Alghero A-Z
worldvoyager
Experience gained on dozens of trips to Alghero
Jun 29, 2006
based on 34 votes
Alghero is a wonderful town on an amazing island. This is a list of some of the town and region's best attractions, and answers to some of the questions I am asked frequently about the town.
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Explore locations featured in this Traveler List:
Alghero
- Category: Best of
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Traveler type: Culture, Sightseeing, Shopping, Active/Outdoors, Never been before, Repeat visitors, Beachgoers
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Appeals to: Couples/romantics, Honeymooners, Singles, Families with small children, Families with teenagers, Large groups, Seniors, Students, Budget travelers, Active/adventure, Tourists
- Seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
- Tags:
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1. When to go
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| Alghero is great year round, but June to September are the warmest times. We have experienced 30 degree weather in the middle of October. It can get cool at night, even in summer, because there is so little cloud cover. It rarely rains, even in winter. My daughter has gone scuba diving in March, although she admits it was a little chilly! Easter has wonderful festivals and processions. It is very crowded in July and August, as Italians descend on the place for their summer holidays. June and September are much better bets, but even then, book accommodation well in advance, as the best places get full. |
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First, the only daily flights direct from the UK are by Ryanair. The good news is that if you can fly midweek, or take advantage of one of their seat sales, you can fly for under £10 return (plus the inevitable taxes). The highest price seems to be around £120(!) each way, even midweek, unless you can secure a deal. Thomson flies from Gatwick and Birmingham, but only once a week, in Summer. Easyjet flies to Cagliari and Olbia. It's about a three hour drive (or bus ride) from Cagliari to Alghero, and you can stop off and see some sights on the way. Alghero to Olbia by car is also about three hours, longer by bus. Ryanair and Easyjet also fly from Pisa and Geneva to Alghero and Olbia. Other airlines include Air One, Meridiana and Alitalia.
The descent into Alghero is great, over Corsica just to the north, and across the northwestern tip of the island, and into the airport. The airport itself is more like a bus station, although it has been recently expanded (there is a bar/newsagent, a couple of shops, and not much else), and the bags come quickly.
Taxis are readily available but expensive, between 20-25 Euros into town, so taking the bus is a far better option.
The FdS bus to town leaves after each domestic arrival. The buses are orange or blue depending on whether it is operated by F.d.S (the local town bus) or A.R.S.T (the long distance services) . When you leave the baggage claim area, go straight out of the airport and turn right. The bus should be there, but if not wait by the FdS sign (it has a "map" of the route with the stops listed), and one will turn up eventually. It might be good to send one of your party ahead, as the bus has been known to leave early. There is a ticket machine (red) on the right immediately you leave baggage reclaim, next to the ATM. The tickets cost 70 cents and you will need the correct change. Once on board, validate your ticket in the machine. This can be a bit tricky. Insert it in the direction of the arrow. If it doesn't work try turning the ticket upside down. You have you push quite hard. The machine will go clunk and print some stuff on your ticket.
Where you get off depends on where you are staying. The town itself has basically three sections, all of which the bus serves - the old town, the modern town, and Alghero Lido, which stretches out along the beautiful beaches, and which has many of the modern hotels. The only downside is that many of these are open only during the summer season, and Alghero is worth visiting at any time of the year.
For the return trip you will need to go to the Tourist Info office as they have the up to date bus schedules. The buses are timed for the flight departures. You can see the bus stop from the tourist office. It is at the top of the public gardens, in front of the cafe, on Via Cagliari, just south of the intersection with Via Vittorio Emanuele. The bus stops at various places along the way, including the train station (and actually starts its journey on Piazza Mercede).
Buses to other destinations, including Sassari, Stintino, Castelsardo, Santa Teresa di Gallura and Cagliari leave from the same place as the town bus. Schedules are on the airport website (www.aeroportodialghero. com).
If you are staying more than a couple of days, and want to explore the area (or indeed any part of Sardinia), you will want a car. For example, the road from Alghero to Bosa is one of the most beautiful corniche drives in the world. There are all the majors and several local companies at Alghero airport (and Avis and Budget/Maggiore in town), but I suggest the local Sardinya Rentacar for the best all inclusive deals. You must book ahead though at www. autonoleggiosardinya.it.
It is also possible to come to Alghero by ferry, but there is no direct service. The closest ferry port is Porto Torres.
The main ferry companies from the mainland (including France) to Sardinia are:
Tirrenia: www.tirrenia.it
Sardinia: www.corsicaferries.com
Moby: www.mobylines.it
Grand Navi Veloci: www1.gnv.it
Enermar: www.enermar.it
SNAV: www.snav.it
Lloyd Sardinia/Linea dei Golfi: www.lloydsardegna.it |
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3. Where to stay
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For self-catering, check out www.algheroflat.com. This is a wonderful flat in the old town. We have stayed here several times. It is the largest flat in the old town, and has a wonderful rooftop terrace.
Alghero is a very small town, so don't worry too much about whether you stay in the Lido area, the new town or the old town. In high summer, if you really are going to spend most of your time on the beach, you are probably best off in one of the hotels or flats along the Lido. Otherwise, base yourself in or around the old town, as this is where most of the action is.
