What is there to see in Alghero in April? What kind of weather can you expect? And what activities can you do in this town located in the northwest of Sardinia? This is by no means a complete overview of Alghero in April, as one week was simply far too short. In this blog post, I’ll share what I especially enjoyed.
Alghero in April
And as I realized early in the week, that turned out to be a very good decision—because Alghero is absolutely beautiful. The picturesque old town with its narrow alleyways. The warm light that bathes the city—especially on a clear evening—in a soft and pleasant atmosphere. And the proximity to unique, hilly landscapes in the surrounding area.
Alghero in April truly enchanted me—even on days when the weather was more rainy than sunny.
What has stayed with me the most? What did I especially enjoy about Alghero in April? And what did I learn—as someone who usually plans trips around interesting wildlife encounters?
My short summary is far from complete. And it’s certainly not always focused on what others might find exciting or memorable (as I said, I tend to seek out animal encounters…). But I hope it offers a few impressions of what you can expect in Alghero in April.
Information: Other great places to visit in spring include Corfu in Greece or the island of Pico in the Azores. While Corfu is ideal for hiking enthusiasts in April, Pico is the perfect destination for anyone interested in whales.
Places worth seeing in and around Alghero in April
Day trip to Bosa
After a rainy day in Alghero, Bosa was the first trip that took me out of the city along a beautiful coastal road. Bosa is a town through which Sardinia’s only navigable river flows—the Temo. The town is known for its picturesque old town with narrow alleyways, old cobblestone streets, and colourful houses. Bosa is overlooked by the ruins of a castle, and the walk up to it is well worth it for the stunning view over the town. The path first leads through the narrow streets of the old town, then continues uphill until it ends at a staircase that takes you up to the castle.
Information: Originally, I had planned to cycle to Bosa. But due to the wind, I ended up taking the bus instead. And that turned out to be a good decision—because while the route from Alghero to Bosa is quite scenic along the coast, it’s also rather hilly. On top of that, you have to share the road with cars. If I were to cycle it, I would only do it one way in a single day.
Barn swallows in urban areas
In addition to the colourful houses in Bosa’s beautiful old town, I was struck by the many barn swallows skilfully weaving their way through the narrow streets. Now and then, I heard common swifts high up in the sky, but they didn’t seem particularly present in Bosa. In contrast, swifts were a constant presence in Alghero during the day—except when it rained, when they were only occasionally heard. Far more noticeable in Bosa were the many chattering barn swallows. At one point, a swallow came to rest just a few meters away from me, seemingly trying to draw attention to itself with its loud calls. I couldn’t help but stop and listen.
Information: In addition to barn swallows and common swifts, I spotted yellow-legged gulls, hooded crows, and a few wood pigeons in and around Alghero. I also heard blackbirds, great tits, and blue tits singing and calling from the bushes. According to iNaturalist , there are quite a few flamingo sightings in Sardinia
Old Town in Alghero
Alghero is said to be the most beautiful city in Sardinia. I can’t judge that myself, as I haven’t visited the other larger cities, but I can say that Alghero’s old town is absolutely worth a visit. In April, the mistral brought quite a bit of wind to the city, but the sun still came out on most days during my week on Sardinia, allowing me to enjoy the pleasant light and colour atmosphere in the old town—especially in the evenings. Alghero is heavily influenced by Catalan culture. For example, many street signs are bilingual (such as Calle Barcelona or Calle Mallorca). Alghero normally has a population of about 50,000, but in the summer months—during peak season—it reportedly swells to as many as 250,000 people. (Sardinia as a whole has just over 1.5 million inhabitants.). Alghero in April is quite pleasant—not overcrowded, but not empty either.
Information: I found Alghero in April to be quite windy. I always wore a jacket when I was out and about. There’s a brisk breeze, especially along the old city walls. But that doesn’t stop some people from getting comfortable at one of the restaurants or bars there. It’s a beautiful spot, no doubt—especially in the evening during sunset.
Red Coral off Sardinia
To be honest, I arrived in Sardinia quite uninformed. I had simply been too busy to really look into my destination beforehand. What I mainly wanted was an active holiday with plenty of movement. That’s why I only learned once I was in Alghero that a unique type of coral can be found in the sea there—red coral (Corallium rubrum). There is only one aquarium in all of Italy that has a live specimen of red coral (a second museum with red coral exists in France). And that aquarium is in Sardinia—specifically, the Aquarium Rubrum in Alghero.
Information: If you’re interested in the aquarium with the red coral, you can find it at the Torre di San Giacomo (see the photo above). Our presentation started at 5:00 PM, and the entrance fee was 5.00 euros. It’s a good idea to arrive 15 minutes early to secure a spot.
