Reviews of Property: Alghero: small apartment in the old town, 1 minute from the sea

We stayed in this apartment for four nights in July and it proved the perfect base from which to explore Alghero and its surroundings. It is conveniently situated in the old town, very close to the sea walls with their stunning views.

Claudio, the owner, is incredibly helpful and friendly. We arrived in Alghero by car but parking in the old town is difficult so we parked in the main town free car park five minutes' walk away and Claudio picked us up and took us to the flat with all our luggage. He did the same when we checked out which we really appreciated. He also provided us with good tips as to which sites and beaches we should visit, both around Alghero and in the next town we were visiting.

The flat is a small, clean and homely studio. It has a TV, gas hob and fridge. This suited us fine, you could cook dinner there but we opted to eat out. We did, however, stock up on breakfast goodies at the big SISA supermarket on Via Don Minzoni. The bed is comfortable. There is a small nightclub over the road on Via Cavour but it wasn't noisy on the nights we stayed there (including a Friday and Saturday). There was some gentle chattering outside on the street but we couldn't hear it when we shut the window. The flat is quite cool and a fan is provided. The bathroom is basic, what you'd expect for the price really.

Claudio came up with good recommendations as to where to eat and drink. Our favourites were King's Pub near the flat on the seafront, where we enjoyed many a refreshing Ichnusa beer before dinner - they do very good (free) bar snacks to go with your drink e.g. salami, cheese, pasta salads. Dinner wise, our absolute favourite was Mabrouk on Via Cavour which Claudio recommended. It's fish only and it's a set menu (no choice at all) for antipasti, first course (pasta), second course (fish) and then there is a choice of pudding. You get a litre of wine (colour of your choice) and a big bottle of water. It comes to €40 a head, not cheap but worth it if you like fresh fish and want to treat yourself on holiday. There were lots of good trattorias around too if you're looking to eat out more cheaply.

Alghero has great beaches nearby - Porto Ferro is lovely. A bit further away is La Pelosa, about an hour by car, which is stunning beyond words although very busy at peak times.

All in all, we could not recommend it highly enough. It was good value and perfect for our needs. We definitely hope to go back at some point.

The apartment is in the old town, only one row of apartments back from the 'promenade' - you could hear the sea quite clearly and if it hadnt been for building opposite being one story higher, you would see it. Anyway, what you have to realise is that you are staying in the same buildings as other locals who go to work, have friends round, take their kids to school etc and that the old town is actually quite busy with the recycling trucks calling early in the morning, people walking their dogs, deliveries for the numerous restaurants. Quite a husstle and bustle but this is 'authentic' living as the natives do, not some kind of purpose built holiday complex falsehood. Because of this you are getting a real feel for the place, the location is excellent. There is a fish/fruit/veg market down via Sassari selling local produce for reasonable prices and I cooked some great meals which where delicious. There is also a supermarket a bit like Spar down via Sassari. Just round the corner (3rd left, via Gilbert Ferret) and walk down a bit is a great bakery that does fresh bread and crossants. The local transport is good and cheap also. We went to Bosa for an afternoon and also Porto Torres (one good beach) for an afternoon for about 5 or 6 Euro. We also hired a tandem from the harbour guy for 20 Euro for the day and cycled round to Cape Caccia. There is a lovely little beach near cafe there (you can do same journey by bus!) The caves boat trip is also well worth it but remember if its choppy they cant dock and you will have to come back the next day. Claudio texted me and emailed me and kept me informed. I paid the deposit via Paypal - he made it all so easy and was very helpful. Its now warming up so take high factor sun cream or if you prefer it cooler wait until end of September or even October. You can get by on minimal Italian if you are concerned. Most people are quite friendly and there is a general holiday feel to the place. Evenings are magical particularly around sunset. Sit by the harbour near the restaurant playing chillout music with your own wine is no problem. I love the swifts (swallows?) that race around the rooftops in the morning and evening and the sound of the sea, all very relaxing. Claudios place is quaint and quirky and has a charm all of its own. You cant get that in the new town, for any money. I recommend this if you are even just thinking about self catering. My flights and acomm came to £240 pp and spends £150 Euro. A bargain indeed!

I strongly recommend that great apartment, where we had a great time. It has a great location in the heart of beautiful old town of Alghero. Apartment is very cosy for one couple, even with a child. Its fully equipped (TV, Hi-Fi, Washing machine) - even spices, coffee an cooking oils are provided ! I strongly suggest self catering - it's 5x cheaper than going out. Open air market with fresh fruits, veggies, meat and fish is just 5min walk! Its not allowed to drive in the old town streets but free car park is just 10min walk. Claudio, the owner, was extremely helpful and very very friendly. The only small downside of the apartment is quite noisy club next doors. But its opened only Friday and Saturday evenings - best solution is to buy earplugs (3 Euro in in the local Farmacia) . Alghero is a perfect location to explore northern and central Sardegna, with all major attractions in easy driving distance: Grotta di Nettuno (0.5h), Stintino and Asinara Ilands (1h), Castelsardo (1h), Bosa (1h), Costa Smeralda (2.5h), Cala Luna + caves: Grotta di Ispinigoli and Grotta del Bue Marino (3h), Supramonte (3.5h). Enjoy!

