Porto Torres

Porto Torres is a city on the north west coast of Sardinia, in the Province of Sassari. It is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.

Local attractions include the Thermal baths, the Palazzo of Re Barbaro, the Roman Bridge and the Turritan Antiquarian Museum. The Turritan archaeological area is the largest in Sardinia.

The Basilica of San Gavino, is the Sardinia's largest Romanesque church.

There are also numerous Nuraghic monuments in the area such as the “Margone”, the “Minciaredda” and the "Nieddu" Nuraghi. The tower in the centre of the port dates back to the Aragonese period and was once used as a lighthouse.

Monte d'Accoddi is the site of a megalithic structure, the oldest part are dated to around c. 4,000-
3,650 BC and discovered in 1954. The structure has a base of 27m by 27m and probably reached a height of 5.5m. It has been variously described as an altar, a temple or a step pyramid.

Take a boat trip over to Asinara, which is a wildlife and marine preserve home to a population of wild Albino donkeys. Only organised tours may visit the island and swimming is permitted only on three beaches here. There are many old facilities on the island, including prison facilities, but also small cities built for and by the inhabitants of the quarantine camp, and for the staff that serviced the camp and the prison.

Beaches in the area include Balai at the end of the promenade, Ezzi Mannu beach, located between Porto Torres and Stintino and the white fine sandy Pelosa beach, considered one of the most beautiful in Sardinia. The popular little beach of Scoglio Lungo is located beyond the eastern quay of the port and continuing along Via Mare, as far as the Scoglio Lungo seafront. It has a sheltered position and is set in an artificial quay.

The shopping streets in Porto Torres meander from Corso Vittorio Emanuele to the Basilica of San Gavino, until you reach Via delle Vigne Balai. Many more shops can be found between Piazza Umberto I, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Piazza Garibaldi and the Balai promenade. On summer evenings the city centre is closed to traffic to allow ethnic markets, concerts and shows.

Porto Torres has a variety of markets, one of the most popular is the Thursday morning market, at the intersection of Avenue of the Vines and Liberty Avenue, where you can buy cheeses, meats, fruit, vegetables, flowers, clothing and household items.

Traditional Sardinian cuisine includes spit roasted suckling pig and wild boar, meat, bean and vegetable stews, 'zuppa gallurese' (a soup from the Sassari region) and 'panadas' (oven baked pies of meat, fish or vegetables).

Sardinia also has many special types of bread, made dry, which keeps longer than high-moisture breads.

Veal, chicken and pork dishes as well as seafood such as rock lobster, scampi, squid and sardines can all be found on local menus as can pasta and risotto.

Cruise ships dock at Porto Torres, which is close to the centre of town. Shops, bars and restaurants can be found close to the marina, which is the heart of the harbour.

Car hire is available close to the port and ferries to Genoa on the Italian mainland and Marseille in France are caught from here.