ALGHERO, THE LITTLE BARCELONA

“Little Barcelona” is the nickname of this very pretty fortified town in northwest Sardinia, deeply influenced by Catalan culture.

When the city was conquered by the Kingdom of Aragon in 1354, many families from Spain settled here, and seven centuries later, the Catalan language is still spoken in the form of a dialect called Alguer.

Alghero proudly displays this dual identity, especially when wandering through the cobbled streets of the historic center where you can see signs in Catalan, flags, and bilingual street names. The Catalan influence is also visible in the architecture and gastronomy.

An expedition to the Porto Conte National Park will delight nature lovers. You can hike in a well-preserved environment and admire breathtaking Mediterranean landscapes—a real breath of fresh air. Near Capo Caccia, you can admire the unique natural setting of Neptune’s Grotto.

What to do in Alghero?

• Stroll through the old town, discover the façades of historic palaces, and visit the churches and the cathedral.

• Walk along the ramparts and white houses while enjoying an ice cream from Igloo Gelateria, and why not admire the sunset there?

• Visit the coral museum housed in a beautiful Liberty-style villa. Red coral fishing is a specialty of Alghero. Learn about the fishing and jewelry-making techniques and discover a serious effort to raise awareness about the marine environment.

• Take a stroll at the covered market of Alghero.

• Taste a Catalan-style lobster or pasta alle vongole with a touch of bottarga, as is often done in Sardinia. Bottarga is one of the island’s specialties.