limestone cliffs towering over the turquoise sea – Capo Caccia is one of nature’s must-sees near Alghero. The awe-inspiring cape stretches a total of seven kilometres, with knee-jerking drops of more than 200 metres to the sea. Deep inside the rock lies the famous Grotta di Nettuno, a stalactite cave weaving some four kilometres that forms a mystical cave complex around a salt-water lake. The Grotta di Nettuno can be reached from Alghero by bus to Giardini/Via Catalonga or by boat. The town itself is also easy to get to – Alghero has its own international airport (AHO) with connections to mainland Italy and several other European cities.