Very close to the town centre, you can get to it on foot with a backpack and beach towel: the pleasant walk along the ‘Passeggiata Busquet’ promenade will take you to a stretch of soft, golden sand that gently enters the shallow, clear waters of the emerald green, turquoise and blue sea. The Lido of San Giovanni, Alghero’s beach, is one of the most popular and famous tourist centres in Sardinia. It will captivate you with its wide sandy shore beach with a view of the promontory of Capo Caccia, three kilometres long and delimited to the south by the tourist port and to the north by the marine hospital. Its border with the town is highlighted by a spectacular row of palm trees. It is the Sardinian-Catalan city (known as Barceloneta) beach par excellence, very close to the historical, cultural and architectural attractions in the old town centre and ideal for tourists seeking relaxation.
The Lido is both a free beach and is also well-equipped: you will find beach establishments that offer all the amenities and services that bathers need, starting with the rental of beach equipment. You can spend the night at hotels within walking distance and you will have bars and restaurants to suit all tastes at your disposal, as well as ample parking. The coastal zone has camping equipment available and is suitable for families with children, who can enjoy the water playground just a few metres from the shore. The seaside resort is accessible to disabled people and its waters are rich in underwater marvels, making them ideal for snorkelling. After a relaxing day on the beach, don't miss the chance to visit the old town, a short walk from the coast, with its red rooftops, yellow walls of the house fronts, a maze of ancient houses, lanes and squares filled with life, reminiscent of its Catalan origins, as well churches, ramparts, towers and fortifications rebuilt in the 16th century by the Aragonese. Then there are the ever-present shopping boutiques and workshops where artisans work with coral, for which Alghero is famous. Not surprisingly, its 90 kilometres of coastline have been named the Riviera del Corallo (Coral Riviera): during your holiday, you can enjoy all its beauty.
The natural extension of the Lido is Maria Pia, featuring junipers dotted over the dunes behind the beach, which is easy to reach by bike from the city centre thanks to the bicycle lane. The sand is fine and white, the water is crystal clear and the sea and seabed are suitable for families with children. As well as the district of Fertilia, there are the beautiful beach of Bombarde, the most famous pearl on the Alghero coast, and the delightful coves of Lazzaretto. A few kilometres further north you will find the Porto Conte Park and the bay protects the peaceful Mugoni, a beach with golden sand where the waters are calm; it is a completely sheltered oasis. The Park includes the cliffs of the marine protected area of Capo Caccia, where there are hundreds of treasures, among which Neptune’s Grotto, which can be reached by land, via the Escala del Cabirol, and by sea, on boats leaving from the city’s port or from the beautiful Cala Dragunara. Porto Conte will also win your heart with its inland attractions, such as the forest of Le Prigionette and the lagoon of Calich, and the Nuragic complexes of Palmavera and Sant'Imbenia – where there are also the ruins of a Roman villa- Along with the necropolis of Anghelu Ruju, dating back to the Neolithic period, they represent the greatest legacy of the past. To the south of the town, along the road leading to Bosa, there are other must-see coves standing out, such as Cala Bona.
