The Sardinian 'Barceloneta' and the ramparts over the sea
On the north western coast of Sardinia, Alghero is one of the most charming towns on the island, with a strong Catalan identity: in 1354 the Aragonese conquered it, expelled the Sardinian and Genoese population and repopulated it with settlers from Catalonia, and for this reason the town is still nicknamed "Barceloneta", little Barcelona, and its inhabitants speak a variety of Catalan, the "alguerés", and street signs are in both languages.
The old town, enclosed by sixteenth century ramparts and towers facing the sea, such as the Torre di Sulis and the Torre di Porta Terra, is a tangle of cobbled lanes, small squares and palaces in Catalan Gothic style, with the cathedral of Santa Maria and its bell tower, and the church of San Francesco with a beautiful cloister. The walk along the Bastioni, the ramparts, is the most beautiful in the town, especially at sunset, when the sun sets behind the promontory of Capo Caccia, the great limestone headland that closes the bay. Alghero is famous for red coral, fished in these waters and worked by local goldsmiths, and its seafood, in particular the aragosta alla catalana, lobster with tomatoes and onions. Around the town lie beaches of fine sand, such as Le Bombarde and Lazzaretto.
Tip: from the port boats leave for the Grotta di Nettuno at Capo Caccia; the nuragic village of Palmavera is a few kilometres away.
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