Location: Porto Torres
Top Things to do in Porto Torres
- 1. Parco Nazionale Asinara
- 2. Basilica San Gavino
- 3. Spiaggia di Balai
- 4. Altare Monte d'Accoddi
- 5. Museo Archeologico Nazionale Antiquarium Turritano
- 6. Torre Aragonese
- 7. Pista Ciclabile e Pedonale
- 8. Area Archeologica Tombe Ipogeiche - Via Libio 53
- 9. Ponte Romano sul fiume Rio Mannu
- 10. Museo del Porto
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The 10 Best Things to Do in Porto Torres, Italy
Porto Torres is a comune and city in northern Sardinia, in the Province of Sassari.
It is situated on the north-west coast about 25 kilometres east of the Gorditanian promontory, and on the spacious bay of the Gulf of Asinara.
Restaurants in Porto Torres
1. Parco Nazionale Asinara
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 847 reviews
Reviewed By ClairefromUK
We booked a trip through the company which runs the beach bus from Alghero.
It's Cattognoviaggi or Cattognobus and their office is near the beach on the corner near the main road - via Degli Orti, 1
We popped in and booked the excursion to Isola dell'Asinara for €63pp which included coach collection, the boat, tour guide on The Green Train.
(There are other excursions for the Red Train.)
We paid for the return bus €15 pp at the office. Once collected by coach the driver gave us a written confirmation that the trip had been reserved.
Upon arrival at the port, just before you reach the boat you pay the remainder of the monies due. It was well organised and you were given a green band to wear for the duration of the trip, this was returned upon departure. The coach driver waits for the boat to arrive before departing.
The boat across to the island was about 25mins. There is a small shop upon arrival for food/drinks. Toilets cost 50cent€. The train and your guide then travel across the island. Our guide was informative and gave commentary in Italian & English.
We stopped at the prison and went inside.
Along the route we were given the option to alight the train about 400m from the picnic stop as part of our lunch break, then walk to meet the rest of the tour before departure. The visit the turtle rescue centre which was €2.50pp. Today they had 3 tanks, each containing an injured Turtle. The staff member told the story of why each was there, in Italian and then English.
During out trip we spotted several white donkeys. We were told about several plants and historical information relating to the island.
We had a 2 hour stop before our return for some swimming. The water looked very inviting and appeared shallow. There were a few fish so if you choose to swim take a towel and a snorkel!!
Personally I found the beach area below the standard/size I was expecting. Parts of the area had broken glass and there were many rocks. There were 2 trains in convoy so a lot of people sharing a small area with no shade was not to my liking.
I did notice upon leaving, if you walked up the hill about 50m, there were picnic benches under the shade of the trees.
During the trip we could not find any leaflets in English. To be better informed you could do a search on the Island before going.
Amazing landscape and history.
Approx timings: Bus from Alghero departed approx 8am, boat about 10am, return boat 5.30pm bus returned 6pm and back into Alghero by 7.30pm.
It seemed easier to book this tour rather than do it independently given the distant to travel when you are relying on public transport.
2. Basilica San Gavino
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 185 reviews
Reviewed By masterecho - London, United Kingdom
At first review, Porto Torres appeared to offer little for a cruise ship visitor. Sardinia’s main town and capital is Cagliari, over 200 kilometres and two and half hours away, at the other end of the island and the train service too irregular to be of use for a departure at 18.00.
We were, however, pleasantly surprised with the place.
The local tourist representative provided a map and indicated the location of a couple of museums, one being archaeological. Leaving the quayside, we had been greeted by vendors promoting a nearby pop-up food market, whilst the main street, Corso Vittorio Emanuele ll had been closed to traffic and was filled with craft stalls, which we decided to browse later after first visiting the closed Maritime railway station. Leaving here, we continued to the new one, consulted the timetable, and abandoned any idea of straying outside Porto Torres, made doubly difficult as it was Easter Saturday.
