Pvoyageuse

I flew cattle class from Girona to Alghero and back with Ryanair.
I was not interested in beaches or getting a suntan since I live all year round near the Med.

Stayed at the Light Blue Hotel which is located about 1 km from Fertilia just off the main road to Sassari, i.e. not at all convenient if you don't have a car.
Very clean, features a swimming pool and a tennis court and the most unfriendly and ubiquitous handyman I ever came across.

Rented a car from Farris Autonoleggio (recommended on TA) and was very pleased : they delivered the car at the hotel and drove me to the airport on the day I left.

Day 1 :
Carless day.
Took the bus to Alghero in the morning. Bus stop to Alghero is very close to the hotel on the main road.
Took a boat to visit Neptune Grotto on Capo Caccia. Beautiful landscape. Note : entrance to the grotto is not included in the price of the ticket.
In the afternoon, took "il tren catalan" - a little train which takes you around the historical center. The ride does not last very long but gives you a good idea of the old town to which I walked back later on.
Took the bus again to get back to the hotel (last one leaves Alghero at 7.50 pm. This time the bus stopped 500 m from the hotel on the other side of a very busy main road that you have to cross while keeping your fingers in the same position ...

Day 2 :
The car was delivered to me at the hotel and I drove to Argentiero, an old mining village on the coast. Ruins of old buildings give it a strange and sad atmosphere. It was early in the morning and not a soul in sight.

Then to Stintino where I had a lunch. If you want to visit L'Asinara island, you have to be there before 9 am for a day trip.
On to Porte Torres (rather ugly) and Castelsardo, a lovely village overlooking the sea.
That night I had diner in Fertilia at Hotel Bella Vista : fresh fish and seadas, a honey drenched dessert filled with cheese and calories. Delicious.

Day 3 :
That was a long day : drove to Bosa (nice little medieval town) and Bosa Marina, on to Cuglieri (enormous church overlooking the village) and Sant'Lissurgiu in the mountains. I wanted to visit the Folks Museum there but it was off-season and you needed a reservation. Too bad but the drive through the mountains was very nice.
Had lunch there at a restaurant also called Bella Vista offering typical sardinian fare. I had fregola soup with local cheese(fregola is pasta coming in tiny little balls) and "malloredus" (tiny gnocchi with lard and tomato sauce).

Drove down to Tharros to visit the phoenician ruins. Again, beautiful landscape.
Back to Alghero. The coastline between Bosa and Alghero is absolutely stunning.
Had dinner in Fertilia again, this time at restaurant Acquario.

Day 4 :
Drove to Capo Caccia stopping in Palmavera on the way (nuraghe) then to Anghelu Ruiu (necropolis)
Had lunch in Fertilia at Il Paguro and diner at Hotel Bella Vista again.

Day 5 : Alghero all day. Left the car and my suitcases at Farris Autonolegio until it was time to be driven to the airport. Had lunch at Da Pietro, Via Machin. Very disappointing even though recommended by TA. the contorni turned out to be 2 raw tomatoes sliced in 4. Hefty bill for an antipasto of ham, two sausages with the aforesaid tomatoes, a bottle of water : €26.50 and they did not even serve coffee...
Had time to visit the Aquarium

Notes :
Difficult to find a restaurant in Alghero and Fertilia for less than €25 (one appetizer, one secundo and contorno, a bottle of water, no dessert).
Much cheaper when you hit less touristy areas.
Roads are very winding and not always well indicated (outside main roads, that is).
Speed is often limited at 50 kmph and overtaking often prohibited. Count an hour to drive 50 km. This includes coming across or behind a man riding proudly his donkey.

Lots of German and British tourists all sunning themselves on the beaches. I am sorry to say some of them behave as if they own the place. I was addressed to by a German lady in German asking forcefully for directions without the requisite "per favore".... and I am not Italian. I empathize with them... )

Shopping : apart from shops selling corals ((ubiquitous) try Pecorino sarde (excellent cheese)and bottarga (dried mullet eggs) both vacuum packed for the hungry traveler. Pasta with bottarga is delicious.

End of story :
I am looking forward to going to Sardinia again, this time either to Olvia and the North East or to Cagliari (South) with a foray into Barbagia (center).
It would take at least 2 weeks to explore this wonderful island

markrosy

Good to see you enjoyed this great island - I was suprised that food in Alghero was so expensive - I think it may have been taken over by Germans and English tourists on cheap flights - we were last there 3 years ago and it seems very cheap.

Try a trip to the north - Santa Teresa has a good feel in Summer and the islands are beautiful.

You could spen ten years discovering this island!

dina4

Thanks for sharing your report!
Glad you had such a nice time.

I will check out that rental company -- wonder if they have a base in Cagliari...

Did you find your trip to Neptune Grotto worthwhile? Was it at all claustrophobic inside?

thanks again!

Pvoyageuse

dina4 :
No, they do not have a base in Cagliari (I asked) as they are a small family-run business but they offered to recommend one and I am planning to ask them as I am going to Cagliari next March.

Neptune Grotto? Yes, the trip was worthwhile because it took place on a beautiful and sunny day and the views were stunning. I didn't think much of the grotto itself - nothing comparable to the Drach grotto in Mallorca for instance. If you feel claustrophobic, by all means don't step into a grotto ! Also note that the boat ride to the Grotto (13&euro does not cover entrance to the grotto itself (10&euro but you can stay on board during the visit which lasts approx 1 hour.

markrosy

bm

markrosy

Pvoyageuse

where is Argentiero?

we visited a very spooky place on the east coast which was near the Costa Verde - it too was a deserted mining town with incredible 200 year old buildings -these were mixed with huge sand dunes - it was one of the most surreal plaves that I have ever visited.

Mark

Pvoyageuse

Argentiero is on the coast, approx. 30 km from Alghero and not very far from Stintino.