Alghero, Sardinia / Italy

In the port of Alghero there are regular ships that ride to the Neptune's Grotto at Capo Caccia. You can also climb down the more than 656 steps (Escala del Cabirol) at the dripstone cave, which was formed two million years ago. Who visits Alghero, will first note the former palace of the italian king, which today accomodates the hotel Villa Las Tronas. The white sandy beach and the lovely area with the wild rocky coast tempted the Italian royal family to set up their holiday residence here. The old town is enclosed by medieval fortifications and seven
watchtowers. You can walk around them and enjoy the view from the viewing platform of the Torre del Portal. Worth seeing is the baroque Jesuit church San Michele and the monastery complex San Francesco. The overall cityscape is formed by Catalan-Gothic churches, Aragonese palaces and towers. Alghero is the most original tourist centre in this area, with coasts filled with lonely little bays and cliffs surrounded by the emerald-green ocean. The always mild climate, the clear sea water and the dense Mediterranean botanical growth, invite for a relaxed holiday. Alghero is a true paradise for athletes, but also for underwater photographers who find here an still unpolluted oasis on the bottom of the sea.