An itinerary that will take you through the long history of Alghero, dominated over the course of 6,000 years by Phoenicians, Romans and Spaniards who strongly influenced the city so much that Alghero is nicknamed Barceloneta. Strolling through the cobblestone streets of the historic center, one gets a taste of the city’s Catalan soul in the street names and in the urban and architectural details of churches and old buildings, starting with Plaça Civica the heart of Alghero’s historic center. Walking down Charles Albert Street, one can admire the Catalan-style Guillot Palace with its blind arcades and Aragonese mullioned windows with two lights at the top; the 14th-century church of St. Francis, which was rebuilt after a collapse and combines Aragonese Gothic forms with the typical Italian Renaissance style; and the church of St. Michael, the city’s patron saint. Don’t miss a visit to the former Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, now home to the Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art with a valuable collection of paintings, silver and marble, the Carcassona Palace and the Palazo Machin, which is surprising for the harmony between the Catalan Gothic and Renaissance styles of its decorations.
The historic center of Alghero is also the most exclusive and characteristic area for shopping in the artisan workshops of coral jewelry and ready-to-wear stores of the most popular brands.