Porto Conte Park · Coral Riviera
Capo Caccia
The most spectacular promontory in north-west Sardinia
✽ 15 km — 25 min by car
Capo Caccia is an imposing white limestone promontory plunging 168 metres sheer into the sea, one of Sardinia's most iconic landscapes. It owes its name ("Hunting Cape") to the medieval practice of falconry, held right here. Today the area is a marine protected area and part of the Porto Conte Regional Park, with an ecosystem of great value: the nest of the Sardinian griffon vulture (reintroduced in the 1980s), the peregrine falcon, intact Mediterranean flora. A twenty-five-minute trip from the apartment takes you to one of the most photographed panoramic points in the Mediterranean.
The promontory and the cliffs
The Capo Caccia cliff is a white-limestone wall four kilometres long dropping vertically into the sea. From the panoramic belvedere at the top — reachable by car — the view opens over the Gulf of Alghero, Isola Piana (small islet in front of the cape), the Ricami Caves and, on clearest days, as far as Asinara. It's the starting point of the Cabirol Staircase descending to Neptune's Caves (see dedicated entry). Some twenty pairs of Sardinian griffon vultures nest in the cliffs, raptors with a two-and-a-half-metre wingspan: you see them circling mainly in the morning, when thermals rise against the rock.
What to do at Capo Caccia
Besides the view from the belvedere, the trekking trails inside the park are worth it — the finest starts from the Capo Caccia lighthouse (the outermost point) and crosses the Mediterranean scrub towards the coast; doable in about two hours, with views every few metres. For birdwatchers, early morning is the time for griffons and peregrine falcons (binoculars essential). At sunset, the belvedere fills with spectators: the raking light on the promontory and the silhouette of Isola Piana against the setting sun create one of Sardinia's most photographed scenes. Bring a light jacket: the wind on the cape can be strong even on warm days.
How to get there and information
From Alghero, by car, take the SP55 towards Porto Conte and continue on the scenic Capo Caccia road — a very suggestive route with curves that gradually reveal the coast. Parking at the top is free but small: at peak times it fills up quickly, better to arrive by 10:00 or in the late afternoon. There are no bars or kiosks on site, only the lighthouse (not open to visitors). Bring water and snacks. No direct public bus service; some Alghero tour operators run combined excursions Capo Caccia + Neptune's Caves + Mugoni.