"7 tips for an unforgettable holiday on the “Riviera del Corallo” "
Alghero is beautiful. Everyone says so… those who live here and those who come as tourists.
Do you know why it is liked by all?
Because Alghero is the ideal place for families, children, young people looking for fun, romantic getaway couples, sports enthusiasts, beach lovers, those who prefer the nightlife, history, culture, sea and nature lovers…..or simply those who just prefer to indulge in tasting the local delicacies.
" Why is Alghero liked so much? "
A vibrant, sunny, multifaceted city where – from incredible panoramas and views, breathtaking sunsets and the intense scents of the land – it is easy for one to find their own personal holiday dimension.
What will be your personal living experience on the Riviera del Corallo? What unforgettable and beautiful memories will you take with you?
It is unthinkable to encompass the many attractions and experiences in a single travel itinerary equal to all.
Allow us therefore to suggest a list of 7 “musts” to ensure that you will live a 10/10 holiday in this wonderful Catalan enclave in the heart of the Mediterranean.
A list that you will certainly enrich at the end of your next trip to seductive Alghero.
186 meters of sheer limestone rock plunging into the sea, the majestic promontory overlooks the wide Gulf of Alghero and the nearby island of Foradada.
Unbelievable views that will take your breath away, a place of intence silence and blue scenarios, where sky and water come together.
This is Capo Caccia, one of the 25 most beautiful and spectacular cliffs in the world, symbol of Alghero and the entire Riviera del Corallo, the most westernly point on the northwest coast of Sardinia.
Overlooking the walls of the cliff offers you unique emotions and spectacular views: the solitude of the sea, rippled by the rithmic sound of waves on the rocks while high above different breeds of eagles, hawks and griffins whirl majestically on its peak.
Capo Caccia, the “sleeping giant” that is the backdrop to unforgettable sunsets for which Alghero is famous, is part of the protected Marine Park of Capo Caccia – Isola Piana and the Regional Park of Porto Conte. 5350 acres of parkland and 60 km of coastline with a showcase of landscapes unrivaled in Europe in what the famous naturalist Jacques Cousteau called “one of the most beautiful corners of the Mediterranean”.
Alguer vella. This is what the locals call the Catalan-Aragonese heart of their town.
A succession of paved streets and alleys, majestic old buildings, churches and piazze surrounded by the magnificent ancient walls that reach out and embrace the Mediterranean Sea.
It is wonderful and facinating to walk through and discover the medieval charms of this Barceloneta of Sardinia, full of history and culture.
A mix of architectural styles from Gothic to Renaissance, Baroque to Neoclassical form the streets and alleyways where shopping is a must: artisan workshops forging and creating their rare masterpieces from red coral and gold, antique shops with there high volted ceilings, cafes and restaurants with their irresistable aromas of the typical Mediterranean cuisine, bookshops and prestigious fashion houses.
An open-air museum, protected over the centuries from the assaults of invaders and conquerors by its solid walls, its towers and its bastions overlooking the sea, ideal for stress free walks surrounded by the timeless charm of this ancient fortress town.
90 km of coastline and about twenty different beaches, all of extraordinary beauty: soft white sandy beaches, small coves surrounded by rocks, lonely and wild alcoves, some of which reachable only by sea.
The sea at Alghero is always at your fingertips. From north to south, an infinite choice of blue transparent land/waterscapes, where one, from child to the expert sportsman, can find his/her “sea”: sunbathing in one of the many well-equipped beach facilities or practicing your favorite water sport (windsurfing, kitesurfing, sailing, water skiing, fishing and scuba diving amongst the favorites) or, simply enjoy a pleasant stroll along the waterfronts.
Beautiful and comfortable beaches are also present in town (beach of San Giovanni, the Lido, as well as the urban beaches of Las Tronas, el Trò and Riservata), magnificent white sand dunes and century-old junipers shaped by the wind form the Pineta of Maria Pia, spectacular are the beaches of Le Bombarde, Lazzaretto and Mugoni, with their typical Mediterranean vegetation, and the incredible scenary driving southward bound to Bosa, stopping at the beach of Poglina.
