©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

Alghero & the Northwest

Includes  Why Go? ...... 114 Inspiring natural beauty goes hand-in-hand with history Riviera del Corallo...... 125 and urban charm in ’s northwestern corner. Porto Conte...... 128 The obvious belle of the ball is the coastline with its bril- ...... 132 liant sandy beaches, heady cliffs and hidden rocky coves. But head inland and surprises await – architectural and ar- ...... 134 chaeological gems litter the green, stony countryside. Most ...... 135 notably, a string of Pisan Romanesque churches testify to Ozieri...... 141 medieval glories and tumbledown ruins attest to the pres- Valle dei Nuraghi...... 142 ence of thriving prehistoric communities. A history of foreign rule has left an indelible mark on the area, not only in bricks and mortar but also in spirit. Alghe- ro, the northwest’s main gateway and a one-time Catalan Best Places to stronghold, has a distinctly Spanish feel, while Sassari owes Eat its cosmopolitan outlook to its past as a Genoese colony. In many ways, the entire area seems less Sardinian than other ¨¨Agriturismo Sa Mandra parts of the island, less rural and less reserved, but is no less (p127) enchanting for it. ¨¨Agriturismo Porticciolo (p129) ¨¨Trattoria Lo Romanì (p119) When to Go ¨¨San Gavino (p133) ¨¨Join the masses to chow down on sea urchins at Alghero’s Sagra del Bogamari food festival, usually held between ¨¨La Botteghina (p119) February and March. ¨¨The best months to tour the hinterland and its cultural and archaeological sites are April and May – the weather’s Best Places to warm and sunny, the roads are quiet and the countryside is Sleep blooming with spring colour. ¨ ¨Hotel El Faro (p216) ¨¨One of Sardinia’s most prestigious festivals, Sassari’s ¨¨Agriturismo Sa Mandra Cavalcata Sarda, draws huge crowds. Thousands flock to the (p216) city in May to watch costumed processions and displays of ¨¨Angedras Hotel (p215) acrobatic horse riding. ¨ ¨¨Villa Las Tronas (p216) ¨The summer and autumn months of June, July, August and September are made for hanging out on the beach and cruising the rocky coastline. Expect crowds and high-season prices. #\ #\ #\ l ) e #\ e R i #\ a n a d r u ) a a e a #\ r

#\ o v t t o R s 8m # \ n o d t m i s e o 1 i n ug i a o o t ) l g e r 5 a r 7 t n o C # ä n e d a a 7 P E ( r a B e i u m 92 a t #æ i o 2 n L l C M 2 T L l g 0 ( M n R i i

d S te ti o 9 f m S a o s e i V n o d 8À 5 t a t e n R ( t od on t i e M n r u r ) c ge r a b u u o a #\ M l P r ) o c m a e o v n l n m i 105 P t A P M A S l ' a

m 2 n T P

O n 19 R S g 2 e a d a i 8À P o 'O r l # \ 91 5 a 80 S v 2 M a ( d 4 s u r

M 8À S ( or e i C e # Ù e S a o l A g T l t 8À a r a a al a n el z # Ù a e L n o

C r n P R ara #\ o a a

a M i i a r a n a g l M i l e e 2

g r a az # s #\ p 3 o a el d C # S i p A e N a n d ’

a p i a n l i l i S i A o C ' g l a t ero t i el c g a a r #\ i o l n h l a g S e d l a i

a n a a ar g i F 6 6 6 l e e c p l S C l t i P n ag S L e n A i r n i a d l # Ù t o

a u p a i u r # Ù a S F #\ S n t m d a d

g o n #\ a n e e z i c 1 u r t i o s d o # S m P a a i l g d r e i A

o a e c r t a a a r t M o c n a n o r r n S P L a n a o B p o o o i r g c #\ u e #\ a P P C l l P a r a o d C a s t e l

a F S a a d o b a

R i t i i o C 5 ) e c 4 c e e n p N # r # t c c 6 6 6 o

u n a u i r #\ m i a n p u t n o 1 o P C o l e e r a o d a C n d 6 t n r T i o C a 3 M e rv a u ( i P m t et t t e M i t n n T et e es o ro i g N R r g G A ri re P u e at L N 6 6 6 ) ) and ) Diving ) Boning ) Boning alking . (p130 ) Strolling ) Strolling etting into into ) Getting

Spiaggia della Spiaggia della Sarda Cavalcata Nuraghe Santu Santu Nuraghe Le Prigionette Prigionette Le Castello (p114 Walls Sea Grotta di Grotta Parco Nazionale Parco

atching out for out for atching

(p134 hilltop Castelsardo’s storico centro seawards gazing impregnable its from castle. Revelling in dreamy in dreamy Revelling on views sunset historic Alghero’s bastioni Nettuno (p129) at Going underground fairy- Capo Caccia’s complex. cave tale 131 (p dell’Asinara W in the albino donkeys this wilds of rocky deserted remote, island. 8 7 6 5 4 3

2 Highlights Northwest 1 & the Alghero Pelosa Caribbean- into at waters coloured one this idyllic beach, most Sardinia’s of spectacular. (p138 the festive swing swing the festive great at Sassari’s festival. headline Antine (p143 up on Sardinia’s at past prehistoric this extraordinary site. nuraghic Reserve Nature (p128) W and lapping up in the scenery this unspoiled aromatic of pocket Mediterranean scrubland. & the Northwest Highlights

Alghero & the Northwest 112