Alghero is a destination that everyone likes as it offers it all – sightseeing, adventure, and let’s not forget the amazing food. Waddling around you can smell the fresh sea breeze while strolling down the historical streets. Protecting the city are walls, known also as bastions, built in the 16th century and that run from Porta a Mare till the Sulis Tower.
We waddled around the city a lot and here’s what you shouldn’t miss when visiting. At the end, you can find our itinerary with top suggestions for restaurants.
Alghero has a rich history as the first settlements date back to the Neolithic Age, where the Late Neolithic Period the realization of several domus de janas complexes were built in the surrounding of Alghero. Then later the Bronze Age left the heritage of the Nuraghi, which you can also see not far from Alghero. From there numerous civilizations came and went leaving rich history behind.
Waddle around the historic center
Alghero offers a historic center you can’t miss and have to waddle around. It’s the first thing we recommend to do when you arrive – put your bags down and let’s go for a waddle. Visitig the historical center offers a unique experience.
You will come across the name Alguer Vella – it is the name the locals use for the historical center of Alghero, which will greet you in the style of cobbled small streets and buildings in Catalan-Aragonese style, surrounded by the walls.
The center as such has a cathedral, some museums, ice-cream shops, boutiques, restaurants, wine bars, and many other shops that also sell typical products like the red coral jewelry.
We will start with our favorite part, the many alleys of Alghero, where one can get lost in. Each alley is beautiful for something else and we couldn’t get enough of them.
To be more precise in what you can see in Alghero continue reading.
Santa Maria Cathedral
Right in the center of the city is the Gothic-style architectural masterpiece built in the 16th century, is the most popular thing to see and is highly recommended.
Apparently, it is the only church open the whole day in Alghero, but in April it was closed.
The Renaissance interior is delightfully cool on a hot day, with some lovely paintings in the side chapels. It’s worth it to pay the small entry fee (a few euros, which is used to maintain the church) and to climb the bell tower. The view from the top is supposed to be magnificent, however, when we came the church was closed (maybe next time then).
In case you do make it to the top, be prepared for stairs and it is also not advised to go up when the bell is ringing, or you will hear the ringing in your ears for the rest of your stay.
Church of St. Michael
Saint Michael’s Church is one of the most important Baroque-style buildings in Sardinia. The church is mostly recognized for its colorful and uniquely designed dome which you cannot really see when standing next to the church only from afar.
Parrocchia Cattedrale dell’Immacolata Concezione
Located in the historical center this building surprised us the most. It is huge and you won’t miss it when waddling around. As you can see in the photo, you can barely spot me on the steps.
It is the only building not really fitting in the overall architecture around, with its Roman pillars, but was magnificent nevertheless. Note it is still used for daily service.
Coral museum
Alghero is most famous for its red coral, so don’t miss your chance to visit the Red Coral Museum.
The Red Coral Museum is housed in a lovely Art Villa that takes its name from the family that had it built, in 1927, outside the city walls.
The exhibition space was completely restyled and renovated in 2016 and focuses on the culture, history, and identity of Alghero.
We learned a lot of new and interesting facts about the red coral.
Find out about the tickets, opening hours, and what to see inside here – link.
Walls, bastions, and towers
Alghero is one of the few Italian cities that have preserved its walls and towers quite intact, meaning waddling around it will take you a few hundreds of years back.
The Catalan period left the deepest mark not only on the architecture, but the language as well, since Catalan is widely spoken in Alghero. During this period most of the bastions and walls were built for defense, but the town also became prosperous and the harbor became busy.
Alghero was built between 1102 and 1112 by the Doria family, and its walls were raised a few decades later. Today you can see not only towers within the city, but they are also placed strategically outside the city, like the Torre del Bollo.
Bastion Antonio Pigafetta
Located in northern Old Town between Bastioni Marco Polo and the Tower of Elmo (Torre di Sant’Elmo) it was built as a defensive structure.
