Things to Do and See in Sassari

Sassari is the provincial capital, second only to Cagliari in population, and was built on a limestone plateau sloping down toward the Gulf of Asinara, whose beaches lie about 15 kilometers away; It was founded during the Middle Ages when the inhabitants of the coastal areas sought refuge in the inland countryside to escape raids by Saracen pirates. The Baroque façade of the Cathedral, dedicated to St. Nicholas, rises imposingly in the very center of the historic district, but Piazza d’Italia has always been considered the heart of the city. It is surrounded and embellished by elegant buildings with Art Nouveau façades, and the 19th-century city developed around it. The city is surrounded by centuries-old olive groves planted during the long period of Spanish rule; these groves characterize the landscape and contribute to the growth of the local economy through the production of the highly prized “Bosana” variety of olive oil. The main tourist destinations are Castelsardo, which, overlooking the center of the Gulf of Asinara, boasts a unique panorama stretching across all the coasts of the Gulf, including those of Corsica; Alghero, also known as “Little Barcelona” because of the preservation of the Catalan language, spoken by 22.4% of its inhabitants in the Alghero dialect; and Stintino, the southernmost tip of Sardinia jutting out into crystal-clear waters.