Northwestern Sardinia
About 2.5km north of Stintino, the Spiaggia della Pelosa is a dreamy image of beach perfection: a salt-white strip of sand lapped by shallow, turquoise…
Must-see attractions in Northwestern Sardinia
Alghero
Alghero's golden sea walls, built around the centro storico by the Aragonese in the 16th century, are a highlight of the town's historic cityscape…
Northwestern Sardinia
Named after its resident asini bianchi (albino donkeys), the Isola dell'Asinara encompasses 51 sq km of macchia (Mediterranean scrub), rocky coastline and…
Sassari
Sassari's premier museum, housed in a grand Palladian villa, has a comprehensive archaeological collection and an ethnographical section dedicated to…
Alghero
Rising above the historic centre, the Cattedrale di Santa Maria's 16th-century campanile is one of Alghero's signature landmarks. The tower, accessible…
Northwestern Sardinia
Capo Caccia's principal crowd-puller is the Grotta di Nettuno, a haunting fairyland of stalactites and stalagmites. The easiest way to get to the caves is…
Northwestern Sardinia
This reserve, just west of Porto Conte at the base of Monte Timidone (361m), is a beautiful pocket of uncontaminated nature. Encompassing 12 sq km of…
Northwestern Sardinia
Signposted off the SS131 between Sassari and Porto Torres, Monte d’Accoddi is a unique Neolithic temple. Unlike anything else in the Mediterranean basin …
Sassari
Sassari’s largest piazza is one of Sardinia’s most impressive public spaces. Covering about a hectare, it is surrounded by imposing 19th-century buildings…
Alghero
Alghero's finest church is a model of architectural harmony. Originally built to a Catalan Gothic design in the 14th century, it was later given a…
Northwestern Sardinia
One of the largest nuraghic sites in Sardinia, the Nuraghe Santu Antine sits 4km south of Torralba. The complex is focused on a central tower, which now…
Northwestern Sardinia
Porto Torres' modern, workaday streets provide the unlikely setting for Sardinia’s largest Romanesque church. Built between 1030 and 1080, the basilica is…
Basilica della Santissima Trinità di Saccargia
Sassari
About 18km southeast of Sassari on the SS729, this is the most visually striking of the isolated Romanesque churches that spring up across the territory…
Northwestern Sardinia
From Castelsardo, the SS134 Sedini road leads to one of the area’s most lovable landmarks, the Roccia dell’Elefante, a bizarre trachyte rock that looks…
Sassari
Sassari’s principal cathedral dazzles with its 18th-century baroque facade, a giddy free-for-all of statues, reliefs, friezes and busts. It's all a front,…
Northwestern Sardinia
Lording it over the hilltop centro storico is the medieval Castello, the centrepiece around which the original town was built. Constructed in the 12th…
Northwestern Sardinia
For a view to remember, stop off at this viewing point a few hundred metres short of Capo Caccia, and look down at the full sweep of the Baia delle Ninfe…
Alghero
On Via Carlo Alberto, the carrer major of the medieval town, the 17th-century Chiesa di San Michele is best known for its maiolica-tiled dome. The present…
Alghero
Dominating Piazza Sulis, this landmark tower was originally known as the Torre de l'Esperó Reial or Torre dello Sperone (Tower of the Royal Spur). Its…
Northwestern Sardinia
A few kilometres west of Fertilia on the SS127bis road to Porto Conte, the Nuraghe di Palmavera is a 3500-year-old nuraghic village. At its centre stands…
Sassari
This museum dedicated to Sassari's history is spread over three sites. Its main seat is Palazzo di Città, where exhibits illustrate the city's urban…
Cattedrale di Sant’Antonio Abate
Northwestern Sardinia
Announcing the presence of the cathedral is its landmark bell tower, topped by a brightly tiled cupola. The cathedral itself, which sits on a panoramic…
Northwestern Sardinia
About 7km east of Bonorva, the Necropoli di Sant’Andrea Priu is an isolated site, immersed in silence and accessible only by a narrow potholed road. It's…
Sassari
The main drag through the centro storico, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II follows the path of the ancient Roman road from Porto Torres to Cagliari. Little…
Alghero
Just inside Porta a Mare, Piazza Civica is Alghero’s showcase square. In a former life it was the administrative heart of the medieval city, but where…
Northwestern Sardinia
Some 10km northwest of Alghero, just off the SP42 to Porto Torres, lie the scattered burial chambers of the Necropoli di Anghelu Ruju. The 38 tombs carved…
Chiesa di Santa Maria di Betlem
Sassari
With its distinctive dome and proud Romanesque facade, the much-loved Chiesa di Santa Maria di Betlem reveals a curious blend of architectural styles. The…
Museo Antiquarium Turritano & Area Archeologica
Northwestern Sardinia
This complex houses the excavated remains of Turris Libisonis, the ancient Roman port on which the modern city stands. The museum displays finds from the…
Sassari
Sassari is home to one of Italy’s most revered army regiments. The Sassari Brigade was established in 1915 and during WWI established a reputation for…
Chiesa di Santa Maria del Regno
Northwestern Sardinia
Now a sleepy agricultural town just off the SS729, Ardara was once the capital of the Giudicato di Torres, the medieval state that encompassed much of…
Northwestern Sardinia
Much of the land around Porto Conte is protected as part of the Parco di Porto Conte. This regional nature park, one of only two in Sardinia, covers 60km…
Basilica di San Pietro di Sorres
Northwestern Sardinia
This 12th-century Romanesque church commands impressive views from its hillside position overlooking Borutta. The original Pisan church and adjacent abbey…
Chiesa di Sant’Antioco di Bisarcio
Northwestern Sardinia
Signposted off the main Sassari–Olbia highway, the remote Chiesa di Sant’Antioco di Bisarcio is one of the largest Romanesque churches in Sardinia. Dating…
Pinacoteca Nazionale di Sassari
Sassari
Housed in a 16th-century Jesuit college, Sassari's municipal art collection boasts more than 400 paintings from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Of…
Northwestern Sardinia
Sardinia's top wine producer has been based on this 650-hectare estate since 1899. To learn more about its history and production methods, join the free…
Alghero
Overlooking Piazza Duomo, Alghero’s oversized Cattedrale di Santa Maria appears out of place with its pompous neoclassical facade and fat Doric columns…
Chiesa di Nostra Signora di Tergu
Northwestern Sardinia
Tergu, a small village 10km or so south of Castelsardo, is home to this fine 12th-century Romanesque church. Built out of wine-red trachyte and white…
Northwestern Sardinia
Investigate Ozieri's rich archaeological legacy at the wonderful Museo Archeologico. Housed in the 18th-century Convento Clarisse, it has a small but rich…
Northwestern Sardinia
The main focus of Porto Conte is Spiaggia Mugoni, a hugely popular beach that arcs around the bay’s northeastern flank. With its fine white sand and…
Northwestern Sardinia
Just below the Castello, the medieval Chiesa di Santa Maria is a much-loved church, venerated for its 14th-century crucifix. One of the oldest in Sardinia…
