A Day Trip to Bosa, Sardinia

It’s the beginning of May and on Thursday we go to Bosa. We have actually already visited Bosa and did the panoramic road trip on a long-ago camping trip but are more than happy to repeat. It’s a beautiful sunny day and the views of the coast and intensely blue sea are indeed stunning. We set off at about 9 o’clock and there isn’t much traffic so it’s easy to stop in almost every lay-by to look at the view, admire the gorse-covered hill slopes and take some photos.

The drive should take about an hour but by the time we arrive in Bosa it’s past half past ten. There are a few people around but it’s easy to find parking in the area by the “concerie”, the opposite side of the river Temo from Bosa centre. There’s also a footbridge which links the area to Bosa itself but we wait for a pause in the traffic across the old bridge and cross there.

Bosa is famous for its urban landscape – narrow three storey houses vying for the most outrageous colour scheme bunched up on the slopes below the castle. There’s a gradinata  - steps up to the castle when you come over the bridge and go to the right on the second road but we zigzag the narrow streets between the colorful houses, meeting on the way Angelo (I asked permission to take his photo), who chats to us about the faces he carves in the local trachyte stone. 

Some local women are also selling lacework and there’s a small museum. We arrive up as far as the car park below the castle – you can also go up by car but it’s inadvisable because parking is very limited - but without going up to the castle itself. The view from here is already good, over Bosa as far as the sea and over the river Temo and is valley to the left. By the time we come back down and wander the main street of Bosa, which is kindly pedestrian, it’s getting on for lunchtime so we take the footbridge back to the car and find a bench in the shade (a bit chilly) although there was one in the sun (too hot) for the focaccia I bought from Conad in Alghero and some of the cheese from the market in Alghero the day before.

We don’t linger after eating, but go back across the footbridge and stop for a coffee before exploring a little more. We also go into a craft studio and chat to one of the artists who makes lampshades from the gourds he grows himself. Bosa has a relaxed and genuine feel to it, people are friendly and although we didn’t eat there, several places looked promising. 

We go back to the car and drive to the San Pietro fuori le mura Romanic church where a large motorhome is parked right in front, blocking the view. The church is nice from the outside, well, what we can see of it, but is closed until 3 o’clock. Ah well, we park discreetly at the back in the shade of the olive trees and have a rest. A little after we set off back towards Bosa and stop for a photo of Bosa and its castle and the motorhome trundles past us and stops almost in front of Andrea trying to take the picture. Ah well. We drive down to Bosa Marina, where it’s easy to park. 

The beach is ok, some modern buildings behind it, but the wind is strong and whirls the sand so we call it a day and drive back to Alghero, stopping a few times for the views. The drive to Bosa and a visit to the town makes a nice and relaxing day trip from Alghero, at least this time of the year.

We finish the day with the sunset from the Bastioni.