Alghero Things to Do

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The Grotta di Nettuno is about 10 miles / 15 km from Alghero along the Capo Caccia. it is a spectacular cave full of unique rock formations and stalactites.
Best way is to sail here - by Nava Sardi, see transport tip - but do make sure teh sea is like a duck pond as it will be closed due to no safe access if AT ALL choppy. Took us 2 atempts at sailing to get entry - if not accessible you will go sailing around rhe Capo Caccia and probably stop at the Bar Dragunura spot (see off the beaten path tip).

Also accessible by hire bike taxi or bus and a walk down the stairs form the cliff face - just be sure you're OKwiththe climb abck up. (Choppier seas mean still no access this way either)

Note that you pay for entry and tour over and above the boat trip - not expensive though.

Sulis tower was built over a previous spanish tower, called Espero' Reial. This circular tower dates back to XIV century and its interior is divided in two huge superimposed rooms, covered by vaults. One helicoidal staircase allows to reach the second floor.
Since XIX century the name of the tower has been associated to kalaritan jurist Vincenzo Sulis, here confined through conspiracy and treason suspects.

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The house was built in early XVI century by catalan workers. It's a fully-sandstone building; windows have been integrated in a small-columned prospect and dazzlingly decorated with catalan gothic and renaissance themes.
This palace was once called 'Casa Doria' (Doria's house), relating to family which Alghero foundation in XIII century has been often associated to. But probably real owner was the Bishop Ambrogio Machin: he lived here during XVII century.

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This building dates from XV century. It's a rare piece of civil gothic architecture and still keeps single and double lancet windows, and a portal in local sandstone.
First owners were De Ferrera merchants, a rich catalan family; but some years later palace was sold to Albis family, then to Arcayne.
Making a stopover in Alghero with his 40 ships, after Algeri battle in 1541, Emperor Carlos V lived in this building during winter months; it seems that Emperor, coming forward one of the windows, referred to people in the crowded place (most of them had helped him during the battle) saying 'Estode todos caballeros' (be all gentlemen).

'Macchia Mediterranea' is the name given to the ensemble of mediterranean vegetation and its peculiar essences. Punta Giglio is a concentrated area of natural beauty: a walkable and cycling cliff and several routes of different difficulty to choose. Everything smells of wild olives, lentisk, helychrisum, myrtus, junipers, cistus, et cetera. Some shady areas are perfect for a picnic and relax during the warmest hours; from the top of the hill the panorama on Capo Caccia gulf is absolutely enchanting.
You could also run into some of the old military fortress, dated II World War: bunkers, ammunition deposits and barracks still perfectly remain.

"Get lost" in the narrow streets. You will have explored it within 2 hrs.
If narrow lanes interest you but you don't like getting lost, you can go wild in Alghero's old town. So small you cant get lost. Still lovely enough to just ramble through for some hours.

The visit to the Tousist Information Office was 100% satsifactory. Within seconds of entering, we were very efficiently dispatched bus and train timetables all personally marked by the official with a 'get off here' cross. We planned (in hindsight, badly) to go by bus to Sassari and by train to Porte Torres (not on the same day). I digress. I greeted the tourism official with my usual greeting 'parla Inglese?', to which he snapped into English mode and 'welcomed' me in a manner remininscent of Basil Fawlty meeting important guests. We were then given a thorough guided tour of the transport leaflets. I absorbed as much of the information as possible as I was convinced he was going to test me afterwards.
There appeared to be some sort of 'interactive' device in the corner that everyone coming in, looked at, a bit like you look at art you don't quite understand, then move away. I was half-tempted to press a button on the way out, but thought it may initiate a full demonstration by our enthusiastic advisor.
Someone press the button and let me know what it does.
Good place for tourist information.

Rent a car and go south from Alghero towards Bosa. Less than 5 km´s north from Bosa is a beach where there are not as much people as on other beaches this time of the year. Also there is a nice restaurant by the beach. Can´t remember the name of the beach but it´s very close to Bosa. The drive down there is fantastic with lots of magical views and sometimes almost terrifying scenery.