Rent a Car in Alghero

Alghero's walled old town — known locally as L'Alguer for its centuries of Catalan heritage, still audible in the local dialect and street signs — is compact and best explored on foot, with the harbour promenade and city walls all within a short walk of most hotels. But Sardinia's north-west coast rewards visitors who can drive: Capo Caccia and the Grotte di Nettuno (Neptune's Grotto) are about 25 minutes away, and the string of beaches along the Nurra — Le Bombarde, Lazzaretto, Porto Conte — are only reachable comfortably by car, since local buses run on a limited seasonal schedule.

Further afield, Bosa's pastel-coloured riverside houses and hilltop castle are about 45 km south, an easy day trip along the coastal SP105. Sassari, Sardinia's second-largest city with its own historic centre and cathedral, is roughly 35 km north-east. Porto Torres, the main ferry link to the Italian mainland, sits about 40 minutes away — useful if you're extending a trip onto the ferry network rather than flying out of Alghero itself.