Free walking tours in Castelsardo and what to see

Must-sees

Castelsardo is a walled village on a promontory on the Gulf of Asinara, in northern Sardinia. It was founded by the Genoese Doria family in the Middle Ages as Castelgenovese, later passed to the Aragonese and only took its current name under the House of Savoy. At the very top is the Doria castle, whose walls look out along the coast to Asinara and, on the other side, towards Gallura. Inside is the museum of Mediterranean weaving, devoted to basketry.

Walking down the lanes you reach the cathedral of Sant'Antonio Abate, with its bell tower built on the rock, almost above the sea. The church of Santa Maria delle Grazie is also worth a stop. In the doorways of the houses it is still easy to see women weaving baskets of palm and raffia, the craft the village is famous for. On the outskirts, by the road, is the Elephant Rock, a large volcanic boulder shaped like an elephant that holds tombs carved in pre-nuraghic times.

Free tours and guided visits

There are no regular free tours in Castelsardo. Civitatis offers a guided walk of the village, covering the medieval centre and explaining its history and craft tradition. If you prefer to go on your own, the village is small and easy to understand on foot. Excursions from Alghero, Sassari or Santa Teresa Gallura include it in routes through the north of the island.

How long to spend

The village, the castle and the museum can be seen in three or four hours, with time to walk up the slopes at a relaxed pace. If you add the Elephant Rock and a swim at Lu Bagnu, give it a full day. With two days you can combine it with nearby beaches and with Sassari or the Gallura coast.

Where to stay

Staying in the old town lets you see the village at night, when the day visitors leave, although the streets are steep and you cannot drive to the door. In the lower part, near the harbour, there are more hotels and apartments with parking. Lu Bagnu, two kilometres away, has houses and hotels by the sea, and the Valledoria coast has campsites and simple places to stay.