North Sardinia

Castelsardo

Perched on a hill on the coast, Castelsardo has played a strategic role since prehistoric times due to its geographical position.

A commercial port under the Romans, it was one of the most important towns during the Genoese period, who built the Castle (belonging to Doria’s family) and the city around it, which have survived to the present day.

Thanks to the defensive effectiveness of its castle walls, Castelsardo was the last royal burg to be conquered by the Aragonese, who built the cathedral of Sant’antonio Abate, which holds numerous sacred art works.

Alghero

Capital of Riviera del Corallo, whose name reflects the fact that its waters provide an abundant supply of precious red coral, following Catalan domination Alghero is also known as Barceloneta. The Catalans handed down their language, still spoken today by about 20% of the population.

The present city is the result of buildings erected since the 12th century. The Genoese designed the first fortifications, consisting today of a long curtain wall, interspersed with 7 towers and 3 forts. Different architectural styles, in particular neoclassical and baroque, inspired the construction of palaces and churches.

After discovering little statues of the mother goddess, bronze weapons, and inverted-bell beakers inside the Domus de Janas of Anghelu Ruju and Santu Pedru, Alghero has been inhabited since the Neolithic. The archaeological village of Palmavera dates back to the Nuragic age, where one of the most important sandstone limestone nuraghe can be found.

Nearby, within the magnificent natural park of Porto Conte, it is possible to admire numerous animal species such as griffins and peregrine falcons, as well as to visit the famous Neptuno’s Caves, inside the promontory of Capo Caccia, its cliff shaped like a sleeping giant.

Bosa

Like other areas of Sardinia, settlement in Bosa dates back to the Neolithic and can be experienced at the Domus De Janas of Pontes, an important site for the worship of the taurine deity.

Recent history is linked to the Marquis Malaspina family. On the slopes of their castle – Castello di Serravalle – they developed the town, regarded as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy.

Within the walls of the castle there is a small church dedicated to Our Lady de Sos Regnos Altos; frescoed on the walls are a number of interesting evangelical scenes.

Along the Rio Temo, which crosses the town and is the only navigable river in Sardinia, you can find a museum dedicated to the old tanneries and the pretty Romanesque church of San Pietro.