The most reasonably priced hotels in the vicinity of the old town are Hotel La Margherita, just north of the old town, and the Hotel San Francesco, which is in the pedestrianised old town itself. Both are excellent value for money, with rates that included buffet breakfast. (Italians like very sweet brioche type pastries in the morning, but there are lots of other things on offer, and of course, cappuccino, which Italians drink ONLY at breakfast.) En-suite doubles at La Margherita range from 82 to 100 Euros per night, 70 to 85 Euros at the San Francesco. They are among the cheapest options open all year, and should be booked well in advance, especially in high season. Both have their advantages. At the La Margherita, ask for a room on the top floor, facing the sea, and you will be rewarded by wonderful views from your balcony. The Margherita has a rather dowdy 1960s feel to the public areas, but the rooms were redone a couple of years ago and are clean, spacious and comfortable. Noise from the street can be a problem, but you can close the windows and use the air conditioning. The San Francesco is part of an old church and convent, and breakfast is taken on a terrace overlooking the cloister. For both hotels, parking can be arranged at a nearby garage.
The most luxurious option is Villa Las Tronas, on a little promontory south of the town. This used to be the residence of the Italian kings when they visited Sardinia. It has its own pool and small beach. The restaurant here is excellent, with views out to Capo Caccia.
Out the Lido, my recommendation is the Alma. I have not stayed here, but I have visited. This hotel was newly built in 2005, and has standard and family rooms, with balconies, at reasonable rates. The staff are great and speak good English. If you must have a pool, then the Florida next door or the Oasis a bit farther out of town are your best bets.
In the new town, for something a bit nicer than the Margherita or the San Francesco, try the Carlos V or the Angedras.
There are several very good B&Bs for something a little more homey, and for very budget-conscious travellers there is a good hostel in Fertilia.
If you have a car and your accommodation doesn't include parking, there are free parking lots down by the port, on the road back to the airport, but don't leave anything valuable in the car. (There's not much crime but it's good to be careful.)
The main thing to say about accommodation is that if you are coming between June and September, book as far in advance as possible, even up to a year ahead. The population of the town doubles in August and beds are at a premium. |
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Alghero has a fascinating history, having spent a lot of time being shuttled between various Italian noble families before being conquered by Barcelona in 1353. The Spanish influence remains strong (Alghero is still known as "Little Barcelona") and if you speak Spanish you will find you can use it. Street names are in both Catalan and Italian. Streets are called different things in each language, but the maps give the names in Italian.
The town itself can be "done" in a day or two. There is a little train that leaves from the port whenever, it seems, the driver feels like setting off, and it will help you get your bearings. The cathedral is worth seeing, as are the other churches. If you come at Easter, there are marvelous processions through the streets in the evening.
The walls on seaward side remain (they were demolished landward to enable expansion) and a stroll along these is always pleasant. Join the rest of the town in the "passagiata", the evening stroll. (Indeed, the town shuts down for three or four hours in the afternoon, and then comes to life again in the evening.)
Dominating Alghero is Capo Caccia, a huge headland across the bay. Here you will find Neptune's Grotto, a stunning series of caves. The easiest way to get there is by the boats that leave frequently from the port. This includes a little cruise, with commentary, which takes in another cave into which the boat sails. Now, the first time we did this, they put on some music that was meant to be atmospheric. OK, picture yourself on a largish motor-yacht, sailing into a cave with music from Titanic playing! I kid you not! If you have a car, you can drive there, although doing that involves going down (and of course UP) what is charmingly known as the "Goat's Staircase" - 654 steps!
Around and about there are examples of the stone-age Nuraghic civilisation, which once dominated the island, the towns of Porto Conte (and its lovely bay) and Fertilia (where the airport actually is). Otherwise, in season, the beaches are great, and again, if you have a car, you can go a little further afield and find some very secluded beaches. There is lots of opportunity for water sports, and the scuba diving is particularly renowned (my daughter learnt to dive here) with loads of caves and sea life in the pristine, azure waters.
La Pelosa beach at Stintino is one of the best in the Med. You can reach it easily by car, or by bus from the airport (www.nicosgroup.it).
It's not easy to go too far afield without a car, as public transport on the island tends to be of the "milk run" variety, not frequent and stopping everywhere. If you do have a car, then there are plenty of daytrips you can do, including Castelsardo and the surrounding mountains (Tempio Pausania), Oristano and Tharros, an ancient Phoenician town. Santu Antine, at Torralba, is an excellent Nuraghic site, and could be combined with the drive to Bosa.
Speaking of Bosa, the drive is not to be missed. There are two routes, and you can do a different one in each direction. You can go by the coast road, stopping off at a beach on the way (Poglina is nice). The drive is not difficult, and there are lots of places to pull off to let people by if you need to. In Bosa itself there isn't much to do apart form the ruined castle high on the hill. You can then come back on the mountain roads, through Monteleone Rocca Doria and Villanova Monteleone (where the Spanish sent the inhabitants of Alghero when they occupied the town). Otherwise, you could go out to the main road and see Santu Antine and the Santissima Trinita di Saccargia, an excellent example of a Pisan-Romanesque church.
