Which beaches can you visit near Alghero? And which ones are reachable just by public transport? Let’s check out this guide for all the best beaches in Alghero, their location on the map, and how it’s best (or not) to get there!
Map of Alghero’s beaches
As always, let’s start the guide with the map of the Alghero beaches we’ll talk about, so you can better understand their location.
Red pins, instead, show others you can visit if you have your own car or bike.
Reaching Alghero’s beaches: better by car or bus?
Before starting, for those getting around by car in the Alghero area (and apparently in much of Sardinia), there’s not much good news. If the car rental price isn’t already low, most beaches in the Alghero area have paid parking, even those in the middle of nature. Prices range from €1.50/h to €2.50/h, sometimes without full-day options, just to park your car in what are basically dusty fields (or swamps if it’s just rained). For those used to exploring Greek islands where it’s not like that, or for those planning to visit many beaches in a day, it can be pretty annoying.
So, if you’re traveling in a small group, consider the idea of getting around by public transport following this 4-day Alghero itinerary. And if you’re staying in a strategic location, traveling by bus will also be very pleasant.
Mugoni Beach
Overall rating: 8/10
Services: Yes
Beach type: Sand
Let’s start the list of Alghero beaches with Mugoni beach, in my opinion, the most beautiful as well as the largest in the area.
Mugoni beach stands out from the others for its particularly calm waters, being sheltered from the open sea, for its colors, given that the pine forest behind it and the surrounding coasts will make you feel even more immersed in nature.
The beach is the largest in the area, about 2 km of coastline, which helps to lessen the crowding effect that’s always present in this part of Sardinia. The easternmost area is the most crowded: for those wanting more peace, I recommend walking about ten minutes west where human presence is much sparser and where the beach changes its name to “La Stalla beach”.
Mugoni beach has both areas with sunbeds or beach bars, and free areas: for the hottest hours, the trees behind the beach offer shade and space for potential picnics.
You can get to Mugoni beach by car, and parking is paid. If you go a bit further, where it changes name to “La Stalla beach”, there’s also free parking.
Finally, you can also get there with the Beach bus by getting off at the “Mugoni” stop or the “La Stalla” stop.
I talk about the Alghero Beach bus in the guide about local transportations in Alghero
Lazzaretto Beach
Overall rating: 6/10
Services: yes
Beach type: sandy
Lazzaretto beach is a small but famous beach bordered by a green landscape with no buildings behind it; the water is beautiful but there’s a problem: extreme crowding.
Read also: Where it’s best to stay in Alghero
At Lazzaretto beach, you might struggle to find space even outside peak months.
At both ends of the beach, there are two paths through the vegetation leading to other small and pretty coves, each just a few meters wide (but they won’t be empty either):
- Caletta del Lazzaretto which you see in the photo below, Cala Gattona and Cala dei Pini heading east,
- Cala Spinosa, Cala dell’ombra or Torre del Lazzaretto on the other side, also reachable by continuing along the road.
For those arriving by car, there’s a single paid parking lot. You can also get there with the Beach Bus by getting off at the stop “il Lazzaretto”.
Torre del Porticciolo
Overall rating: 7/10
Services: no
Beach type: Sandy
Torre del Porticciolo is a very particular beach. It faces west and not south like the previous ones (so watch out for rough seas on windy days), but its main peculiarity is the color of its waters tending towards red/brownish.
At first glance, seeing this Alghero beach and its water can be confusing because it looks dirty or contaminated. Actually, as explained on the information board near the parking lot, Torre del Porticciolo beach has this color due to iron oxides in Permian and Triassic sedimentary deposits.
Torre del Porticciolo beach is one of the less crowded Alghero beaches among those reachable by bus.
You can get there by car, and the parking lot, although modest in size, is free, or you can get there with the beach bus by getting off at the stop “Torre del Porticciolo”.
Be careful in the water because the color prevents seeing the seabed.
