Alghero

Alghero, Sardinia's historic highlight

Sardinia has never been a particularly dutiful child to its Italian parent. At times in its history there has been a sense that it would be happy to drift westwards and set up home among the Balearics or off the coast of Spain.

This air of displacement lends charm to a dramatic island. It is never quite Italian, always offering hints of those three centuries spent as part of the kingdom of Aragon. You can see it in the red and yellow stripes of the Catalan flag on the streets of Alghero, and you can hear it in the Catalan dialect still spoken by some of the older fishermen.

Alghero

Alghero is an enticing place, particularly out of season, or in the evenings after the visitors have retired to their hotels. It's a medieval fishing port, with quaint cobbled alleyways sheltering behind looming battlements. It could be Rhodes, or Valletta, one of those timeless remnants of clashing empires.

Budget airlines and cheap flights from northern Europe have opened up Sardinia and Alghero to mass tourism, but the town has resisted compromise. It retains its sturdy character, its fishermen still cast their nets, its restaurants still cook in the old Catalan manner.

The tourists throng here for the obligatory day trip to the Grotte di Nettuno. It is popular but not to be disdained. The caves at the base of a cliff form a network of geological marvels, with jagged, raw stalactites looming menacingly.

In summer the best way to approach the caves is by sea on one of the excursions from Alghero. Out of season a slow bus takes you to Cape Caccia. From here you descend the precipitous steps down the cliff-side, with alarming views of the feisty Mediterranean churning below.

This region has become known as the coral coast, popular with plump Italian playboys and their entourages. The lagoon at Porto Conte looks like it could be in the Caribbean, and has been a popular escape since Roman times. The ancients called it the Lake of the Nymphs and it still has an otherworldly atmosphere.

In Alghero, one of the pleasant realities is that they still take their fishing quite seriously. The results are piled up on the slabs in front of the seafood restaurants, or flail around in the lobster tanks. Try frittura misto, a medley of fried fish that is always fresh, having been unloaded on the quayside just hours earlier.

It's difficult to eat a poor meal here, although in high season it can occasionally be quite hard to find a cheap one. The best option is to alternate the lavish seafood feasts with the simple pizza available from the cafés overlooking the harbour. A smart alternative is to fill a bag of panadas de carciofi e patate, delicious artichoke and potato pasties from the bakers. They make a great snack as you wander the old fortifications.

Alghero's charms reveal themselves in quiet moments. Take a seat in one of the squares, munch on one of those pasties and enjoy the timeless views of the fishing boats heading out on another Mediterranean quest.