It offers a wonderful view of the Port of Alghero. Although damaged over the centuries, the remains are still impressive.
Sulis Tower
Formerly known as Tower of the Royal Sup, more recently it takes its name from the Cagliari-born revolutionary Vincenzo Sulis, who spent twenty-two years of his life in solitary confinement inside the tower.
In the past it was the most majestic tower in Alghero, today it marks the end of Alghero’s Old Town.
The Sulis Tower is 22 meters high and the ground and the first floor often host exhibitions as well as theatrical performance.
Sant’Elmo Tower
It’s the first tower you will probably see when coming from the airport and the one most easily recognized.
Also known as “La Madonnina” because of the statue of the Virgin Mary, above the tower and was constructed to honor Saint Elm.
According to history, the tower was apparently a holy navigator (whatever that means).
For us it became a navigation spot, we knew where we are when seeing the tower.
With so many towers and bastions, it can get confusing, but Sant’Elmo tower is really the easiest one to recognize and among the best spots to watch the sunset.
San Giovanni Tower
This is the middle tower of Alghero and today widely used for exhibitions.
In the past, it played a significant position from the military point of view. The strangest part of this tower is it was known by two different names in two different centuries – in the 16th century, it was named St. Michael’s tower and in the 17th century, it was known as Torre di Mezzo.
Apart from these towers and bastions (there are even more in the town and it can get confusing), there are also a lot of palaces, which we list below.
Old Palaces of Alghero
You can find quite the historical monument in Alghero and especially the palaces are beautiful examples of the culture and architectural style of past centuries.
- Palazzo Carcassona – known as well as Palazzo Real, was established by a Jewish family in 1400. In the mid-15th century, the palace became the home of the Royal Family. The windows of the palace are designed in the Gothic-Catalan style and now it is a restaurant.
- Palazzo De Ferrera – located in Piazza Civica, the historic center of Alghero, built in the 15th century in the Gothic style by a wealthy family of merchants and is named after Pedro de Ferrera. It’s interesting to note that even an emperor lived here for a short time. Note that the main entrance leads into a foyer with a grand staircase.
- Palazzo Civico – built in the 19th century it maintains its original Neoclassical facade and is made of squared sandstone blocks with a granite base. It serves today as the Town Hall, and weddings are frequently held here.
- Palazzo Peretti – is located in the city center on Via Roma and was built in the 15th century in the Gothic-Catalan style by the noble family Guyo Duran in the late 18th century it was bought by the Peretti family from Corsica who still owns it today.
- Palazzo Simon – located on Via Gilbert Ferret, close to San Giovanni Tower and was built in the late 13th century and later restored in the late 19th century. Above the massive front door, which is framed by an arch, you can see the emblem of the Simon family, the first owners of the palace.
- Palazzo Serra – located at the corner of Piazza Civica and Via Carlo Alberto and was built in the late 18th century by one of Alghero’s wealthy families. The building is a mixture of architectural styles.
- Palazzo del Pou Salit – an ancient, historic building constructed of stone, and today it houses the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Sassari.
- Palazzo Machin – is located on Via Principe Umberto near Piazza Teatro and was built in the mid-15th century. It is also known as Palazzo Tibau, named after a previous owner who was a Catalan merchant.
There are many palaces and you will waddle by them even without knowing about them and later try to find pictures as we dis when returning.
Maddalena Fort
Maddalena Fort is the only survivor of the original three forts built at this location and was constructed in the 16th century, and dedicated to Mary Magdalene.
You can see the statue of Mary Magdalene which stands at the fort, although it is largely unrecognizable due to destruction from the passage of time.
Marina Di Sant Elmo
It’s where all the boats park and you can take a boat ride from there and admire Alghero from the sea. or simply, waddle through the marina and enjoy the many beautiful boats.
It’s a place where you will end up a lot of times if you waddle around, and is especially beautiful when the sun is settling.
The Central Market
Located on Via Sassari 12, the inside of the market, you will find a surprise. An incredible local fish tavern, with delicious local fresh fish at a fair price! Definitely pay them a visit!
