alghero.travel

40.56° N — 8.32° E · Sardegna

AlgheroL'Alguer

A Catalan port on Sardinia — sandstone ramparts above the Mediterranean, lanes where algherese is still spoken, and the red coral that gave the riviera its name.

View galleryAbout the city
Alghero's old-town skyline across the harbour — bell tower, cathedral dome and sea walls, with boats in the foreground

Photo Eugene Chystiakov / Unsplash

Diners at tables in a cobbled lane of Alghero's old town, lit by strings of bulbs

A town with two names

La Petita Barcelona on Sardinia

Alghero sits on the north-western tip of Sardinia and is called the “little Barcelona” for a Catalan heritage reaching back to the 14th century, when the town passed to the Crown of Aragon. In the old town you can still hear algherese — the local Catalan dialect.

Sixteenth-century ramparts and watchtowers ring the historic centre. Behind them run narrow lanes, colour-washed houses and seafood restaurants. It was from here — from the red coral fished off this coast — that the nearby riviera took its name: Riviera del Corallo.

Region
Sardinia, Italy
Inhabitants
≈ 44,000
Languages
Italian · algherese
Known for
ramparts and coral
Best season
May – September

Photo Alp Ancel / Unsplash

Coastline in four frames

From the cathedral in the heart of the old town to the sea caves beneath the cliffs of Capo Caccia — four points along the coast.

40.559° N · 8.316° EBell tower of Santa Maria cathedral rising over a narrow lane in Alghero's old town
01 / Centro storico

Cattedrale di Santa Maria

Catedral de Santa Maria

A Catalan-Gothic cathedral in the heart of the old town, its bell tower a landmark seen from lanes across the city.

40.585° N · 8.243° EThe wide, turquoise Bombarde beach near Alghero
02 / ≈ 10 km

Spiaggia delle Bombarde

Platja de les Bombardes

A wide sandy beach with shallow, turquoise water — one of the most popular stretches of coast near the town.

40.567° N · 8.168° ELighthouse on the white cliffs of Capo Caccia above the sea
03 / ≈ 24 km

Capo Caccia

Cap de la Caça

Steep white cliffs with a lighthouse over the Mediterranean, among the most striking headlands in the region.

40.558° N · 8.161° EThe Escala del Cabirol staircase descending to the Grotte di Nettuno at the sea's edge
04 / Below the cliff

Grotte di Nettuno

Coves de Neptú

Spectacular karst caves at the foot of Capo Caccia, reached by boat or the Escala del Cabirol staircase.

Photos Daniel Aragay, Silvia Franceschetti, Gianni Careddu, K93 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY / CC BY-SA

Riviera del Corallo

Where to swim

Five beaches along the Coral Riviera, ordered by distance from the old town — from sand within walking reach to the turquoise lagoon of La Pelosa, an hour up the coast.

  1. ≈ 4 km · AlgheroFine white sand of Maria Pia beach curving toward the Alghero skyline

    Spiaggia di Maria Pia

    Alghero's city beach

    A long band of fine white sand backed by pines and dunes, with the old town on the skyline. The water is shallow and shelves gently.

    Good for

    • Walk, bike or a short bus ride from town
    • Shallow water and soft sand for families
    • Pine shade, bars and loungers

    Keep in mind

    • The busiest beach in Alghero — arrive early in summer
  2. ≈ 13 kmSunny turquoise cove at Lazzaretto beach with a small catamaran on the sand

    Spiaggia del Lazzaretto

    A run of turquoise coves

    A handful of small coves with clear, calm water, right beside the popular Le Bombarde. Sheltered and shallow — good for snorkelling.

    Good for

    • Clear, calm, shallow water
    • Sheltered coves and pretty scenery
    • Bus service in summer

    Keep in mind

    • Small — it fills up fast in peak season
    • Paid parking and limited space
  3. ≈ 14 km · Porto ConteThe wide turquoise sweep of Porto Conte bay with the pine-backed Mugoni beach

    Spiaggia di Mugoni

    The sheltered bay

    A long arc of sand along the calm Porto Conte bay, fringed by pine woods — some of the most sheltered water on the whole coast.

    Good for

    • Very calm, sheltered water
    • Room to spread out along the bay
    • Kids, paddleboarding and sailing

    Keep in mind

    • Further around the bay — a car helps
    • Fewer services than the town beaches
  4. ≈ 15 kmRolling surf in the wide bay of Porto Ferro with a watchtower on the headland

    Spiaggia di Porto Ferro

    The wild one

    A wide, open beach of golden-red sand between two old watchtowers, exposed to the wind and swell. A favourite with surfers.

    Good for

    • Dramatic, uncrowded scenery
    • Red-gold sand and long sunsets
    • Waves for surfing and windsurfing

    Keep in mind

    • Wind and waves — not always calm for swimming
    • Few facilities; you'll need a car
  5. ≈ 45 km · ~1 hDay trip — plan aheadShallow, crystal-clear turquoise water over white sand at La Pelosa, Stintino

    La Pelosa

    Stintino's shallow lagoon

    Often called Sardinia's most beautiful beach: powder-white sand and shallow, Caribbean-clear water below a 16th-century tower. Worth the trip — with a few strings attached.

    Good for

    • Extraordinarily clear, shallow water
    • The iconic tower-and-island view
    • Powder-fine white sand

    Keep in mind

    • About an hour's drive from Alghero
    • Summer access is capped and ticketed — book ahead (≈ €3.50, 8:00–18:00, 15 May – 15 Oct)
    • Pricey parking and big crowds

Photos Mikisbd, Benoît Prieur, Gianni Careddu, Patrik Pacut, goldpicasa / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 / CC BY / CC BY-SA

Riviera del Corallo — the coast took its name from the red coral, fished off these shores for centuries.
Corallium rubrum · symbol of Alghero
Branch of red coral, Corallium rubrum, from a Mediterranean reef
Mediterranean, offshore Italy
Branching colony of red coral, Corallium rubrum
Branching colony

Photos James St. John / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0