Alghero Off The Beaten Path

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This may be nearer Fertilia than Alghero but was certainly located at neither !

The boat trip to Neptune's Grotto stopped here - I don't know if that is de rigeur or just because the grotto was shut due to choppy seas.

Other people had driven to this spot, presumably from Fertilia

The Roman Bridge can be found between Alghero & Fertillia. It actually dates back to medieval times.

Sadly, it is now only half it's original length & is a crumbling ruin. It had to be partly demolished to make way for it’s replacement, a larger modern structure that is much more practical in these modern times.

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Fertilia is the next town along the coast from Alghero & can be easily reached by foot though prepare for a fairly long (about 7km) walk! We walked along the beach most of the way, then up onto the road when the beach ran out! Assume you'll be walking back too as public transport seemed a bit scarce!

Although it is small & seemingly ‘uninteresting’ on first appearances it has a quaint & calm feel to it. The buildings are mostly post war. Personally I thought the ‘modern’ churches & monuments were architecturally rather unattractive. Several restaurants can be found here, also nice views across the sea to Alghero old town & there are pretty coastal walks around rugged pathways. A place that is worth a short visit at least!

North of Alghero lies Argentiera.
As the name itself suggests it's an old mining town closed several years ago and now practically abandoned. Only few people live here but don't have anything to do with the old mine. The whole area looks like a "ghost town".
Even if forbidden (and dangerous!) you can go through the several holes in the fence and explore the old, abandoned buildings of the mine. Beware the rats and the bees!
Walking around you'll even see the mine entrance, a hole carved in the rock and closed with a huge stone.
Nearby there is a beautiful beach if you'd like to take a swim after exploring the area.

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Few Kms north of Alghero lies this huge rock overlooking the sea. The scenery is majestic and you can walk to the lighthouse. Don't miss the sunset from there.

For those who are interested, magnificent scuba dives are possible.

I think just going to Sardinia is a little off the beaten track, well, I havent seen the east of the island but in the west near Alghero, we hardly saw any tourists and there are no huge resorts or hotels. Its worth visiting some of the smaller towns/villages in the area. Stintino in the far north is a lovely small fishing village with La Pelosa beach nearby. Fertillia near Alghero is a lovely town.
Bosa is abig bigger but on the stunning drive from Alghero to Bosa, theres some tiny villages to stop at.

About 15 minutes drive outside Alghero is the Sella and Mosca vineyard. Well worth a trip. They offer free tours and a chance to buy many of the better local wines quite cheaply (the tour is free). We organised a taxi to bring and collect 4 of us. Around £8 per head.