When you think of Sardinia, especially the northern part, you immediately think of a wonderful seaside holiday with golden beaches and crystal-clear sea.
However, Northern Sardinia has much more to offer its visitors, so that even on a rainy day or in case of strong wind, you can still have fun and relax, choosing exclusive destinations that will captivate you with their history, culture, food and wine traditions and breathtaking natural landscapes.
There are so many activities to do on a windy or rainy day, from classic visits to beautiful villages and museums, to tastings in quality wine cellars to discover the best food and wine proposals.
Village and museum visits
Alghero
Alghero is a city of over 42,000 inhabitants located in the north-west of Sardinia. Many will remember a wonderful song by Giuni Russo, which emphasizes the beauty of this place full of attractions and beauty.
It is the capital of the Riviera del Corallo and is also known as the Barcelona of Sardinia.
In fact, the culture and traditions of this area are strongly influenced by the Catalan domination, as evidenced by the fact that the Catalan language is still used and known in Alghero.
Alghero, which is also famous for the beauty of the red coral in which it is rich, has an exclusive historical centre in which there are many monuments to visit, such as the Church of San Francesco, built in the Gothic-Catalan style, or the Cathedral of Santa Maria Immacolata, dating back to the 16th century.
Today, the city still boasts many monuments that are a reminder of the different dominations that have taken place over the centuries, from Gothic to Neoclassical and Baroque palaces.
As a seaport, there are numerous bastions that were used at the time to protect against possible raids by pirates and foreigners attracted by the riches the area offered.
If you are interested in history and culture, you can visit the Archaeological Museum in Alghero, where there are many objects that testify to the fact that the area was inhabited in very ancient times, and the Coral Museum, where you can admire in detail this precious stone that is so popular all over the world and is used to make jewellery and ornaments of all kinds.
A visit to the Casa Gioiosa and its park is also a must.
The site is located in the main building of an old penal colony in Tramariglio. Thanks to a project spearheaded by the Ministry of Justice, this prison has been transformed into an interactive museum with a beautiful botanical garden, particularly popular with biology and nature lovers.
>> To visit all of Alghero's ticketed attractions, you can purchase Alghero Tickets at a bargain price, making the logistics of the experience much easier.
Castelsardo
Castelsardo is a small town of about 6,000 inhabitants, still in the province of Sassari, but overlooking the central part of the Gulf of Asinara and offering a breathtaking panorama.
In its glorious past it was an Aragonese fortress from 1448 and there are still some monuments to remind us of this.
The town, with its clear medieval urban layout, offers a number of panoramic views and, above all, the opportunity to visit buildings of great historical value, such as the Cathedral of Sant'Antonio Abate, which houses the Pala del Maestro di Castelsardo and a suggestive bell tower with a majolica dome.
The intertwining alleys allow visitors to appreciate the characteristics of the town and, above all, to stop and taste the local cuisine in one of the many restaurants.
The main attraction, however, is undoubtedly the Castle of Castelsardo, also known as the Castle of Doria. Built on a small hill overlooking the sea in the northern part of Sardinia, it offers a truly spectacular view.
It had military characteristics, as it protected the territory by spotting the ships of possible enemies in the distance.
The first fortification of the castle was probably built in 1100, and it was later rebuilt and enriched thanks to the investments made by the noble Genoese family Doria in the 1270s. It was the symbol of their power and their desire to make the town look like Genoa.
In the 15th century, the castle and the entire town of Castelsardo came under the rule of the Aragonese and, a few centuries later, under the rule of the House of Savoy.
Architecturally, the castle has a central structure around which a circular wall, still visible today, was built to blend in with the rock of the mountain.
The rooms of the castle now house the Museum of Mediterranean Weaving. Weaving is a special technique that allows the creation of a spiral structure to make mats, baskets and roofs. The museum has 11 rooms, a panoramic terrace and a large outdoor area.
In each room you can see ancient objects that were used, for example, for baking, as in Room I, or for making furnishing elements for a home.
The technique of weaving is very important in Sardinia because it was also used to make very useful tools for everyday fishing, which is probably still the main economic activity today.
Bosa
Another destination to consider on a very windy day, and therefore not suitable for swimming, is the town of Bosa.
We are in the western part of Sardinia, in the province of Oristano, with this small town of around 7,500 inhabitants, which nevertheless has a lot to offer to tourists.
This area, like so many others in Sardinia, has very ancient origins, with the first settlements dating back to prehistoric and protohistoric times, as evidenced by the presence of domus de janas, or tombs dating back to that period, scattered throughout the territory (there are no less than 36).
Since then, the town has undergone various historical phases that have left tangible traces of the successive traditions and cultures.
