Sardinia in May Day 8 Alghero Porto ferro and Costa Argentiera

We're spending two nights in Sassari but the plan for the one full day is to be at La Pelosa beach very early in the morning to then move on to walk along the coast in the Argentiera area, have a picnic somewhere shady and visit Alghero and relax in the afternoon.

A great plan. Except there are problems with family so I get off the phone at nearly midnight, sleep badly, wake late, call again and am ready to look out of the window only at half past eight. When I finally do, it's cloudy. So we go to Alghero, a short and easy drive. We manage to find free parking in a side street about half a kilometre from the historical centre. We'd visited Alghero about 15 years ago and have positive memories. The old centre within the walls is very nice by Sardinian standards, and the bell tower of soft dark sandstone is attractive. 

We wander the streets and along the bastioni or walls, reminiscent of Gallipoli and also of Cadiz. We have a look inside the church and go as far as the start of the lungomare near the harbour but time is getting on and we want to find something for a picnic somewhere nice. We don't see any shops that inspire and Eurospin has no gastronomia section. Instead, on the way out of Alghero we see the weekly market and stop for a look. No ready food vans, but several stalls selling local cheese. Andrea chooses some pecorino sold by a Cooperativa.

It's getting past lunchtime so we head for Costa Argentiera but are curious to see signposts for Lago Baratz, the only natural lake in Sardegna, formed when the sand dunes on the coast blocked the river valley of the Giunchi river. Without outlets, the maximum depth of the lake does not increase due to the permeability of the sand dune but the current level is particularly low due to lack of rain. There's some limited parking at the start of the path going round the lake but unfortunately no picnic area or table. 

After another phone call we head towards Porto Ferro, hungry and tired and end up having one of the most uncomfortable picnics ever in the limited and smelly shade of Torre Mozza with an absolutely spectacular view of blue sea and sky, a hundred shades of green of Mediterranean undergrowth and the salmon red sand of Porto Ferro beach and the surrounding rocks.

Coffee would now be ideal so who knows why we skip several suitable places just because they aren't special and drive down to the beach of Argentiera. It's hot and the sun is scorching and anybody sensible would opt for a snooze in the shade. Hence we set out along the dirt track. It's one of those days. But the views are worth it.

Our lost stop is at Spiaggia di Ezzi Mannu, supposedly a quieter alternative to La Pelosa, and with excellent reviews on Google Maps. Really, on the part we access near Bar Fenicotteri (closed so no coffee) there are tiny pebbles not sand, the water shelves down deeply immediately, there's an excellent view of the thermoelectric power plant in Porto Torres and we both get severely bitten by tiny insects.

Oh well, one of those days, and proof that careful planning doesn't always work.

Itching, in a lack-of-caffeine crisis, and sun-reddened, we return home to the (fortunately!) excellent accommodation in Sassari.