What to see in Alghero and the surrounding area: A 6-stop itinerary

Are you about to set off on a trip to Alghero?
The area around Alghero is teeming with ancient villages, archaeological sites and nature trails.
To make sure you don’t miss the best bits, follow the itinerary recommended by Salude & Trigu in this article.
Here’s what to see in Alghero and the surrounding area.

Ideas for an exciting tour around Alghero

Whether it’s a coast-to-coast trip or a tour of the inland areas, travellers need itineraries to follow to visit the towns and main points of interest in Northern Sardinia.
The area around Alghero, for example, is brimming with beauty. From ancient villages to archaeological sites of significant regional and national interest, and nature trails.
What is there to see in Alghero and the surrounding area? Salude & Trigu is here to guide you with a 6-stage itinerary.

The 6-stop itinerary

• Alghero

• Olmedo

• Villanova Monteleone

• Monteleone Rocca Doria

• Cossoine

• Bonorva

All the colours of Alghero

With its ramparts, ancient alleyways and enchanting sea views, Alghero is love at first sight
.
The fortified citadel, situated just a few kilometres from Sassari
, overlooks the crystal-clear waters of the Coral Riviera
and looks straight out towards the coast of Spain
. It is known as ‘Little Barcelona’ or ‘Catalonia of the Mediterranean’
because its history is intertwined with that of the Crown of Aragon.
Numerous Catalan traditions
are still alive and well today in Alghero; just think of the cuisine, in particular the delicious paella
that you can enjoy in one of the restaurants in the town centre or at the Lido di San Giovanni.

What to visit: must-see attractions

• The Cathedral of Santa Maria, one of the largest churches in the whole of Sardegna;
• The Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art. It houses the collection of liturgical silverware from the cathedral of Alghero, wooden sculptures dating from the 16th to the 19th centuries, and 17th-century paintings;
• The Archaeological Museum, where you can discover the city’s history from the Neolithic period to the Middle Ages;
• The Palazzo Civico, a historic building housing Alghero Town Hall;
•  The Ramparts, the ideal spot for a romantic stroll and a journey into the city’s past. They are named after the greatest navigators in history (Columbus; Magellan; Marco Polo; Pigafetta;
• Piazza Civica, the heart of the historic centre;
• Alghero’s ancient towers, erected around 1500 to defend the city (Porta di Terra Tower; Sulis Tower; San Giovanni Tower; San Giacomo Tower; San’Elmo Tower; Garibaldi Tower;
•  The San Francesco Monumental Complex, one of the finest examples of Catalan Gothic architecture in Sardegna;
• The Baroque-style Church of San Michele;
• The Caves of Neptune, accessible by boat. They date back to prehistoric times and contain traces of the Neolithic period;
• The Porto Conte Nature Park and the Capo Caccia Marine Protected Area, guardians of a rich natural heritage;
• The Nuragic Village of Palmavera, situated in a bay which the Romans called the ‘Port of the Nymphs’;
• The Anghelu Ruju Necropolis, a pre-Nuragic archaeological site located in the Li Piani area;
• The Santu Pedru Necropolis, situated in a panoramic spot on the hill of the same name, along the road to Ittiri;
• Bombarde Beach and Lazzaretto Beach, oases of unspoilt nature characterised by crystal-clear waters;
• Lido di San Giovanni beach and Maria Pia beach with its lush pine forest, ‘jewels’ just a stone’s throw from the historic centre;
• Porto Ferro Beach, a surfer’s paradise;

Olmedo, archaeology & tradition

Olmedo
is situated near Alghero
, just 14 kilometres from the city. It belongs to the historic region of Nurra
and is home to significant historical remains, as well as outstanding culinary traditions
.
The place name suggests that, in the past, there was once a dense forest of elm trees
right here in Olmedo. Indeed, the local landscape is rich and characterised by green spaces adorned with holm oaks and cork oak woods.
The municipality of Olmedo produces delicious dairy specialities
such as ricotta mustia and pecorino.
The most vibrant and deeply-held tradition, however, concerns bread-making
. Every year in November, you can visit the Olmedo Bread Fair and admire true masterpieces, including ‘piccadu’ and ‘fioridu’ loaves
.
The area boasts several craft centres specialising in woodworking, ironwork and basketry.

What to visit: must-see attractions

• Mount Baranta, a megalithic complex dating back to 2500–2200 BC, situated in the locality of Su Casteddu. The symbol of the complex is the fortress of the same name, composed of enormous boulders and protected by a large valley;
• Nuraghe Talia, inside which a fig tree has grown, helping to preserve the archaeological site;
• Nuraghe Mannu, with a six-metre-high tholos-style chamber;
• The ancient noble residences in the historic centre;
• The Church of Our Lady of Talia, a splendid example of the Romanesque-Pisan style in Sardegna. Inside, a nativity scene made of bread is set up in December;
• The well temple situated in Camposanto, from which numerous artefacts from the Nuragic period have been unearthed;
• The Butterfly House, where you can admire butterflies of every colour and size from all over the world.

