Page 554 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

552  SOUTHERN IT AL Y

3 Alghero
Sassari. * 41,000. k V @
g n Lungomare Dante 1
(079 97 90 54). ( Wed.
∑ comune.alghero.ss.it
Founded on a peninsula facing
the Bay of Alghero early in the
12th century, and taken from
the Genoese Dorias by the
Aragonese in 1353, Alghero
was peopled by settlers from
Barcelona and Valencia. Its
original occupants – Ligurians
and Sardinians – were expelled
The extravagantly beautiful, macchia-scented Costa Smeralda with such thoroughness that
today the Catalan language and
1 Costa Smeralda for being the site of Sardinia’s culture is enjoying a revival and
first university. There is a the look of old Alghero is
Sassari. V g Olbia. @ Porto Cervo.
n AAST La Maddalena, Cava Civetta raucous, tight, church-filled consistently Spanish.
(0789 73 63 21); AAST Palau, Via medieval quarter around Filled with labyrinthine alleys
Nazionale 94 (0789 70 95 70). the Duomo (11th and cobbled streets, the lively
∑ destinationcostasmeralda.com century, with later, port of old Alghero is flanked
mostly Baroque, by battlemented walls and
Stretching from the Golfo di additions). To the defensive towers on all but the
Cugnana to the Golfo di north is the huge landward section. Facing the
Arzachena, the Costa Smeralda Fonte Rosello, Giardino Pubblico is the massive
was developed by a consor- a late Renaissance 16th-century Torre di Porta
tium of magnates in the 1950s. fountain. The Museo Terra, also known as
One of the world’s most opulent Archeologico the Jewish Tower
holiday resorts, it is kept Nazionale “GA after its builders.
immaculate by strict controls. Sanna” is a good Around the periphery
In Porto Cervo, the main starting point for of the old town
town, boutiques jostle with investigating are more towers,
nightclubs, fine restaurants and the region’s including Torre
luxury hotels. It caters for the nuraghic history. dell’Espero Reial and
seriously rich – billionaires, Torre San Giacomo
crowned heads and pop stars. Environs Façade of Santissima on Lungomare
To the southeast Trinità di Saccargia Colombo, and Torre
Environs along the S131 is della Maddalena
Head north to rural Baia the Pisan-Romanesque church on Piazza Porta Terra.
Sardinia and Cannigione. of Santissima Trinità di The 16th-century Duomo at
From Palau ferries leave for La Saccargia (1116), with the only the bottom of Via Umberto is
Maddalena and Isola Caprera, extant 13th-century fresco cycle predominantly Catalan-Gothic
the home of Garibaldi and the in Sardinia. Further on is the with an Aragonese portal.
Museo Nazionale Garibaldino. 12th-century church of San Off Via Carlo Alberto, San
Michele di
E Museo Nazionale Garibaldino Salvenero,
Frazione Caprera, La Maddalena. and at Ardara
Tel 0789 72 71 62. Open 9am–8pm the basalt-built
Tue–Sun. Closed 1 Jan, 1 May, 25 Dec. Romanesque
& 7 ∑ compendiogaribaldino.it Santa Maria
del Regno, or
“Black Cathedral”.
2 Sassari
* 130,000. k V @ n Viale E Museo
Caprera 36 (079 27 99 54). ( Mon. Archeologico
∑ www.provincia.sassari.it Nazionale “GA
Sanna”
Founded by Genoese and Pisan Via Roma 64.
merchants early in the 13th Tel 079 27 22 03.
century, Sassari is known for its Open 9am–8pm
spectacular Cavalcata Sarda Tue–Sun (to 2pm
festival on Ascension Day, and Sun). & 7 Typical houses in Alghero
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp576–7 and pp600–605

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