Alghero Old Town Self Guided Audio Tour

Sardinia, Italy
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Duration1h - 1h 30m
Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before
Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away
TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
LanguagesEnglish
Private tourOnly your group will participate

Overview

For over 650 years, Alghero has spoken Catalan, not Italian — conquered by the Crown of Aragon in the 1350s and resettled with Catalan families. This 75-minute self-guided audio walk starts at Piazza Sulis and winds through the walled old town, past Gothic-Catalan churches, a 15th-century Jewish financier's palazzo, and the Cathedral, where centuries of Aragonese and Renaissance craftsmanship meet. A 16th-century crucifix, rescued from a shipwreck in Porto Conte Bay, still leads Holy Week processions today. The walk closes on the ramparts, with the Mediterranean and Capo Caccia's cliffs stretching out below. It's history you can feel underfoot, told stop by stop, at your own pace.

Highlights:
- Stand in the tower where a revolutionary was held for 21 years.
- Discover why Alghero is nicknamed Sardinia's Barceloneta.
- End on the ramparts, gazing at Capo Caccia's cliffs.

NO crowds in the tour, just you and the history of an amazing town.

What's included

  • Directions to the starting point so that when you're in the right place, the tour will start
  • Lifetime access to this tour in English before your booking date and after it
  • Access to VoiceMaps App on IOS or Android, with flexibility to enjoy the tour at your own pace.
  • Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
  • Smartphone & Headphones
  • Food & Water

What to expect

  1. Pass by
    Starting in Piazza Suli, next to the tower, Torre dell’Espero Real, you’ll pass some of Alghero’s most iconic Old Town landmarks.

    Torre de l'Esperó Reial, better known as Torre di Sulis, is a round 16th-century bastion at the seaward tip of Alghero's old town in Piazza Sulis. Built with thick cannon-resistant walls as part of the city's coastal fortifications, its construction was advised by Emperor Charles V in 1541. It later served as a prison, holding Sardinian revolutionary Vincenzo Sulis in solitary confinement from 1800 to 1821. Today visitors can walk the surrounding bastions for sweeping Mediterranean views.
  2. Pass by
    The Chiesa della Misericordia was built around 1662 by Alghero's Misericordia confraternity as an oratory to the Virgin Mary, in Piazza della Misericordia. Its late-Renaissance facade has twin bell towers—one rounded, one square and domed—flanking a single nave with side chapels. It holds a 16th-century Spanish crucifix, said to have survived a shipwreck in Porto Conte Bay, still carried in Holy Week processions. WWII bombing damaged the church; it was later restored.
  3. Pass by
    Take in the beautiful churches of Chiesa di San Francesco, and Chiesa del Carmelo. Along the way, you'll hear about the church's history
  4. Pass by
    Take in the beautiful churches of Chiesa di San Francesco, and Chiesa del Carmelo. Along the way, you'll hear about the church's history
  5. Teatro Civico
    Pass by
    Discover how a local group of theatre lovers transformed a warehouse into the enchanting Teatro Civico
  6. Pass by
    Stroll along part of the medieval city wall known as Bastioni Marco Polo, to the statue of Madonnina in front of Torre di Sant’Elmo.
  7. Pass by
    See the statue of Madonnina in front of Torre di Sant’Elmo and learn its history.
  8. Palazzo Carcassona
    Pass by
    Palazzo Carcassona, on Via Sant'Erasmo opposite Alghero's Cathedral, was built in the 15th century by the Carcassona family, wealthy Jewish financiers who helped fund the Aragonese conquest of Sardinia. Its Catalan Gothic facade features a stone portal and three pointed-arch bifora windows, with Liberty-style additions from the 1900s. It's the last trace of Alghero's Jewish quarter, whose community was expelled in 1492. Now private property, it's viewable during Monumenti Aperti open days.
  9. Pass by
    You’ll also see many historical palazzi, including Casa de Ferrera, Palazzo Civico, Palazzo Serra, and Palazzo della Dogana. These magnificent, palatial buildings are a testament to the rich cultural heritage of the area and offer a glimpse into the lives of the aristocracy who once inhabited them.
  10. Pass by
    This self-guided audio tour passes by the Peretti Palace. These magnificent, palatial buildings are a testament to the rich cultural heritage of the area and offer a glimpse into the lives of the aristocracy who once inhabited them.
  11. Palazzo Guillot
    Pass by
    Hear about Catalan culture, see the city’s impressive medieval walls, and its ornate, wrought-iron balconies while taking in Palazzo Guillot.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

Our starting point is in the central Piazza Sulis, opposite the Tower dell'Espero Rejal, or Sulis Tower. This is very easy to find by following Google Maps directions.

End point

Additional information

  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
From
$9.99 per person
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  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts
  • Instant confirmation
  • You'll choose your date and travelers and pay on viator.com. Prices vary by date, group size and option.
Operated by VoiceMap Audio Tours · Booked through Viator
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