The town was founded about the year 1100 AD by the Genoans, who – probably – rearranged and fortified an old village.
In the Alghero surroundings there are clear signs of a prehistoric human presence: in the Green Cave – under the magnificent rocks of Capo Caccia – there are signs of a Neolithic civilization; the tombs of the Anghelu Ruju necropolis – the biggest in Sardinia – date back to to the third millenium BC; there are also signs of the Nuragic Sardinian civilization, with the Plamavera village, very well preserved, only a few hundreds metres from the Lazzaretto beach.
The roman presence is today testified by the ruins of the big Roman coastal house of Sant’Imberia and by the thirteen arches of the Roman bridge on the Calik pond. These ruins rember an old past when Alghero was ready a privileged holidays destination.
The Alghero historical centre – with its medieval plant and narrow, irregular streets – is a big open air museum, embellished by extraordinary monuments: the six big Spanish Towers and the medieval wall, the churches, with the Cathedral, the N.S. della Misericordia and the wonderful romanic and gothic complex of San Francesco.

Walking in the Alghero historical centre touch your senses everytime in the day and in the night, along its streets with hand craft shops, typical restaurants, ice-cream makers and nightspots.
Gourmet in Alghero – and in all the north-western Sardinia – is expression of the rich history of the territory, an history of integration - more than of rule – exalted by the various tastes of the seafood as of the typical Sardinian cuisine and by the strong character of wines, that all over the world are appreciates.

If only for its culture, history and arts Alghero deserve an accurate tour, the natural sights – in its territory – are, if it is possible, richer. To start with the calcareous walls of Capo Caccia cape, drop from the cliff to the sea, and the Neptun’s Caves, a geological wonder that amaze, fascinate and let an inerasable memory in the people who have the opportunity of visit them.
Along the 20 km from the city to Capo Caccia is contained what more extraordinary the nature could offer in the land or in the sea. On the one hand with the green sweet hills covered by mediterranean scrub and populate by deers, small sardinian horses, wildboars, mouflons and griffon vultures; on the other hand with gulfs, inlets and beaches with tranparent water and sea depth rich of stained coral.

Alghero’s coast beaches – all of them sheltered by the dominants north-western winds – offer to the visitors a wide range of scenaries and experiences: white sand and transparent water are the common denominator that join the happiness of Lido and Bombarde beaches – the most crowded by young people – but also walks and meetings along the huge beach of Maria Pia, and the quiet and relaxing Lazzaretto and Pineta Mugoni beaches, as the several small coves that follow one another along the irregular coast line.