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August

ALGHERO - BOSA

Alghero: a picturesque small town situated on a beautiful bay, founded by the Doria in 1102, and the “capital city” of Sardinian tourism thanks to its marvellous coast. The almost-unimpaired old centre holds the Catalan charm of its lanes, Gothic-style windows, inlaid portals, balconies full of flowers. Tourism, wine production, goldsmith’s handicraft, fishing, coral working, precious lace, wickerwork, zootechnics. People from Alghero speak a dialect which derives from Catalan. The visit to the town starts from Piazza Porta a Terra, which links the old centre with the modern town and the park; the square includes the Jews Tower (XIV century). The old defence complex is represented by the cylindrical Torre di S. Joan, XVI century (torre = tower). Further on, Piazza Sulis is to be found, which is the city’s society meeting place. The Torre dell’Espero Reial (or: “dello Sperone”= the Tower of the Spur) dating back to the Spanish rule period, is also interesting. Promenades to the beach, along the urbanised coastline, lead off the square of Piazza Sulis. The reuse they made of the XV century complex including the church, the convent and the cloister of S. Francesco is very interesting: every year, the complex houses an international exhibition of Algherese music.

On promenade “Dante” numerous Art Nouveau-style villas are to be found. On promenade “Colombo”, the octagonal Torre di S. Giacomo, the church Nostra Signora del Carmelo and the street of the same name, peopled by fishermen. On promenade “M. Polo”, one can see the typical loopholes of guns. The promenade “Magellano” stretches along a narrow walled passageway endowed with a succession of arches which probably held the old wet dock. Further on, one comes across the remains of Forte della Magdalena. The Palazzo de Ferrera, the seat of Alghero’s government, is an example of XVI - century Gothic architecture. In Piazza Duomo, the Cathedral and the house-birthplace of the famous historian G. Manno. Worth visiting is also Casa Doria (XVI century). Kaolin exportation cargoes and ferry-boats to the Grotte di Nettuno (=Neptune’s caves) and Capo Caccia lead off the port of Alghero.

Driving from Alghero, on the coast road, among olive trees, vineyards, cliffs and numerous accesses to the beach La Speranza, one will come to Capo Marrargiu where the Torre Argentina rises among the rocks, and the splendid creek of Copultittu and Cala S’Abba Druche can be seen. In a valley, on the right-hand side of River Temo lies the small town of Bosa: River Temo and the tall houses distinguish it from other towns. The town is very old, of nuraghic and Roman origins. Its economy is based on agriculture and handicraft: tanning, the famous filet, woodcarving, silver and gold filigree, coral working, fishing.

The Castello di Serravalle, dating 1112 and commissioned by the Malaspina, overlooks the town; within the walls, the church of Nostra Signora di Regnos Altos (XIV century) was built. The view from the castle is really extraordinary: the valley, the church of S. Pietro, Bosa Marina and the tower of Isola Rossa. Worth seeing are the red-trachyte bridge on River Temo, the cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, the Palazzo di Don Carlos, the Fontanone, the church of Carmine and that of S. Giovanni (XII century). Among Bosa’s religious feasts, let us mention S. Maria del Mare (on the first Sunday of August), when a few boats go up the river from the church of Bosa Marina to the Cathedral. The feast of Nostra Signora di Regnos Altos (on the second Sunday of September): the procession walks through the medieval quarter of Sa Costa and stops in Piazza d’Armi, on the Castle of Malaspina.

The seaside resort of Bosa Marina, on one side of Temo’s mouth, has got a nice tourist and trade port where boat trips are arranged.

DORGALI - OROSEI

Dorgali, on the slopes of Mount Bardìa, is a major agricultural centre, well-known for its wines, cheese, traditional leather handicraft, dressed hides, gold and silver filigree work, and for its beautiful pottery and colourful artisan shops. It has been proved that human settlements in the area date back to 1341. The oldest and best preserved part of Dorgali shows very plain dark-stone houses. The village has become an important tourist resort thanks to the nearby Cala Gonone, a famous tourist centre endowed with splendid natural beauties. In the centre of Dorgali the church of S. Caterina is to be found and, on the border of the built-up areas, the Town Archaeological Museum, which preserves a great deal of archaeological material which was discovered in the area. Driving from Dorgali to Cala Gonone, on the scenic road leading to the seaside, one will come across the Nuraghe Mannu and the fertile valley of Oddoene, which can boast a splendid landscape from which one can admire the white limestone rocks of Mount Bardìa, interrupted by holm-oak and rosemary maquis. On a higher position is the nuraghic complex of Nuragheddu. Very interesting is the Gorge of Su Gorroppu, an impressive canyon which can be reached by walking down along a path, along the Rio Flumineddu. The vertical-walled gorge houses rare botanical species and some specimens of predaceous birds.

In the direction of Orosei, the church of Su Babbu Mannu is to be found, surrounded by secular olive trees, and the cave of Ispingoli, whose guided visits on a well organised route allow tourists to see the splendid “setting” of a many-shaped limestone. Breathless is the gigantic 3-metre tall stalagmite, at the base of which there is a chasm, called “the Virgins’ Abyss”: it is believed that young women were sacrificed once, according to the rituals of Punic tradition. A bit further on, there is the church of S. Giovanni Battista (1640) and the cave of Su Anzu, communicating with that of Ispingoli, and a thermal spring, which has been known ever since Roman times.

Orosei is a picturesque seaside and agricultural centre situated in the Gulf of the same name, which is characterised by tourist and naturalistic attractions: wonderful beaches such as Marina di Orosei, Osalla, Cala Liberotto, Cala Ginepro, Sa Curcuricca and Bidderosa. As a strategic harbour (in the past), Orosei set up trade relations with the Pisans, and this is testified by the style of its churches. From via Satta, one comes to the church of S. Antonio Abate (XIV-XV century) which houses valuable frescoes. The feast of S. Antonio is celebrated on 16th January each year: a bonfire is lighted, using juniperwood, and a banquet is organised. In Piazza del Popolo there is the XVI century parish church of S. Giacomo Maggiore, who is celebrated from 23rd to 25th July. In the oldest part of the village the medioeval temple of S. Gavino and the church of S. Sebastiano are to be found.