Villanova Monteleone: in the footsteps of Fellini

Not sure what to see in Alghero and the surrounding area? Visit Villanova Monteleone, a historic village situated 25 kilometres from Alghero and a little further from Sassari.
Not everyone knows that Federico Fellini filmed some scenes from *La Bibbia* in one of its most beautiful spots: a valley near the source of the River Temo. In Villanova, you’ll discover routes linking land and sea, lake and coast, as the area offers a wide variety of landscapes.
The municipality is famous for its artisanal products, particularly its textile crafts, which have been practised for millennia in various parts of Northern Sardinia (see the Sardinian carpets of Aggius)
Throughout the year, Villanova Monteleone hosts a number of events well worth attending. Among these, the Arab-Anglo-Sardinian Horse Exhibition and Market, held in August, and the Sheep Festival, an opportunity to learn about the culture linked to local agricultural and pastoral traditions, are particularly noteworthy.

What to visit: the main attractions

• Poglina Beach, a stretch of pale sand lapped by a turquoise sea;
• The Church of Speranza, situated near Poglina Beach;
• The Sa Domo Manna Ethnographic Museum, in the town’s historic centre, where you can explore the history of traditional crafts;
• The Church of San Leonardo da Limoges, dating back to the 1500s, considered a symbol of Villanova Monteleone
• The Church of the Madonna del Rosario, dating from the 1600s, which houses a fine altarpiece
• The natural springs of Monte Minerva;
• The Puttu Codinu necropolis, rich in prehistoric decorations and comprising nine underground burial chambers;
• The Laccaneddu giants’ tomb

Monteleone Rocca Doria, the medieval village and the lake

Do you know the smallest town in the Sassari area? It is Monteleone Rocca Doria, a village founded
by the Doria family in medieval times
.
Full of charm, Monteleone Rocca Doria stands on a rocky outcrop
and is surrounded by Lake dell’Altro Temo
. It appears as a sort of ‘natural fortress’
nestled within a landscape of great beauty.
The municipality’s territory is rich in springs and woodland
, making it the ideal destination for nature lovers.
Furthermore, Monteleone Rocca Doria is home to hares, foxes and even the Sardinian griffon vulture
: a large vulture with a wingspan of approximately 243–270 cm.

What to visit: the main attractions

• The Upper Temo Lake;
• The ancient parish church of Sant’Antonio Abate, built in the Gothic-Romanesque style. Inside, a graffito depicting the ‘pilgrim’s boot’ has been discovered; this symbol indicated, in the Middle Ages, that a pilgrim had passed through that spot;
• The parish church of Santo Stefano, rich in coats of arms of the Doria family;
• The footpaths of Mount Minerva, winding through holm oak woods, Mediterranean scrub and springs;
•  The nuraghi of Funtana Calvia, Su Nie, Mannu and Badde Janna

Bonorva, pre-nuragic monuments

The municipality of Bonorva
is home to one of
the most important pre-Nuragic monuments
in the Sardegna.
This is the Sant’Andrea Priu Necropolis
, a large and evocative burial ground featuring three tombs carved into the rock
. The historic centre
is particularly charming, with the typical layout of agro-pastoral villages
.
It is laid out as a maze of narrow alleyways and spacious courtyards
, with houses built mainly from rock. Bonorva is renowned for its fine carpets and tapestries
, inspired by both ancient and modern geometric patterns.
Don’t miss the ‘sagra de su zicchi’
(durum wheat bread – Ed.), organised by the council in August, a perfect opportunity to sample local specialities.

What to visit: the main attractions

• The necropolis of Sant’Andrea Priu, a funerary complex where you can admire around twenty ‘domus de Janas’ dating from the Neo-Eneolithic period;
• The rural church of Santa Lucia. Built in the Romanesque style, it hosts the annual celebrations in honour of the saint of the same name on 1 May;
• The prehistoric spring of Lumarzu, dating back to the Nuragic civilisation, situated a short distance from the abandoned village of Rebeccu;
• The Puttu de Inza and Monte Donna nuraghi;
• The church of St John the Baptist. Inside, it houses a fine wooden altar and a painting by the late 16th-century artist Baccio Gorini;
• The parish church of the Nativity of Mary, in late-Gothic style

Cossoine and female tenor singing

Among the things to see in Alghero and the surrounding area
, a visit to the municipality of Cossoine
is a must; its territory is dotted with natural beauty and archaeological sites
, many dating from the Nuragic, Roman and Byzantine periods
.
Cossoine is famous for its female tenor singing. It is not uncommon, whilst visiting the village, to come across opportunities to hear beautiful female voices singing Sardinian songs.

What to visit: the main attractions

• The Corroue archaeological site, where the remains of a Nuragic village and a Roman villa have been uncovered;
• The charming 17th- and 18th-century buildings that adorn the historic centre;
• The late Gothic church of Santa Chiara, the symbol of Cossoine;
• The caves of Suiles; Sa Ucca and Mammuscone, and Sa Ucca ‘e su Peltusu, one of the most important in the vicinity of Alghero. Inside, there is an underground stream and a deposit of Miocene fossils.

Discover all the Salude & Trigu events in Alghero and the surrounding area