Alghero Area Holidays

Holidays to Alghero are all about sandy beaches, old Italian charm and a tasty mix of Sardinian and Catalan cuisine.

Old and new

This Mediterranean beauty's nestled on the north-east coast of Sardinia, an island belonging to Italy – and it's got ancient credentials. Its first settlers, the Ozieris, made it their home over 6,000 years ago. Nowadays, Alghero's a bustling town with a cobbled centre and plenty of gotta-go-back restaurants and bars.

Grand grotto

Stick romantic Neptune’s Grotto on your list of places to visit. This vast system of caves is crowded with softly lit stalactites and stalagmites, and there's a spooky chamber with a dark, underground lake. It's half an hour's drive outside Alghero – or 45 minutes if you travel by boat.

Traces of Catalan rule

Hemmed in by 16th-century walls, Alghero's packed with charming remnants of its life as a Catalan colony. The eagle-eyed will notice street signs in Italian and Catalan, as well as taste bud-tingling fusion food. Spanish tapas alongside a crusty Italian pizza make for an enjoyable meal.

At a glance

Chill out on sandy beaches
Wander around Alghero Old Town
See the stalactites of Neptune’s Grotto

Destinations in Alghero Area

Top Destinations

Dune days

Head up north for the island's best beaches, including Valledoria's sand dunes – you'll find them sandwiched between the sea and a river. For classic Sardinian scenes, the sugary-white coastline of Badesi Mare fits the bill nicely, while sleepy Isola Rossa's the prime place to try and catch some rays.
The big beach

If long walks on the sand tickle your fancy, nine-kilometre Le Saline beach will be just your thing. In between coves on Sardinia’s north coast, this pine tree-backed shore gets its name from the old salt mines nearby. It's a bit on the blowy side and a big hit with windsurfers.
The secret beach

Drive half an hour north of Alghero and you’ll reach Porto Ferro. This hidden gem's a chilled-out escape from the usual noise and chatter – picture a bay enclosed by two rocky headlands. Gentle green hills in the background make it a proper rural retreat.

Bargain Buys

For cheap eats, make like the locals and get yourself over to the sweet-smelling food stands on Via Corsica. On Wednesdays, market stalls set up shop and create a bargain-lover's paradise in Viale Sardegna. They're packed with everything from fabrics to Sicilian ceramics.
Mid-Range Buys

The area behind the marina's the go-to spot to pick up artisanal-style foods such as pickled veg, alongside some fancy local liqueurs. Piazza Civica's full of postage-stamp-sized boutiques selling all kinds of local treats that can fit in your luggage.
Designer Buys

If you're in the market for a statement piece, look out for Alghero’s iconic red coral jewellery. These sustainably sourced gems are known locally as 'red gold', and they're often found in swish shops around the old town.

Laid-back evenings

For a mellow evening, pop into one of the bars on the Spiaggi di San Giovanni promenade – it hosts a cool night market in the summer, too. It's a great place to sip a cocktail while soaking up the beachfront ambience.
Lively evenings

Aside from a handful of bars south of Alghero, there aren't many places that stay open late. If you're after some drinks, try a beachside cocktail bar on Via Lido.

Gnochetti sardi

This potato gnocchi-like pasta started as a special occasion dish, but nowadays people tuck in to it whenever they can. Find it in casual trattorias, drenched in bacon-and-olive tomato sauce.
Caviar

Seafood's the go-to in this fishing port – sliced, fried or grilled whole. Spaghetti bottarga's a local classic – Sardinia's take on caviar gets grated on top of a tangle of pasta, then drizzled with olive oil.
Seadas

A deep-fried pastry stuffed with ricotta or lemon-soaked pecorino cheese, seadas get drizzled with honey and topped with a citrus twist. Sweet, tangy, crunchy and smooth – this is prime snacking.
Pecorino cheese

The Sardinian highlands have been home to shepherds and their woolly herds for generations. Mainland Italians come here to stock up on huge wheels of locally produced pecorino sardo, a distinctively sharp-tasting ewe's milk cheese.
Grappa

Alghero's got its own vanilla-tasting version of grappa – 'barricata'. Most restaurants keep it stocked, so don't be afraid to ask. Topping off a meal, Sardinian-style, means whipping out some cheese and a shot of the stuff.

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Alghero Area Holidays

Old and new

Grand grotto

Traces of Catalan rule

At a glance

Destinations in Alghero Area

Top Destinations

Top things to See and Do in Alghero Area

Dune days

The big beach

The secret beach

Bargain Buys

Mid-Range Buys

Designer Buys

Laid-back evenings

Lively evenings

Gnochetti sardi

Caviar

Seadas

Pecorino cheese

Grappa

SIMILAR DESTINATIONS

Our destinations in Alghero Area

Alghero

Isola Rossa

Badesi Mare

Popular holidays

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