The islands of La Maddalena are also reachable in a day as are the Nuraghic remains at Su Nuraxi.. |
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Food is one reason to come to Alghero. The seafood is wonderful although these days it might come from a fish farm or not be from local waters - ask your server. They also do lobster in a specific way, with onions and tomatoes. Also worth looking out for are Malloredus, also called Gnochetti Sardi, which are little pasta shells usually served with a tomato and sausage sauce. Another nice pasta dish is culurgiones, large raviolis. A good local white wine is Torbato, from the nearby Sella & Mosca vineyard, which also makes Cannonau, a pungent red. Liqueurs include Limoncello (lemon), white or red Mirto (myrtle) and Fillu et Feru (literally "Piece of Wire" which I will let you discover for yourself!) Meals are served with carasau, known as carta di musica in the rest of Italy. It's paper thin, crispy bread, and delicious.
There are any number of good places to eat in and around the old town. Alghero IMHO has the best concentration of excellent restaurants in Sardinia. Like anywhere, things are constantly changing. Below are my personal recommendations, but for up to date information on the restaurants, visit the Dining "Insider Pages" - http://tinyurl.com/yohkgj
The best restaurant in town used to be Osteria Taverna Paradiso, but now Paco, on Largo San Francesco on the edge of the old town, and Il Vicere are fighting it out for that mantle. Paco is an excellent trattoria, pizzeria and griglieria. The food is delicious and prepared with skill and fresh ingredients and the prices are reasonable. The ambience is homey and friendly, and they speak excellent English. Il Vicere went through a bad patch recently, but the original owners are back in control, and it is back to its previous standards. Try the Boar stew.
For something a bit special, Andreini on Via Arduino is wonderful, and not too expensive. They do great tasting menus for 30 or 45 Euros (seven or eight courses) which let you sample a variety of dishes, although the portions are small. The wine list is fantastic, and if you ask Gianluca, the maitre d', he will suggest the several local wines for your meal in various price ranges. They also have a great selection of Armagnac and homemade limoncello. Andreini's has spun off another restaurant and wine bar, Il Reffetorio.
In the budget range, Al Solito Posto has a huge variety of spaghetti dishes, including about half a dozen vegetarian ones, as well as very fresh grilled fish.
Another good (if more expensive) option for vegetarians is Al Tuguri, which does a separate vegetarian menu.
Maristella on Via Kennedy is popular with locals. It has a small menu, and is reliably good.
Other choices that won't disappoint are Il Pavone, Vechhio Mulino, and Mazzini. La Lepanto is famous for its fish, and very good, but a bit on the pricey side.
For pizzas, Casablanca next to the Solito Posto is excellent, as is Bella Napoli on Piazza Civica, which also does pizza at lunch.
In summer, there are lots of opportunities for eating on the walls. La Muraglia does good set menus. The service here can be hit and miss (the bill has often been wrong when I have eaten there) but it's pleasant enough.
Out of town, it is well worth trying an "Agriturismo", a local farm which will also often do B&B. Two of the best are Sa Mandra, on the airport road, and Le Tre Grazie at Santa Maria de Palma.
The towns nearby have some good restaurants. Bruno, in Fertilia is good.
Most restaurants in Alghero are open year round and cater to locals in the low season. This means they are uniformly good, as no restaurant would stay in business long without local patronage, and the locals are very demanding when it comes to food. You are simply spoiled for choice, and my advice is to stroll around and have a look at menus, and decide on a place depending on your tastes (both food and ambiance) and pocketbook.
Let's not forget the ice cream either. Like the rest of Italy, Sardinians love their ice cream, and there are plenty of excellent gelaterias in Alghero, serving most flavours you can imagine. Arcobaleno, on Piazza Civica, is well-known, but anywhere you go look for a "produzione propria" sign.
There are many cafes, but a nice (if somewhat expensive) one is Cafe Latino. You can sit on the walls overlooking the port and nurse a coffee or an aperitif and watch the world go by. Cafe Diva is a nice relaxed choice, where we usually have breakfast. Constantino on Piazza Civica is fun too. The main room looks like my crazy aunt's drawing room, but there is also a nice terrace.
Come to Alghero for a week and you can eat well for lunch and dinner at a different place each day, and not run out of options. But no doubt, like us, you will keep going back to your favourites. |
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6. Nightlife
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Alghero isn't really a place for nightlife in the sense of nightclubs and discos. There are a few of these, but nightlife really revolves around bars, restaurants and the passagiata. You will not find the kind of places that abound in Magaluf or the Greek islands.
If you want live music, Poco Loco, on Via Gramsci is a good choice. They often have open mike nights as well.
If you want to go to a disco, then Il Ruscello (www.ruscellodisco.com) a couple of kilometres out of town, is a good choice.
But really the perfect end to a day in Alghero is a great meal in one of the many restaurants (see above) followed by a few drinks and espressos in conjunction with people watching into the small hours on Piazza Sullis or along the walls. |
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Compliment worldvoyager
