Mediterranean

Alghero, Sardinia

For centuries, Italian city-states and Spain vied for control of Sardinia. The old port of Alghero has a distinctive Catalan feel – it was once known as "Little Barcelona.” The Albi Palace was a residence for the Spanish viceroys who governed in the 15th and 16th centuries. Alghero has a charming collection of bars and restaurants dotted around the cobbled streets.

Highlights

CASTLESARDO
This Gothic walled town boasts a restored 12th-century castle and the church of Santa Maria, home to the Black Christ, a 14th-century crucifix. Castlesardo is famed for its fine basketry.

ELEPHANT ROCK
This trachitic rock resembles a standing elephant, its head and trunk turned to the roadway as if in salute.

GROTTO OF NEPTUNE
One of the largest cave complexes in Europe, the grottos lie beneath the headland of Cape Caccia.

NURAGHE PALMAVERA
The round stone towers dotting Sardinia were erected by the Nuraghi culture during the second millennium B.C. Palmavera boasts one of the island’s largest sites.

RIVERA DEL CORALLO
The famed Rivera del Corallo is named after its dramatic, red coral cliffs.