Alghero and Sardinia's West Coast. Where the waters are like those of the Caribbean, but without the eight hour flight.

Alghero and Sardinia’s west coast.

Where the waters are like those of the Caribbean  –

but without the eight hour flight and the scenery is just amazing.

View from Capo Caccia

The coastal road along the west coast of Sardinia is one I will always remember. It 
is simply breathtakingly beautiful. Sandy beaches or rocky outlets are embraced by the clearest waters I have seen for a long time, colours ranging from dark ink and celestial blues to a soft shimmering turquoise. As cliffs get higher and the road meanders inland, to my great surprise, long legged pink flamingos can be seen around salt plains that have now become vast nature reserves.  As you get closer to Alghero the landscape changes again, becoming more fertile with many wine producing fields. This is the home of Sardinia’s favourite grape; the Vernaccia.

Alghero has been a popular resort since the 1960s and its long sandy beaches are crowded as

Town beach Alghero

they are close to the town centre.  Via Garibladi runs along the seafront and marina every evening fills up with people watchers in its many bars and restaurants.   As always, I head for the oldest parts of town, where first of all I notice that this place has a very Spanish influence. Street names can be both in Italian and Catalan, going back to a time when the city was captured by the Aragonese. The San Francesco cloister is a true reminder of this era, its architecture dating back to the early 14^th century. During summer months this lovely building becomes a wonderful open air concert venue.  In Via Calberto, a main shopping street, you find many craftsmen selling local coral jewellery, much admired for its deep red colour. Likewise, silver filigree jewellery is also much sought after.

Porta Terra, looking a bit lonely as the
rest of ramparts have been destroyed.

As picturesque Alghero is, particularly in the evening, it is the scenery around this seaside town that attracts me most and most of all Capo Caccia, a unique area for nature lovers. This peninsula appears like a huge sculpture before you, as you travel north of the city. In the air you might be lucky to see one of the few surviving Sardinian Griffon vultures or the more common peregrine falcons and herring gulls, who all have a have a lot white cliffs to choose from as their nesting grounds. But keep your eyes on the ground, particularly if you decide to take the 654 steps down the Escala Cabriol, (the goat’s steps) to Neptune’s Cave filled with atmospheric stalactites and stalagmites. It was easy to get out here, on one of the sightseeing buses leaving from city centre. The trip takes 2 hours and was the best value ever had for 18 Euros. This is where you find the best beaches with plenty of space. f

As Alghero displays many historic sights, so does the countryside around. Here you can find may manifestations of the ancient Nuraghi people, who lived on this island in the 10^th-12^th century BC.


Next blog: Shopping and Delicious Food the Sardinian Way