Cycling in and around Alghero
One thing I really enjoyed in and around Alghero was cycling. While you see relatively few cyclists in Alghero in April—since most people are traveling by car—cycling was the best mode of transport for me. Although, I must admit, there were some limitations. For one, there aren’t bike lanes everywhere, so you have to share the road with cars.
The journey to some places can also be a bit too far. For example, I would have liked to explore the Prigionette forest area on foot. However, cycling there first and then embarking on a longer hike could be a bit much in one day. Additionally, the Prigionette forest and other attractions were only open on weekends in Alghero in April. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to explore this forest area. Visiting other places was also impossible for me to do in just one weekend (especially since it rained all day on Sunday). However, I was rewarded with beautiful landscapes that I could enjoy and take in fully.
I especially loved the landscapes with the Spiny Broom (Calicotome villosa), as they painted the surroundings in a pleasant shade of yellow.
On my tours, I also encountered olive trees (Olea europaea, photo) and almond trees (Prunus dulcis).
I also discovered mallow bindweeds (Convolvulus althaeoides), three-horned stock (Matthiola tricuspidata, bottom left), and plants of the grey bird’s-foot-trefoil (Lotus cytisoides, bottom right) on my cycling tours. Although cycling is a bit slower and you may see “less,” it gives you the chance to take a bit more time for certain stretches.
Information: The Villa Romana, the MASE (A. De Saint-Exupéry Museum), the MAPS (Museum), the EGEA EcoMuseo, and the Casa Gioiosa were only open on Saturdays and Sundays. If you plan to visit Alghero in April, make sure to check the current opening hours.
Archaeological Treasures
From my perspective, Sardinia is a paradise for archaeologists or those interested in archaeology. I’m not particularly knowledgeable about archaeology, but I did visit a few archaeological sites. First, there is the Necropoli di Anghelu Ruju. “Necropolis” means “city of the dead,” so the Necropoli di Anghelu Ruju is a complex of 38 underground tombs. I visited the Necropoli di Anghelu Ruju, but I must honestly admit that I lacked the historical context. Perhaps it would be worth visiting this necropolis with a guided tour? It’s important to mention that Anghelu Ruju is considered one of the most important and largest necropolises in the Mediterranean. For those interested in archaeology, this burial complex is of great significance.
Another important archaeological site near Alghero is the nuraghe Palmavera. The nuraghes are truncated-cone-shaped tower structures. Since I am not very knowledgeable about archaeology, I will keep it brief here. The nuraghes, like the Necropoli di Anghelu Ruju, are of great archaeological importance in Sardinia. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a guided tour there either.
Along the Sardinian coast, you can spot towers here and there. These towers are Saracen towers. There are said to be over a hundred of them along the Sardinian coast. These towers were once used to defend against pirate raids. I visited the Torre del Porticciolo (which is easily accessible by bike). At the Torre del Porticciolo, you get a wonderful view of the sea. You can also go on a hike or two, if you have the energy after cycling. By the way, it’s also possible to reach the Prigionette forest, where wild horses, fallow deer, and white albino donkeys are said to roam.
Information: I reached the Necropoli di Anghelu Ruju by bike, but I would only partially recommend this route, as the last hundred meters are only accessible via a busy road. Alternatively, there is a bus if you don’t want to rent a car. However, bus connections in Alghero are still somewhat limited in April.
Sardinian warblers
I had a delightful and unexpected encounter with a Sardinian warbler (Curruca sarda). Had I been in a car, I wouldn’t have heard it—nor would I have had the chance to simply stop. But since I wasn’t prepared for birdwatching, I wasn’t able to get a good photo of the Sardinian warbler. Still, I was happy to have seen it.
As the name suggests, the Sardinian warbler is found on Sardinia. It is also commonly seen on Corsica. In other parts of the Mediterranean, it may also be encountered—such as in Tunisia, Algeria, the Balearic Islands, or on the islands of Capri and Elba. The Sardinian warbler is a songbird and, like the Eurasian blackcap, belongs to the Sylviidae family (the sylviid warblers).
Information: The sylviid warblers are divided into two genera: the Sylvia genus, which includes species such as the Eurasian blackcap and the garden warbler, and the Curruca genus, which includes the Sardinian warbler as well as the lesser whitethroat and the common whitethroat.
