The Doria village and the Elephant Rock
On a promontory of trachyte overlooking the Gulf of Asinara, on the northern coast of Sardinia, Castelsardo is one of the most picturesque villages on the island and one of the "Borghi più belli d'Italia". It was founded in the early twelfth century by the Doria family of Genoa, who built a castle here and called it Castel Genovese; it was later called Castel Aragonese by the Aragonese and finally Castelsardo by the Savoy in the eighteenth century.
The old town, a maze of steep lanes and stairways with houses in pastel colours, climbs to the Castello dei Doria at the top, which houses the Museo dell'Intreccio Mediterraneo, dedicated to the ancient art of basket weaving with dwarf palm, rush and asphodel, still practised by the women of the village, who weave baskets in the doorways of their homes. The cathedral of Sant'Antonio Abate, with a bell tower with a majolica dome overlooking the sea, preserves a famous painting by the anonymous "Maestro di Castelsardo". A few kilometres away, along the road to Sedini, stands the Roccia dell'Elefante, a large trachyte rock that, eroded by the wind, has taken the shape of an elephant with its trunk; at its base are two domus de janas tombs of prehistoric times.
Tip: on Easter Monday the village holds the "Lunissanti", a moving procession with ancient chants; buy a woven basket directly from the craftswomen.
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