North West Sardinia itinerary: a week around Alghero

Would you like to visit North West Sardinia and the region of Alghero on your next trip?

That’s good!

To help you organize your holidays as best as possible, we have prepared a week-long itinerary in North-West Sardinia from Alghero .

For each step, find all our tips and our selection of the best accommodations to know where to stay during your stay.

Day 1-3: Alghero

To visit North West Sardinia in a week, the best is to land in Alghero. Since the city has an international airport so much to enjoy.

For those who would not have the possibility to arrive in Alghero but in one of the other 2 airports of Sardinia (Cagliari in the South and Olbia in the North), I invite you to consult our recommended itineraries to visit the North or the South from Sardinia in 6, 7 or 8 days.

Your 1 week stay around Alghero will start with the classic step of recovering your rental car. This is the fastest way to visit this part of Sardinia and optimize your 7 days of vacation. I always use Rentalcars.com .

No coincidence, there are several good reasons why I always go there:

• The easy comparison of all car rental companies. Ranking by tariff or according to customer reviews, you will find it easily.
• Comprehensive protection insurance guaranteeing the reimbursement of the total amount of the costs in the event of accidents or theft.
• Free cancellation for any reason

For this first day of your itinerary of 6, 7 or 8 days to the North West , I advise you to start by visiting the historic center. Stroll along narrow streets and admire the different monuments such as the cathedral of Santa Maria and its bell tower or the church of St. Michael or that of St. Barbara.

You will also pass the many shops selling red coral jewelry, typical art of the region. And if you want to learn more, do not hesitate to visit the Coral Museum of Alghero.

In the afternoon you can walk along the lungomare and walk to the beach of Lido San Giovanni. The opportunity for a first swim in Sardinia!

At sunset , return to the old town to admire from the walk fortifications and ramparts.

Have a first night in Alghero.

The next day, for this second day of your trip to Sardinia from Alghero , visit a must-visit site: the Neptune Caves. By car it will only take you 35 minutes to reach the car park.

Then you have to go down the stairs and its 654 steps on the cliffs to join the entrance of the caves. Take into account the travel time and the descent so as not to miss the guided tour that takes place only every hour. The caves are famous for the beauty of stalactites and stalagmites as well as for its interior lake.

After your visit of the caves, you can enjoy to find yourself in Capo Caccia and in the regional park of Porto Conte for a hike. The trails are well signposted and do not present any particular difficulties.

Finish the day by refreshing yourself at the beach. For its wild side, I recommend Porto Ferro beach.

Return to spend the night in Alghero.

To continue your tour of a week near Alghero , this morning Bosa direction . Bosa is south of Alghero, 1 hour drive.

This pretty little town, located on the banks of the river, owes its charm to colorful houses and its castle perched on top of a hill overlooking the city. Moreover, the best view you can have of Bosa is not in the city itself, but just before arriving, at the turn of a bend on the road.

Places of interest to see in Bosa:

• The Ponte Vecchio, a must to reach the historic center
• Corso Vittorio Emanuele where all the shops and restaurants are
• The Cathedral dell’Immacolata
• The Casa Deriu Museum and its collection of lace and embroidery, a very popular art in Bosa
• The castle of Serravalle or Malaspina: from the old town, it is necessary to climb some stairs to reach it and to contemplate the sight on the sea and the mountains since the road of the castle. The interior of the castle can be visited.

If the climb up the stairs has made you hot, then you can go for a swim on the beaches north of Bosa. I advise you that of Compultittu or S’Abba Drucche.

Join Alghero for one last night.

To stay in Alghero

• B & B Summertime:  Located 10 minutes walk from the old town. New and modern double room from 60 € per night, breakfast included. The most: warm hosts, excellent breakfast based on fresh produce, impeccable cleanliness.
• Hotel Sa Cheya Relais & Spa: Located 5 km from Alghero. Spacious and comfortable double room from 120 € per night, breakfast 15 €. Most: the pool, tennis courts, very pleasant and quiet, the quality of breakfast. This is our favorite for its benefit / price ratio.
• Villa Las Tronas Hotel & SPA: Located 10 minutes walk from the historic center of Alghero. This luxury hotel offers double rooms of old style from 250 € per night, breakfast included. The plus: the pool with views, the environment and the ideal location, the competent staff.

Day 4-5: Stintino

To continue your stay of 1 week in North West Sardinia, I propose you to spend a relaxing and relaxing dayon one of the most famous beaches of Sardinia: the famous beach of Pelosa.

Located 1 hour drive from Alghero, it is close to the village of Stintino, north-west of Sardinia and extends to Capo Falcone. As it is very popular and frequented, make sure to be there in the early morning to park (mandatory parking fee, do not try to chew, agents are there to monitor) and also choose your perfect place on the sand .

Plan to bring a mat to put between your towel and the sand, it is obligatory and the forest guards take care of the application of the law. If you do not have one, just buy one from the street vendors: they are everywhere.

You can also rent sunbeds and parasols because a good part of the beach is privatized.

Then enjoy this little corner of paradise with turquoise water and fine sand.

