Italy > The citadel of Castelsardo

It’s becoming familiar. The waitress at the breakfast buffet already knows that we want a coffee and a cappuccino. Today is the last time. After breakfast, we pack our luggage again and load the car. At the reception, we settle the bill for the overnight stay and the meals. The owner comes by to shake our hands. We leave the grounds and drive northwards. Via Luogosanto, we return to the route we drove two days ago. This time we turn west. We follow the coastline to Castelsardo. As soon as we enter the town, we see a parking spot near the market. We park the car. We see the citadel and the colorful houses of Castelsardo sitting on the rocky point. We walk there in about fifteen minutes. The picturesque medieval town is located on top of a rocky cape overlooking the Gulf of Asinara. The imposing castle, towering high above the town, was built in the 12th century and served as a defensive work. We climb a staircase towards the fortress. Behind us, the view becomes more and more beautiful. We pass through the gate and enter the citadel of Castelsardo. Here lie narrow streets of the Centro Storico, the old town. The historic center is a maze of streets, paved alleys, and traditional houses. We stroll through this medieval town with its authentic atmosphere. We decide to visit the cathedral first. The church is closed from one o’clock during the afternoon. Although there are several signs, we still have to ask a few times. It turns out there are two churches within the walls of the citadel. First, we visit the Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie. A simple church that houses the famous Cristo Negro crucifix. In the former monastery directly behind the church is a museum.

Italy - Castelsardo lies on a rocky point by the sea

When we want to visit, it turns out we need a ticket. However, this ticket is only available at the fortress. Strange. We descend a little to the Cattedrale di Sant'Antonio Abate. To visit the church and the crypt, an entrance fee is asked. Here we can also buy a ticket for the earlier monastery and the fortress. In the church hangs a painting of the holy Madonna. In the crypt, it is explained that this painting was made by the ‘Master of Castelsardo’. This painter produced many works, but no one knows exactly who he was. The crypt has several small rooms with images of the ‘master’. After the cathedral, we visit the fortress. The Castello dei Doria from the 12th century is located at the highest point of the citadel. The fortress houses a museum with a collection of handmade local baskets. The exhibition rooms have been restored in a modern style. I actually find this unfortunate. Before going to the former monastery, we order something to eat at one of the small restaurants. At this tourist location, the prices are still reasonable. I choose a fish salad. We end our visit to Castelsardo at the monastery museum. This is a bit disappointing. In the rooms, there is nothing left of the former monastery. On television screens, explanations about antiquity and the Nuraghe are given. The commentary is only in Italian, without subtitles. The view of the cathedral and the bell tower from the monastery window is magnificent, however. Around half past two, we walk back to the car. It is still about an hour’s drive to Alghero. We drive via the coastal road towards Sassari, the island’s second city. Then we continue to Alghero. Our hotel is located a little south of the historic center. We can park our car in a garage. It takes some effort to squeeze the car into the narrow parking space. At the end of the afternoon, we walk along the boulevard to the center of Alghero, a walk of about twenty minutes. At a terrace, we want to order something to drink. No one comes to take our order. Just as we are about to get up, the waiter arrives. The terrace is right next to one of the old city defense towers. Because of this defense, Alghero was hard to attack in the past. In the harbor lie the boats for an excursion to Neptune’s Grotto. This cave outside Alghero is accessible by car. Then a staircase carved out of the rocks with over six hundred steps must be descended. By boat, one can also sail to the grotto and arrive directly at the caves. We cannot buy tickets for tomorrow at the harbor yet.

Italy - The historic city walls of Alghero

“Come to the quay forty minutes before departure tomorrow,” explains a boy. After that, the time he mentions varies between an hour, half an hour, and twenty minutes. We decide to be on time anyway. Luckily, he emphasizes that if we arrive by boat, we will always have access to the grotto. Separate reservations for the grotto are not necessary. We walk along the city wall by the sea. The seawater is calm. Along the quay are numerous terraces. Most are still empty. It’s too early to eat. We pass the Saint Maria Cathedral. Construction of the Cattedrale di Santa Maria began in 1530 and was completed in the 17th century. The different building phases reflect the changing architectural styles and influences through the centuries. We don’t feel like walking back to the hotel first and then walking back again to eat. Although we are early by Italian standards, we take a seat on a terrace. The pizza with a glass of beer tastes great. While walking back to the hotel, the sun sets on the horizon into the sea.