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10 THINGS NOT TO MISS
A remarkable nuraghic complex dating between the XIII and VI centuries B.C.: made up of an older nuraghic tower and stone boundary walls with tower-huts. Particularly interesting is the so-called “Meeting House”, with a stone bench around its perimeter and a small model nuraghe, which perhaps served some cultural purpose, in the centre.
The defence system of “Steadfast” Alghero still bears witness to the Aragonese and Spanish period. In the historical centre of the town, in addition to numerous stretches of the walls, the San Giacomo, San Giovanni, Vincenzo Sulis and Maddalena defence towers are very interesting.
Simply boiled and seasoned with oil, vinegar and onions: delicious!
The necropolis consists of 38 domus de janas with the bull symbol, of the “Ozieri” type. Access is by means of vertical-shaft entryways or corridors. Plans show a design with numerous cells, often decorated with fake doors, cornices, columns, pillars, socles or bulls’ heads, sometimes coloured red.
Located inside the Capo Caccia promontory, they are Sardinia’s most beautiful, most famous grottoes. They can be reached by boat from Alghero (a 3-hour trip) or by the spectacular stairway (656 steps) called Escala del Cabirol. Magnificent rooms and concretions.
A classic in Alghero. The food and furnishings recall Catalan tradition. Among hor-d’oeuvres, sea-urchin mousse (bogamarì) and small octopus with garlic sauce. For your first course, ribbon noodles with skate fillet and Alghero-style lobster. You couldn’t ask for more in this Catalan town. The address: 113 Via Maiorca
Not far from Alghero, just a few kilometres from the town of Palmadula, near Capo dell’ Argentiera, we find the mining centre of the same name, set up in the nineteenth century to exploit lead and zinc deposits. Abandoned in 1962, the site is an excellent example of industrial archaeology. Many of the sturctures of the main unit, made up of four rectangular buildings, are built of wood with sloping roofs, and fit into the incredibly beautiful panorama. The washery is remarkable, overlooking a pebbly beach surrounded by cliffs.
Near Fertilia, we come upon this splendid beach embedded among the rocks of a small cove. It is well-known for its crystal-clear water, which is always very cold, even in summer.
An excellent straw-coloured white wine that is perfect with fish. and fantastic with shellfish.
It is the festival of the sea-urchin, to sample with a glass of good white wine at the stalls in the Forte della Maddalena. Every weekend from January to March.