Alghero–Fertilia · Coral Riviera
Porto Conte Regional Park
Protected nature between Capo Caccia and the bay of the nymphs
✽ 12 km — 20 min by car
The Porto Conte Regional Park, established in 1999, protects 5,200 hectares of land between Porto Conte bay, Capo Caccia, Punta Giglio and the limestone hills of the interior. The area is one of the ecologically richest in Sardinia: intact Mediterranean scrub, sheer cliffs, historic pine forests, karst caves and a stretch of protected sea — the Capo Caccia-Isola Piana Marine Protected Area — which preserves some of the most extensive Posidonia meadows in the Mediterranean. It hosts mouflons, wild boar, peregrine falcons, Sardinian griffon vultures and over a hundred bird species.
The park and its ecosystem
The park is divided into four zones: the Capo Caccia peninsula with its cliffs and griffon-vulture sanctuary; the Porto Conte bay with its beaches and the Mugoni pine forest; the Punta Giglio promontory with the remains of a WWII military base transformed into a refuge; the inland area of the Monte Timidone hills with the Prigionette forest, where Sardinian deer and horses have been reintroduced. The ecosystem hosts endemic species like the Monte Albo cave salamander, the Sardinian discoglossus (an amphibian found only on the island), and the Sardinian mouflon, the park's symbol.
Trails and activities
The park is crossed by a network of fourteen trails of varying difficulty, from easy to challenging, marked and described on the algheroparks.it website. Two of the best: the Griffons' Trail at Capo Caccia (3 km, easy, raptor observatory), and the Punta Giglio Trail (5 km, medium, former anti-aircraft battery and panoramic points over the bay). Beyond trekking, you can cross the park by mountain bike (rental at park facilities) or on horseback (riding centre at Tramariglio). Guided birdwatching in the months from October to April, when migratory birds populate the coastal wetlands.
Practical information
The park is always freely and freely accessible. The main visitor centre is at Tramariglio, inside the former district prison transformed into an environmental museum, open from April to October. Here you can gather information, book guides and rentals, discover volunteer programmes for trail maintenance. Guided activities at prices between €10 and €25. For lovers of experiential tourism, in summer the park organises starry dinners in nature, yoga on the cliffs and sleeping-bag nights under the stars (programme at algheroparks.it).