The small town of Castelsardo is located on a rock massif below the castle of the same name, which gave the name to the whole town. The romantic scenery is dominated by the 12th century castle surrounded by small colourful houses with narrow winding streets.

Wicker baskets are ubiquitous in Castelsardo's souvenir shops - after all, the town has always been a centre for basketry.

As well as the castle, the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie is also worth a visit, where the Lunissanti procession with the oldest cross in Sardinia starts and finishes every Easter Monday. The cross dates back to the 13th century and is called Lu Cruiltu Nieddu (translated as Black Christ) because the wood has blackened over time.

Castello dei Doria

The main monument of Castelsardo is the aforementioned Castello dei Doria, which houses a basketry museum.

If you are interested in the history of the town, we definitely recommend visiting the castle and the museum.

Opening hours vary according to the season and you can find the exact schedule on the website: mimcastelsardo.it.

The entrance fee is 5 eur.

Beaches and swimming

The western part of Castelsardo functions as a very pleasant small resort with smaller but all the more beautiful beaches with fine light sand.

The main attraction of the local beaches is the very quiet atmosphere in a rural setting and the good accessibility of the small beaches thanks to the coastal road, which is served by buses.

Accommodation

Castelsardo is a good alternative to the very expensive better known Sardinian resorts. Prices in smaller hotels and guesthouses range between 70 eur and 100 eur per night for 2 even in high season, which is very good value for Sardinia.

What are our tips for hotels and guesthouses?

Cheap apartments in the historic centre - B&B Colti Di Rosa, B&B Casa Doria
Hotels by the beach - Hotel & SPA Riviera Castelsardo ****, Hotel Meli **

Transportation

Castelsardo is easily accessible by public transport, specifically buses, in addition to the car. For timetables to specific towns in the list below, click on the number/name of the line: