Alghero was conquered by Catalans in 1353, and they never really left. Street signs are in Catalan (L'Alguer). Elderly residents still speak alguerés (Algherese Catalan). The old town — medieval walls jutting into the sea — feels more Barcelona than Sardinia. But the sea is 100% Sardinian: the Grotta di Nettuno (Neptune's Grotto — a stalactite cave accessible by 654 cliff steps or boat), the coral reefs that give the coast its name (Riviera del Corallo), and the beaches to the north (Spiaggia di Maria Pia, Spiaggia delle Bombarde) with the transparent water that makes Sardinia legendary. Islands guide →
The bastions (sea walls). Walk the medieval ramparts at sunset — the entire western wall faces the sea. Torre di Porta Terra (main gate tower, multimedia museum, €5). Grotta di Nettuno (Neptune's Grotto). Stalactite/stalagmite cave at Capo Caccia headland (25 min drive north). Access: 654 steps carved into the cliff (Escala del Cabirol, €15) OR boat from Alghero port (€16, 45 min, daily April-October — the approach by sea past 300m cliffs is spectacular). The cave interior: a salt lake, illuminated formations, 200m walkway inside. Nuraghe Palmavera (15 min north, €5) — Bronze Age Nuragic complex (1500 BC), 50+ circular stone huts around a central tower. Pre-Roman civilizations →
Spiaggia delle Bombarde (10 min north — golden sand, pine-shaded, crystal water, stabilimenti + free). Spiaggia di Maria Pia (5 min north — wide, sandy, backed by pine forest). Mugoni (15 min — sheltered bay, family-friendly). Aragosta alla catalana (lobster with tomato, onion, vinegar — Alghero's signature dish, €30-40/person — worth it once). Bottarga (dried mullet roe, grated over spaghetti). Where: Il Pavone (Piazza Sulis 3 — terrace on the bastions, fish, €25-40).
Alghero airport (Fertilia, 10 min from town — Ryanair from multiple EU cities). From Olbia: 2h drive across the island. From Cagliari: 2.5h. Car essential for Sardinia. Rent at Alghero airport →