Stay overnight in the vicinity of Stintino.

The next day, I recommend you to visit the island of Asinara, one of the things to do absolutely during a 7-day itinerary in North West Sardinia!

For this you have to take a boat from the port of Stintino. Knowing that cars are forbidden on the island, except special exemption for tours organized in 4 * 4, you will embark on foot on the boat.

Be careful access to the island is regulated, so there is only one boat leaving around 9 am and pick you up at the end of the day. You will be dependent on the schedules. To be sure of having a seat, book at least the day before (eg stop at Stintino before going to Pelosa to book your excursion).

To visit the island, 3 possible choices:

• A jeep tour with guide. You will be fully supported throughout the day.
• A ride on a small train. This will be your means of locomotion for the whole day.
• Bicycle rental. This is the only way to visit the island independently and without constraints (apart from the boat schedule of course!). Of course it is not forbidden to visit the island on foot but I do not recommend it because you will not have time to see anything. If you do not opt ​​for the organized tour by jeep or small train, take your picnic, there is only one tourist restaurant on the island.

Whatever the mode of visit chosen, on the island you will visit the old prison (active since the 1st World War until 1998), have a picnic at the seaside and can observe the fauna and the flora of this national park including the famous albino donkeys of Asinara. The majority of the beaches being protected, it will not be necessary to wait for you to bathe, it is forbidden.

Take the boat back at the end of the day and spend a second night in Stintino.

To stay in Stintino

• Hotel Cala Reale: Located in the bay of Asinara, next to the pier for the island. Double room comfortable and clean from 65 € per night, breakfast included. Most: the huge pool, very nice staff, the proximity of the beach of Pelosa.
• Hotel Silvestrino: Located 5 minutes drive from the Pelosa. Spacious and bright double room from 90 € per night, breakfast included. The most: the calm, the excellent location, the smiling staff, the restaurant and its good Sardinian cuisine.
• Park Hotel Asinara: Located 10 minutes walk from the city center of Stintino. Double room with terrace overlooking the garden and the sea from 100 € per night, breakfast included. Pros: excellent breakfast taken on the terrace with sea view, the free shuttle to the Pelosa, the friendly staff. This is our favorite for its price / performance ratio in Stintino.

Day 6: Castelsardo

For the 3rd stage of this road trip in North West Sardinia and around Alghero, join Castelsardo.

From Stintino, travel 1 hour.

Castelsardo is a pretty medieval village where it is very pleasant to walk. Park your car in the modern city at the bottom of the ramparts and access the castle by the path at the entrance of the ramparts on the left, the view of the sea below is nice.

In Castelsardo, you can go to discover the cathedral and its campanile, the chiesa di Santa Maria and of course the castle. Inside is a museum interested in an art very practiced in the region, basketry. You will find plenty of small craft shops selling baskets and other woven objects. Little grannies often show them in front of their door.

As Castelsardo is a classic 6-7-8 day tour of North West Sardinia, it is a pretty touristic village with plenty of cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops.

Then take your car, but not for too long: I suggest you stop just outside Castelsardo to see one of Sardinia’s sights, the Elephant Rock or Roccia dell’elefante. It is very aptly named since it really looks like an elephant with a raised horn. To do for the souvenir photo!

In the afternoon you can reach several beaches around Castelsardo. The beaches of Lu Bagnu, Ciaccia and San Pietro a Mare are the closest. The latter is huge and pretty with the lagoon nearby.

Sleep in accommodation near Castelsardo.

To stay in Castelsardo

• The Roccia Dell’Elefante: Located 500 meters from the Elephant Rock. Double room with balcony, brand new and tastefully decorated from 60 € per night, breakfast included. The most: the lovely staff, the decor of the rooms, the good breakfast.
• Baga Baga: Located 2 km from Castelsardo and 10 minutes walk from the beach. Spacious double room with sea view from € 100, breakfast included. The most: the charm of the hotel, the situation on the hill, the sublime view, the attentive staff. This is the best value for money near Castelsardo!
• Bajaloglia Resort: Situated on a hill overlooking Castelsardo. Bright, modern and design double room from 250 €, breakfast included. The most: the superb swimming pool, the magnificent view of Castelsardo, the attentions of the staff, the rich and varied breakfast. This is our recommendation for a romantic and luxury stay in Castelsardo!

Day 7: Return to Alghero

You have already arrived on your seventh day of this week-long vacation around Alghero and you will have to think about getting closer to the airport.

If your plane takes off at the end of the day or even the next day for the lucky ones, I suggest you leave Castelsardo and join Alghero via Sassari.

Sassari is 25 minutes from Castelsardo. You can discover its historic center with the classic cathedral and also the main square, Piazza Italia. If you like history, do not hesitate to visit the Giovanni Antonio Sanna Nazionale Museum. It presents a collection of objects discovered in the vicinity of Sassari and Alghero.

Then join Alghero (35 minutes away) to enjoy one last time of the beach or to take your return flight!

And you, what did you plan to visit during your itinerary in Sardinia from Alghero?

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