Maria Pia Beach
Overall rating: 7/10
Services: Yes
Beach type: Sandy with pine forest behind
Now let’s start getting closer to Alghero city, and the first beach we encounter is Maria Pia beach. About 2km long and also equipped with a dog-friendly area, it’s the greenest beach among those close to the city, as there’s also a pine forest behind it.
You’ll also find small dunes of very white sand in places, and the water is usually clean.
Maria Pia beach has all the services and alternates between stretches with sunbeds and beach bars and stretches of free beach.
This beach is also quite crowded, and you can get there either by car (some parking lots are free and others paid, depending on the area) or with both the Beach Bus and the urban bus line ALFA, the same one that connects Alghero to the airport.
You may like: From Alghero airport to the center for €1
Lido and San Giovanni Beaches
Overall rating: 6/10
Services: Yes
Beach type: Sandy
Lido beach and San Giovanni beach are the two Alghero beaches closest to the city, stretching along a single sandy strip of about 2km.
These are the classic “city” beaches, behind which lies Alghero’s beautiful seafront, some beach bars, sunbeds, and services, but also the always busy main road: so it won’t be a quiet experience.
However, the beach here is particularly full of algae, water is not very clear, perhaps due to the proximity to the port. I wouldn’t recommend these beaches because they’re the least interesting in the area.
Other Alghero beaches to visit
Then there are also other beaches, reachable with the “Beach bus” which connects the area’s beaches along the coast up to Capo Caccia. You can explore them even in a short time, as they’re very small (and therefore at risk of crowding):
- Cala Dragonara;
- Cala Calcina – Pischina Salida;
- Le Bombarde (one of the busiest beaches in Alghero, on par with Lazzaretto Beach).
If, instead, you have your own transport, you can venture out in search of other beaches, perhaps less frequented by tourism, such as:
- Spiaggia di San Lorenzo
- Spiaggia di Porto Ferro
Beaches to visit on excursions outside Alghero
If you have extra time and Alghero’s beaches seem a bit too crowded or too similar, I recommend taking some tours to more distant beaches, even just using public transport. Here are some examples.
Bus from Alghero to the beaches of Stintino
The SardaBus company offers a bus line in the summer months that takes you from Alghero to Stintino, near the famous La Pelosa beach and beyond. And it’s precisely the “beyond” that’s the interesting part. I tell you more about it all in the 4-day Alghero itinerary.
La Pelosa beach is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Sardinia (or in Italy, or the world, depending on who you talk to) and has limited access. To go there, you need an online reservation (paid!) made several days in advance on this site; when you arrive, you’ll be given a wristband to be recognizable and checked by the guards at the ends of the beach in case you move along the shore. Despite all this, you’ll still find yourself on a beach that’s like an anthill (and no, don’t think September is less crowded).
Consequently, I recommend just looking at La Pelosa beach from the adjacent sidewalk, which is perhaps even more beautiful to admire from above, without having to fight for a bit of space:
The interesting part about going here, though, is that if you get off at the La Pelosa stop and walk a bit along the main little road (or along the sea), you can still find a series of other beautiful beaches with free access, like La Pelosetta or Gabbiano beach.
Alternatively, the line makes a few stops before La Pelosa, allowing you to also get off near other beaches in the Stintino municipality, which are less crowded, like Cala Lupo or Le Tonnare.
The beaches of Bosa
If you have your own transport, you could head south for about an hour and reach the beaches of Bosa Marina (near the town of Bosa).
There’s also an intercity bus line that takes you towards Bosa, but unfortunately, it’s not easy to reach the most beautiful beaches using it. If you want to try anyway, you can find the timetable and route here.
Visiting Asinara
One possible guided tour, without needing to organize it yourself, is the one to the island of Asinara. It’s a protected natural area, with restrictions.
You can reach it with boat tours like this half-day one or a full day on a sailboat with lunch included.
Now that you know everything about Alghero’s beaches, it’s time to…
- discover this low-cost itinerary for visiting Alghero without a car
- find the cheapest and most strategic area to stay in Alghero
- find out how to get from the airport to the center for just €1 and look for a cheap flight with the box below:
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