Read also: What is Alghero known for
Lungomare Barcellona Promenade
It is a nice waddle underneath the palm trees, which also gives you a lot of shade. This is as well the way when waddling towards Lido Beach.
On the way you can purchase a ticket to a boat ride, there are stands with souvenirs and bars.
Lido Beach
It is a short straight coastline with crystal turquoise water and white fine sand. Note that if you come off-season as we did in April, the beach was still full of seaweed, but we saw they were cleaning it up and preparing for the peak season. Even though it was covered with seaweed the water is still crystal clear.
Lido beach (Spiaggia Lido di San Giovanni) can be found just a few hundred meters north of Alghero. It has a length of nearly 1.5 kilometers and mostly faces southwest. Lido beach is a favorite spot among both tourists and locals because, in addition to being a fairly attractive beach, one can easily reach both the marina and the old town.
Something a little bit further from Alghero
Neptune’s Grotto
This is the absolute must when in Alghero. If you decide to do only one thing, this should be it. Neptune’s Grotto is a stalactite cave that was discovered by a local fisherman in the 18th century.
Be prepared to waddle down 654 stairs, but it is worth it and the view already waddling down is magnificent. Admission is €14 for adults and €7 for children up to the age of 12, the entry is free for penguins.
For opening hours and more, see how our visit was click here.
Nuraghe di Palmavera
If you are into time-traveling then this is for you as you can journey back 4,000 years in time. The ancient village of Nuraghe di Palmavera is an archeological complex with its towers and huts was built by the Nuraghe, an early civilization of Sardinia, which had a significant impact on the island.
Overall you can find over 7 000 towers around the island and luckily you find some close by Alghero.
Nuraghe Palmavera is open daily from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm.
Tickets are €5 (penguins have free entry) and it is best to get a guide as well which costs €2 per person and must be booked in advance. There is a possibility of an audio guide and the cost is €3.
You can find more information on their website here – link.
Porto Conte Regional Natural Park
If you enjoy waddling then the Natural Park is another thing for you. It’s a unique environmental heritage. Founded in 1999, the territory is mostly flat and includes 60 kilometers offshore: sandy beaches alternate with steep cliffs.
There is a lot to explore in the national park.
Sella & Mosca Winery
Not far from Alghero, wine lovers will find what their heart desires – the Sella & Mosca Winery, located on an immense estate, among the biggest in Europe. Visits to the winery are possible all year round, from Monday to Saturday (from June to September also on Sundays) and they also know English, but it will be confirmed upon reservation.
For the more adventurous souls out there
Ferrata Cabirol
The most unique experience you can get in Alghero and not for the soft-hearted or the ones who are afraid of heights. Climbing the Via Ferrata del Cabirol isn’t a simple tour, but rather something more and unique of an experience, and definitely unforgettable. Something for expert hikers.
Let’s not forget to relax in Alghero
Best Beaches in Alghero
Some you will find directly in Alghero and some are not as far.
- Le Bombarde and Il Lazzaretto – is located north of Alghero when on the way to Porto Conte and are basically small coves with beautiful fine sand and crystal clear waters. They are surrounded by a thick forest of Mediterranean pines home to thousands of cicadas.
- Mugoni- is part of Porto Conte Natural Park and has fine sands and clear waters. It offers as well stunning views of Capo Caccia.
- Lido San Giovanni – located in Alghero and it is the main urban beach, perfect for an afternoon or even morning.
- Maria Pia – little further from Alghero, when on the way to Fertilia and it’s home to gorgeous sand dunes and white sands. Probably the most beautiful one.
- Porto Ferro – located also north of Alghero, it’s the most secluded beach in the area and is surmounted by three Aragonese towers, which are worth the trip as well.
- La Pelosa – one hour drive north of Alghero, it is also one of the most famous beaches in Sardinia and when you plan to visit during the summer season, you have to even book it via app.