Logo Villa del Mar - Stintino
  • Capriccioli - Costa SmeraldaCapriccioli - Costa Smeralda
  • Il promontorio di CastelsardoIl promontorio di Castelsardo
  • Villaggio minerario dell'ArgentieraVillaggio minerario dell'Argentiera
  • Le pittoresche casette di Sa Costa a BosaLe pittoresche casette di Sa Costa a Bosa
  • Le emozionanti grotte di Nettuno - AlgheroLe emozionanti grotte di Nettuno - Alghero
  • Alghero by Night - centro della movida estivaAlghero by Night - centro della movida estiva
  • Il caratteristico borgo medievale di BosaIl caratteristico borgo medievale di Bosa
  • L'ex carcere di massima sicurezza dell'AsinaraL'ex carcere di massima sicurezza dell'Asinara

Sights around Stintino

Active Holidays

Asinara Island

Thin and elongated along the north-south, the Asinara island comes up with a long line of heavily indented coastline, broken by beaches and coves with crystal clear waters and fine white sand (as cala Sant'Andrea, cala Sabina and cala Arena) and a Mediterranean vegetation, with mastic, juniper, rock rose and oak trees.
Known as "Devil's Island", it was used as a quarantine station and detention camp for Austrian prisoners in the First World War, and place for the main Italian super-prison during the '70s, until the establishment of the National Park and Marine Protected Area in 1997.

Fornelli dock is the main landing place in the island. After the "Asinara Recovery Center for Marine Turtles" of CTS, close to the pier, we reach the former maximum security prison.
You can only visit it with motor vessels authorized by the authority, boats for the fishing-turism, charters and catamaran sailing or diving center.

Going along the only road we arrive at Cala Reale. Here stood a major lazaret who had the task of welcoming the crews of vessels affected by infectious diseases and the Royal Palace, used by the Royal Savoy for their stays on the island.

Another stop in the tour is Cala d'Oliva: the only town in the island.
Arriving by road from Trabuccato, or by sea, the village of Cala d'Oliva appears almost suddenly, dazzling white color of the houses. The village consists of low-rise buildings one and two floors in the "old" part, residential prison guards, while the higher zone, where activities were concentrated closely linked to the life of the prison, is characterized by more important massing.

A little further on, the super-prison, used during the Years of Lead for the imprisonment of members of the "Brigate Rosse" and lots of Mafia bosses subjected to the regime of rigorous imprisonment. Among the prisoners there was also Totò Riina and the leader of the new organized "Camorra" Raffaele Cutolo. This can be considered the second Alcatraz prison because only Matteo Boe, Sardinian bandit kidnapper, managed to escape from it. This is the prison with the fewest number of evasions in the world.

In Asinara also lived the famous anti-mafia judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, who spent a short time in the violet house colse to the sea. In the new quarters of Cala d'Oliva, during the maxi-process, the two judges had to pay to the goverment the expenses of their stay in the island.

The island has a big importance for the fauna: rare birds live in the island. more than four hundred wild sheep, a hundred wild horses, several hundred wild boars and a population of famous albino donkey, typical of the island.

Argentiera

Sardinia is not only the sea, is an island that hides secrets, stories and a hinterland rich in places you want to be remembered as they were in the past. Argentiera, between Alghero and Stintino, is one of these places.

This area is rich of gold and silver; the mine opened in 1840, through which the small mining village thrived thanks to the nuggets extracted. They came to dig beyond the 765 yard in depth, but too close to the sea, with the erosion of rocks, caused devastating collapses in which lots of men died.

Here, until 1963, that used to extract silver. Today the Argentiera village - which had its best period in the forties - is partly abandoned. Following a necessary structural restoration, ruins and new homes coexist in a very harmonious, giving the place a strange atmosphere. However it remains one of the ideal places for long walks in nature, sea and industrial archeology.

There are numerous legends that belong to this place, but if you really want to understand them, you have to see it with your own eyes.

Alghero

Capital of the Riviera del Corallo, preserves the traditions and language of Catalonia, which has been dominated for centuries. Called "Little Barcelona", they speak the Catalan language and everything looks toward the immense sea and blue in the direction of Spain. The most evocative moment of the year is Semana Santa (holy week), with the evocative rites of the Spanish tradition.

Endless beaches of fine white sand, an old Catalan village by the sea, a multitude of colors and landscapes, sunshine and mild temperatures throughout the year, stories and legends of ancient civilizations, the sound of the ancient Catalan language, the charm of sailing the adventure of extreme sports and more... as hiking, bike hiking, trekking, traditions of ancient flavors revisited by contemporary tastes and the sea: soul of the city.

Grotte di Nettuno (Neptune cave) - Alghero

In the heart the headland of Capo Caccia open the fairytale scenarios of the underground world of Neptune Cave.
Natural jewel among the most fascinating of all the Mediterranean basin, the cave is a true geological wonder that each year attracts more than 150,000 visitors.

It is accessible by sea with the service "Linea Grotte" or by land through the "Escala del Cabirol" (scale of roe deer), a straight flights of about 660 steps "carved" on the ridge of the promontory.

Bosa

Inhabited since Phoenician time and later colonized by the Romans, Bosa rises in the valley of the Temo, the only navigable river in Sardinia. The city is famous for the production and export of coral, as well as for the processing of fabrics, embroideries and woven baskets filet asphodel.

The village is immersed in the green valleys of Planargia, an area particularly renowned for its culinary tradition and the quality of the oil and the wine. One of them, Malvasia, that also gained the DOC mark, and has been dedicated to an itinerary that starts from Bosa and reaches the other producing countries of this wine, like Modolo, Magomadas, Suni and Flussio.

For lovers of trekking and bird watching, you can admire the spectacle offered by the Nature Reserve Badde Aggiosu, Marrargiu and Monte Mannu. For snorkelers, however, it is recommended to visit the Biomarine Park of Capo Marrargiu.

In the Malaspina Castle on the hill of Serravalle, there is a church, called "Regnos Altos", containing frescoes of the Catalan school.

Near the town there is the beach of Bosa Marina, who has won "5 vele" in the Blue Guide of Legambiente. From the beach you can admire the Isola Rossa tower, with Aragonese style, from north to south will there are 25 miles of pristine coastline where the mix of white sand and rock give the sea colors ranging from turquoise to emerald green.

The most important event of the city is undoubtedly the "Karrasegare 'Osinku", the Carnival of Bosa. One of the most characteristic and folklore of Sardinia, in which the whole community is involved.

Castelsardo

Picturesque small town that rises on the sea, and the sea has marked its history. The country has been used as a defensive stronghold and strategic point of control. The old town still retains its medieval fortress structure, with massive ramparts, steep stairs and narrow streets.
On the summit of the plateau rises the fortress of the Doria Castle, which houses the Museum of Mediterranean.
The city is famous for the rites of Holy Week, with strong Spanish influence, attracting pilgrims from all over Sardinia.