Some advice… explore them all and enrich your vacation of a thousand shades of blue.
Sardinia and the Nuraghi: a unique and undissolvable bond. The ancient and still partly unexplored nuragic civilization that developed on our island from the Bronze Age up to the II century BC is still visable in the over 7000 nuraghi scattered throughout the region.
The Nuragic complex of Palmavera, just 1.5 km from the sea, situated in the Park of Porto Conte, is one of the most important sites left to us by these ancient people.
An entire village nearly 4000 years old, wrapped in legend, consisting of a central body with two towers surrounded by ramparts and numerous huts (approx 50 those still visable).
A short distance from Palmavera, in the same bay area of Porto Conte, you can also visit the nuragic site of Sant’Imbenia, located in the oldest Phoenician seaport of the island.
While the necropolis of Anghelu Ruju, also a few km from the city, allows you to make an even further leap back in time: an archaeological site with 38 tombs dating back to 3200-2800 BC situated in a rocky valley that offers a fascinating excursion into the mysterious pre-nuragic era.
Neptune’s Caves -the largest in Sardinia- are a spectacle of nature absolutely not to be missed.
A limestone cave situated at sea-level, on the side wall of Capo Caccia, definitely deserves a visit: by boat or, for the more adventurous and athletic, on foot. In fact, as well as reaching this incredible natural heritage by sea, the 656 steps of the Escala Cabirol (literally “goat’s steps”) offer the opportunity of breathtaking views and memorable emotions.
Emotions that continue inside the cave, 4 km of absolute wonder, large caverns, subterranean lakes, columns, galleries, stalactites and stalagmites are the enchanting scenery that welcomes visitors with their inevitable awe and amazement.
The National Forest “Le Prigionette”, more commonly known as Arca di Noè (Noah’s Ark), in the heart of the Porto Conte Park, allows you to come in contact with the vibrant nature of this area, famous for its beautiful landscapes and the uniqueness of its fauna and flora. Within the “Ark”, surrounded by the scents of endemic plants and shrubs typical of the Mediterranean scrubland, it is easy to encounter deers, wild boar, hares, as well as the renowned white donkeys from the island of Asinara and the wild horses of the Giara, who live here in total freedom.
An extraordinary natural environment, perfect for spending quality carefree and adventurous hours of trekking: there are, in fact, many paths and trails for all kinds of hiking (either walking, biking, or by car) to explore every corner of the Park, including the spectacular cliffs overlooking the sea.
It is not a real vacation without a local food and wine experience that will leave food lovers, leaving the Riviera del Corallo, more than happy! The sea, vegetables gardens, the vineyards and the olive groves surrounding Alghero are the true source from which the delicious local cuisine draws its raw material, typical flavors and dishes of the mediterranean table.
For this reason, in addition to enjoying the many restaurants and agriturismo in the area, we suggest a visit to the Wine Resort Ledà d’Ittiri which will certainly enrich your holiday pleasure and knowhow. The resort, an old farmhouse, nestled amongst the green of an 18 hectare estate offers, by reservation only, a delightful and interesting Wine & Olive oil tour through their vineyards and olive groves explaining methods of wine and olive oil production. After the tour, in a magnificent setting with vintage crafted furnishings, Annamaria, the owner, will guide you through sample tasting of wines and olive oil accompanied by local bread, cured meats (salami, prosciutto etc) and cheeses.
Even Poderi Parpinello, an estate with 20 hectares of vineyards and an olive plantation, offers lovers of wine and the outdoors a guided tour of its wine cellars and a wine & olive oil tasting spree combined with typical local products, all under the shade of old secular oak trees.
Also worth a visit is the historic winery of Sella & Mosca, the primadonna of Sardinian enology with its many renowned wines, very appreciated by critics and experts of this industry. For decades their wines have been ranked amongst the very best, first of all, thanks to the care taken in the selection of the grapes and, secondly, to the careful wine-making and aging processes. The tour with expert guides, apart from your wine tasting goblet, includes a visit to the historic 1903 wine cellar and after, to the interesting and well preserved Museum of the companies history and business.
