In the popular tourist destination on the west coast, you can take evocative strolls along the bastions of the port, with the beautiful natural cove overlooking the emerald sea. The historic centre is the most fascinating part of the city. A maze of alleyways that lead into lively piazzas. The yellow walls and ancient houses hark back to the Catalan origins of the town. Then there are the religious buildings: the Cathedral of Santa Maria (16th century), the Chiesa del Carmelo (the second half of the 17th century), with its great golden altarpiece, the Chiesa di San Michele, with its characteristic colourful majolica dome, and the Chiesa di Sant’Anna (1735), in late-Renaissance style. As to the culture, visit the Casa Manno, a research centre with a rich patrimony of paintings, furnishings, books and manuscripts. Its coastline extends approximately 90 kilometres. Called the Riviera del Corallo, it is so named after the largest coral colony of the utmost quality that lives here. Not to be missed is the Coral Museum to delve into its history and forms.
The most famous beach is Le Bombarde. Offering crystalline waters and a clear sandy seabed, it is a destination for families with children, youths and surfers. Just a kilometre away is the Lazaretto, comprised of ten coves with fine, clear sand. A little farther on, within the bay of Porto Conte is the relaxing Spiaggia di Mugoni, a beach with golden sand that plunges straight into the waters of a sea that is always calm and crystal clear, forming an entirely sheltered oasis. Right in the city, rather, is the splendid Lido di San Giovanni, whilst just outside the centre are sand dunes covered with the centuries-old junipers of Maria Pia. A considerable part of the coast consists in the protected marine area of Capo Caccia – Isola Piana, safeguarding hundreds of treasures, including the Grotta di Nettuno, which can be reached by land through the Escala del Cabirol, or by sea on boats that depart from the marina.
The Porto Conte Regional Park will win you over with its expanses of Maquis shrubland, rich wooded areas and the Lagoon of Calich. The Domus de Janas of Santu Perdu, the Anghelu Ruju necropolis and the Palmavera and Sant’imbenia complex stand as testimonies to the prehistoric roots of Alghero, starting from Neolithic times.