The first thing to do is to take a pleasant walk through the historical centre of Bosa to appreciate the urban structure and the many tourist attractions.
There are also many monuments and places of interest in the various streets of the historical centre and in the suburbs, such as the 11th century church of San Pietro, near which is the necropolis of Roman origin.
Equally characteristic is the Church of Our Lady, which contains a magnificent fresco of the Saints and many other evangelical representations of the Adoration of the Magi and especially the Last Supper.
The main attraction of the area, however, is the panoramic Serravalle Castle, which sits majestically on the hill of the same name and was once used to defend the area from possible enemy invasions. The castle was built in 1112 by a noble family from Tuscany, the Malaspina dello Spino Secco.
According to legend and tradition, the Marquis of Malaspina had a secret tunnel built between the castle and the local cathedral so that his wife could attend services without being admired by the prying eyes of other nobles and commoners. In fact, legend has it that the Marquis was extremely jealous and did not give his wife many opportunities to live the life she wanted. Legend has it that one day, in a fit of pure jealousy, the Marquis even cut off his beloved wife's fingers.
Today, the castle is a mighty fortress with an architecture that was completed in different stages to meet different needs, initially purely military. It is a structure that is still perfectly preserved and worth a visit to appreciate the style and, above all, the creativity of the architects and artists of the past, who were able to make the most of the few resources available to them to create works of art that have endured for centuries.
Another tip to appreciate what northern Sardinia has to offer is to visit the nearby town of Tinnura, a veritable open-air museum.
Visiting archaeological sites
Nuraghi
Sardinia is also the land of the nuraghi, declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1997 as a masterpiece of man's creative genius. They are ancient stone structures in the shape of truncated cones that can be found practically all over the territory. They represent what is known as the Nuragic civilisation, which, according to historical reconstructions, developed during the Bronze Age, between about 2300 and 1800 BC.
Although almost four millennia have passed, there are more than 7000 perfectly preserved nuraghi in Sardinia. These constructions, which can be visited practically everywhere in Sardinia, provide an insight into rudimentary building techniques that were already very advanced for the time. With an average of one every 3 square kilometers, it is very easy to come across one during a drive and visit it at close quarters in complete tranquility. One of the things you can see when you travel by car is the difference in construction techniques, which tells you about the evolution that has taken place over the centuries, leading to the creation of increasingly complex and functional structures to meet human needs. On windy days, or when the weather is not good for a day at the seaside, it is advisable to visit the nuragic palaces of Alghero. It is known as the nuragic village of Palmavera with many buildings that, according to historians, date back between the 16th and 8th centuries BC.
It is undoubtedly one of the most important sites for discovering the characteristics of the Nuraghic civilisation, also because there are several constructions that are perfectly preserved, showing incredible solidity.The Palmavera complex is made up of two towers, made of limestone and sandstone blocks, placed in the centre of a surrounding wall to form a typical pentagonal shape. This imposing structure is surrounded by all the houses in which the people lived at the time, and today there are at least fifty of them. A visit to the meeting house is a must. Not only it is interesting from an architectural point of view, but it is also an opportunity to discover how, even in those days, it was necessary to organise meetings for political and social debates on issues that concerned the community. Many artefacts found in this nuragic village are now kept in the Museo Civico di Alghero and in the Museo Archeologico di Sassari. Another place not to be missed is the nuragic village of Sant'Imbenia. This archaeological site is also located a few kilometres from Alghero, in a natural area characterised by a splendid stage that stretches from Capo Caccia to Punta Giglio. According to historical reconstructions, the nuragic constructions in this area date back to around the 14th century BC.
The interesting thing about the history of this place is that, in just a few years, what was once a small fishing village became one of the most important trading ports in the whole of the Mediterranean, which very often saw the arrival of much more advanced peoples, at least in terms of social elements, such as the Phoenicians, Greeks and Etruscans. It is not difficult to be fascinated by the history of this extraordinary period, which saw Sardinia as one of the most advanced places in the known world, as evidenced by the fact that important seafaring peoples such as the Phoenicians and the Greeks came specifically to this small port to exchange valuables with the local population. On the other hand, the constructions were already extraordinarily advanced for the time and proved to be very solid, protecting people from climatic agents, also because the temperatures in Sardinia were much milder than in other parts of the Mediterranean.
For those who love this kind of culture and want to know more about it, Sardinia offers many interesting ideas. Just a few kilometres away is the nearby nuraghe of Santu Antine Torralba, in the province of Sassari, or the village of Losa in Abbasanta, in the province of Oristano. In short, with a private or rented car, it is possible to visit many areas along the coast, but also in the hinterland, that offer important insights that show that Sardinia is not only golden beaches and crystal clear sea.