My partner Sandra and I stayed in the appartment for 8 nights,returning home last Friday.We had an excellent stay and the appartment could hardly be better situated,close to everything without being surrounded by tourists.Claudio was very helpful and is a really nice guy.If you wish to cater for yourself there is a supermarket,fruit and veg market and a butchers all within a short walk.In the supermarket you will find fresh fish and meat as well as frozen products.They also stock beers,wines,water and various other drinks at a fraction of the cost of the touristy shops.For example 66cl bottle of beer for less than 1 euro,local wine less than 3 euros,in the local bars and restaurants you could expect to pay 3 euros for 33cl beer and 12-20 euros for rhe same wine.Water is also extremely cheap at about 20 cents for 2 litres,70 cents for 33cl in bars.With the appartment being very good value it is possible to have a very reasonable holiday in Alghero.More than 20 years ago I spent a week in Alghero and it cost me over £1,000 and I lived in Cagliari region at the time and drove up to Alghero.The Old Town is still a very nice place to base yourself and even if you do not hire a car, busses and trains are close by.The nightclub was not a problem,the only noise was people speaking outside,no shouting or loud music.In fact if Claudio had not mentioned it we would not have Known it was there.We had planned to stay in the South in a few months but have decided to book with Claudio and base ourselves in Alghero and drive South for a few days.Thanks Claudio we hope to see you again very soon!

My boyfriend and I had a lovely holiday here. The apartment is perfect for a couple, it's comfortable and well equipped and right in the heart of the old town. The owner Claudio is very friendly and helpful. We'd go back anytime!

We had a fantastic fortnight in Alghero and this apartment was the perfect place to stay. Right in the heart of the old town, the property contained everything we needed as a couple and the owner couldn't have been more helpful. I would recommend this apartment to anyone looking for a clean and spacious, but still reasonably priced, holiday home in authentic surroundings. All amenities are within walking distance, as is the town, the beach, and lots and lots of fantastic restaurants. Enjoy!

On arriving at the property the building exterior appears rather shabby, however these thoughts are short lived when you climb the four flights of tiled stairs to the door of the apartment on the second floor. On entering the apartment you are greeted by a clean, well-maintained lounge/dinning room, kitchen area and bathroom.

The apartment is more spacious than the pictures would have you believe, very comfortable for two people. The walls are decorated with numerous artefacts from all over the place which adds to the ambiance in the apartment. The bathroom is small but sufficient as is the kitchen area, and has a gas stove making cooking quick and easy. A well hidden washing line hangs outside the window, and in the summer sun will dry soaking wet swim shorts in a matter of minutes. Despite the warning that a nightclub (positioned two doors along to the right of the apartment) would be noisy until the early hours, we heard very little at night. Most of its punters were chatting quietly outside and the music was played at a volume expected at a primary school concert for the elderly. With regards to the lack of air conditioning, the apartment does get warm at night with the windows shut (to avoid awakening from the occasional moped drive-by). However, this is adequately counteracted by switching on the fan.

Eating out is expensive; expect to pay between 10 - 15 E for lunch and at least 20 E in the evening for one plate of food. Luckily however with a fantastic, friendly local market open everyday and just 5 minutes walk from the apartment, you can cook authentic Mediterranean food in the apartment for next to nothing.

Just a minute’s walk to the south end of the street brings you to a set of steps which lead down the wall of the bastione to a small pebbled beach, which escapes the plagues of tourist that swarm the bigger beaches in august.
A larger sandy beach is reached to the north of the old town after a 10 minute walk. I would recommend hiring a tandem for a day to explore the coastline to the north of alghero up to capo caccia. There are several rather nice beaches along the route and the terrain is fairly flat.

In august alghero is swamped by tourists, mainly romans and this month is best avoided if you like to have more than 10 cm between yourself and the next person on the beach.

Overall:
* Fantastic location
* Fantastic value - ideal for student couples
* Friendliest locals in the med
* Wonderful sea & beaches

if you want to stay in the old atmospheric town of alghero in a quiet alley, far away from other tourists, but only a minute away from the promenade and the center, this apartment is the right place for you! the apartment is really big and very lovely equipped. kitchen, bathroom and main room contain everything you need and if you have a wish or a problem the very friendly owner cares for you at once (he also drove us to the airport)! and for this comfort the price is more than cheap! we spent a wonderful time there, had wonderful weather and went to the beach each day. if I had the time, I would return at once, there was really nothing to criticise, we had excellent holidays!