Alghero · Coral Riviera
Maria Pia beach
Sand, dunes and pine forest, the beach closest to Alghero centre
✽ 3 km — 10 min by car
Maria Pia beach stretches for over a kilometre west of Alghero, just past the Lido, and marks the natural transition from the city to the Coral Riviera landscape. It stands out for its centuries-old pine forest of junipers and Aleppo pines reaching almost to the waterline, offering natural shade zones that are scarce on other beaches. Pale sand dunes, clear water, shallow bottom: ideal for families with young children.
The pine forest and the dunes
The Maria Pia pine forest is a protected ecosystem of Mediterranean scrub — junipers, mastic, Aleppo pines — with wooden boardwalks that protect the dunes and lead to the sea. It's also an ideal picnic area, with free tables among the trees. The dunes, a few metres tall, create wind-sheltered zones much appreciated when the Mistral blows. The water is shallow for at least twenty metres, with a fine sandy bottom — children play safely without parents having to watch constantly.
Access and services
Free gravel parking in various areas along the coastal road (occasional fees at the most central points in August, €2–3). A couple of bar-kiosks and a restaurant on the beach, parasol rental in some sections. Few beach clubs — most of the beach is free-access. In Mistral conditions the waves can rise: the dunes reduce the wind's impact on people, but swimming becomes demanding. A nautical centre with SUP, windsurf and kayak rental also operates in summer.