Other cultural and historical suggestions
For lovers of culture, Sardinia has much to offer beyond the Nuragic civilisation, which has rightly been declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco. In particular, there are even monuments and archaeological sites that date back to a time before the Nuragic period, i.e. to the third and fourth millennia before Christ.
One of the most important sites is Monte D'Accoddi, with its famous terraced altar. It is a unique structure in the Mediterranean, set in a boundless plain. Such a structure can only be compared to those built in Mesopotamia in the third millennium BC. It is no coincidence that its name literally means Mount of Stones. In fact, the monument was created by using overlapping stones with great architectural ingenuity to recreate a real religious altar. Around this area, in the distant past, a civilisation developed that included dwellings and domus de janas, the ancient prehistoric tombs that had an average surface area of about 85 square meters, roughly the size of the apartments found in the centre of modern cities, confirming how different their mentality was from that of today. It is a place that conveys a sense of well-being and sanctity that, although it existed for several millennia, was only discovered in 1952 after excavations carried out by Ercole Contu. Walking through this uncontaminated plain, climbing up to the altar area, is an opportunity to go back in time and imagine how simple life could have been, very often considered as a mere preparation for the afterlife.
Continuing our journey to discover the historical and cultural beauties of Sardinia, it is impossible not to stop at the fortress of Monte Baranta, in the municipality of Olmedo, in the province of Sassari. It is a pre-Nuragic settlement in the north-western part of Sardinia.
It was built with fairly large and heavy boulders that were piled on top of each other to create a fortress that was impregnable at the time. The aim was to protect the valley, where the buildings and the various huts of the inhabitants were located, from any danger. This fortress, too, was built around the third millennium BC and is embedded in the slopes of Mount Baranta. Those who choose this village for a satisfying visit will also have the opportunity to appreciate a tower-shaped enclosure and a series of huts with a rectangular base. It is possible to admire huge slabs in which there are also magnificent menhirs that give a feeling of power and majesty.
Remaining in the province of Oristano, a final destination to consider in order to discover all the wonders of Sardinia is the Museo Civico di Cabras. Built at the end of the 1970s and inaugurated in 1997, the museum houses various archaeological objects. There is evidence of the territory from prehistoric times and all other periods up to the Middle Ages. A visit to this magical place allows you to appreciate the art of the past and, above all, the process of urbanization and development of the civilizations that inhabited this part of Sardinia.
It is also possible to visit other places such as the necropolis of Anghelu Ruju and Santu Pedru. These are two pre-Nuragic archaeological sites in the Alghero area. It is possible to admire several tombs, where it is possible to learn about the funeral rites of the past and how bombs were made, using techniques that allow you to actually dig into the rock. These constructions will fascinate and surprise the visitor with their truly sinuous shapes, rounded by the slow but inexorable action of rain and water. Mystical places that can only be found in northern Sardinia.
Food and wine experiences
If the days do not allow for other solutions, it is also possible to plan and enjoy food and wine experiences in the best wineries of Northern Sardinia.
In fact, in this area of Italy there is an ideal microclimate for the cultivation of certain indigenous vines, which make it possible to obtain high quality wines that can be consumed with all kinds of gastronomic preparations, such as fresh fish or meat dishes.
The best wine cellars also offer wines and sparkling wines for aperitifs and desserts.
One of the most appreciated and popular wineries is Sella e Mosca in Alghero.
It is an excellent winery that offers high quality products such as Torbato, Monteoro and many others.
Guided tours allow you to visit a museum on the estate and, above all, the cellar itself, the land where the vines are grown. A truly remarkable experience with the possibility of tasting the best wines from the cellar combined with some typical local gastronomic specialities.
It will be a bit like discovering a Sardinian tradition, because it embodies a way of thinking about and respecting an area rich in resources, many of which are not used to their best advantage.
You can also book a visit to the Santa Maria La Palma winery, also in Alghero. The visit includes the opportunity to taste the many products, including white, red, passito and sparkling wines, in combination with cheeses and various types of cold cuts.
The visit allows visitors to appreciate the techniques used in the vineyards and in the cellar, where traditional equipment is combined with the most modern solutions.
Staying in the Alghero area, another reality that deserves a closer look is the Leda' d'Ittiri farm.
It is possible to visit the farm by appointment, where you can taste the wines produced without the use of chemicals and, above all, the extraordinary extra virgin olive oil.
A guide will be on hand to provide explanations and important details about the quality of the products and the techniques used to get the best out of what nature has to offer.
The northernmost part of Sardinia offers many ideas for spending days under the banner of culture, art, tradition and quality food and wine.