Italian wall lizards
Question: Are you familiar with Italian wall lizards or other types of lizards, and do you happen to know more about the introduction of Italian wall lizards to the USA or other regions? If you do, feel free to leave a comment at the end of the post
Grotta di Nettuno
One of my favourite bike tours was to the Grotta di Nettuno—the Neptune’s Grotto in English. It was a bit exhausting and quite windy, but the stunning landscapes all the way to Capo Caccia, where the sea cave is located, more than made up for it. You can actually spot the incline from elsewhere, as Capo Caccia resembles the silhouette of a reclining man with a little belly.
Nonetheless, I should add that most visitors arrive by car, and cyclists are only seen occasionally—especially those without an electric motor. Since I enjoy physical activity, I really liked the bike tour (though I did walk the last stretch uphill).
When I reached the top, I was fortunately able to join a tour right away. I had actually reserved a tour for two hours later, since I didn’t know exactly when I’d arrive. Luckily, it wasn’t too crowded yet, so I didn’t have to wait. There’s no shaded area or seating up there, which would have made waiting more comfortable. Still, I was advised to book a tour in advance—I assume the crowds are much larger in the summer months (as the grotto is truly impressive). Once at the top, you have to walk down 652 steps along a nearly vertical cliff to reach the Grotta di Nettuno. If you’d prefer to skip the stairs, it’s also possible to arrive by boat. However, I was quite glad I took the stairs, as docking the boat looked far from easy. I didn’t have to get off the boat myself, but there were children who were crying out of fear. It was quite windy on the day I visited, but the grotto was still accessible. In bad weather or rough seas, however, the cave cannot be visited.
There was a guided tour inside the grotto, but our group was so large that I wasn’t entirely sure whether I was actually part of the tour or not. The tour was offered in both Italian and English. Unfortunately, I didn’t understand much, and I think I missed part of it as well, so I focused my attention on what I could see instead. And yes—it was impressive. Fascinating. And unique. It was absolutely worth walking down and back up all those steps. One stunning stalactite formation after another. Seeing that was truly something special for me.
Information: If you don’t want to travel by bike, car, or boat, there is also the option of taking the bus. However, keep in mind that public transport in Alghero is limited in April. That means there was only one bus per day going there. You’ll have about two hours at Capo Caccia to visit the grotto. I think two hours is enough.
Capo Conte
A half-day trip that I will think about for a long time was the one from Alghero to Capo Conte. The day started off quite rainy, and I wasn’t sure if a hike would even be possible. Fortunately, it was. However, in this case, I didn’t ride my bike to Capo Conte, but took the bus. The bus took me from Alghero to Maristella, from where there was a hiking trail to Punta Giglio. It was simply a beautiful hike. The red earth. The green of the trees and bushes. The blue of the sea. The pleasant scent of the vegetation. And the soothing sound of the sea. How lucky I was to be there. The hike was perfect, and the view at the end, at Punta Giglio, was stunning.
Information: While there was only one bus per day to Capo Caccia in Alghero in April, Capo Conte was a bit easier to reach by public transportation. Key stops include Maristella, the beaches Spiaggia Le Bombarde and Lazzaretto, as well as Fertilia. It’s best to check the bus connections locally.
By-the-wind sailor
During a walk along the city walls in Alghero in April, you’ll likely notice the by-the-wind sailors washed up on the beach. I actually saw even more of them at the beach near Torre del Porticciolo. According to my research, it’s common to find by-the-wind sailors at the beaches during this time of year. If you know more about the by-the-wind sailors at the beaches of Sardinia, I would be very happy to receive more information in the comments.
Although I was only in Sardinia, in Alghero, for a week and it rained for two and a half days, Sardinia is a dream island for me. The nature, the sea, and the pleasant, calm atmosphere allowed me to relax. However, I must add that I somewhat underestimated the area in my planning. I thought everything would be a bit easier to reach by bike, but it wasn’t. But that’s okay. I think you need a good week to explore the area around Alghero in April, especially when it rains. By the way, the Lido di Alghero, which stretches all the way to Fertilia, and the adjacent pine forest are also particularly beautiful. It’s a great place for picnicking and sports. Unfortunately, it rained when I was there, and later I had other plans, so I didn’t have the time to return.
Information: Another excursion from Alghero is the island of Asinara, located in the far north of Sardinia. You can reach Asinara either by booking a tour or on your own. This means taking a bus to Porto Torres, and from there, the ferry departs for Asinara. However, be careful. In April, the ferry does not run daily, and the bus schedules are not aligned with the ferry times.
More information
Bus connections in Alghero
Red corals in Sardinia (Blog article, in German)
Have you ever been to Alghero? Or Sardinia? If so, what did you see? Let me know in the comments.