The commercial harbour is unsuitable for yachts, but at the smaller, eastern end, where the Ferries berth, there are two small basins at the south east end which have been gentrified and converted into Marinas, the Marina di Porto Torres and Marina Cormorano. Walking past this there is a beach and this offers a pleasant walk.
Evidence of the abandoned port infrastructure can be seen in the residue of railway tracks in the road, leading to the abandoned Maritime station that no longer links to Ferries, though the latter still operate.
We retraced our steps back from the train station to the main street, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, and decided to head first to the Basilica di San Gavino some distance away, just off the opposite end of Corso Vittorio Emanuele II.
However the first place we came across that looked of some interest was La Chiesa Della Beata Vergine Della Consolata, (the Church of the Blessed Virgin of Consolation). It is a small, almost square-shaped church set back off the Corso Vittorio Emanuele II on the right hand side of the street, coming from the port.
Churches can be interesting places in themselves by virtue of the architectural styles they represent, whilst their degree of ornateness indicates the wealth lavished on their construction and so the affluence of (at least) some of those who funded construction. As it was Easter Saturday, the church displayed symbols of the crucifixion and resurrection.
Leaving this little church we continued our walk up the main street to find the Basilica. This is set on higher ground, and is typical of similar building across Western Europe whose origins date back to the 11th century. Floral displays and with a half risen Jesus on the cross were in front of the altar, no doubt, all part of the commemorations for Easter Saturday.
After spending half an hour or so in the church, we then retraced our steps to return to the port and to see what the craft stalls had to offer. Many were unusual and quirky, and many home-made objects for babies made of shells and other materials, but all quite expensive. We were not tempted to buy, so it was back to the ship after a couple of hours of perambulation around this pleasant, unpretentious town.
3. Spiaggia di Balai
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 166 reviews
Reviewed By Matteo C - Porto Torres, Sardegna, Italy
Emerald Water, Golden Sand, full of fishes and a Great panoramic view. Next to the city of Porto Torres, a peculiar place almost was hidden.
Just Paradise.
Around Kiosks and restaurants and bar, bike-stop, free showers and parking
Amazing bikeway.
An amazing green grass around. But it's a shame that the whole place was completely messed up from groups of teenagers that loudly was disturbing all the visitors and local people for enjoying the place.
The local Authority needs to pay more attention to keeping clean, tidy and safe this beautiful pearl in Sardinia.
However must visit this place.
Beautiful and Suggestive.
4. Altare Monte d'Accoddi
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 126 reviews
Reviewed By aa27 - Lausanne, Switzerland
We found I easily, brown touristic panels lead you there.
After parking, a walk on a road roman-liked paved, that already put you back in time, along a vast plane. On the left, the ticket office, where a very kind and enthusiastic woman explain you the history of the site, with the help of some panels and artifacts. She will lead you also on site, if you get there at a time where someone else can substitute her in the office ( not in our case, but the explanation were clear enough, she indicated us the places where to stop from the door, and she can give you a booklet with exact translation of all the panels that are in Italian only).
The site is impressive, a menhir, two round rocks to symbolise probably the life, an altar (there was a snake underneath! Much scared then us, disappeared quickly from our view), tracks of houses on the back, and then the Ziggurat itself, on which you can climb to see the view and imagine you back in time, with the 3 different layers under your feet corresponding to different periods, starting 4000a.c.! Multiple necropolis lay in other sites not far from here. You can imagine the whole area, now empty, as densely populated in the remote past!
5. Museo Archeologico Nazionale Antiquarium Turritano
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 76 reviews
The National Archaeological Museum Antiquarium Turritano, opened in 1984, exhibits archaeological findings documenting the life aspects of the Roman City Turris Libisonis, which was, according to Pliny the Elder, the only Roman colony in Sardinia. The city was founded either by Julius Caesar or by his adoptive son Augustus in 46 BC. The modern city of Porto Torres was built over the remains of the ancient city and its burial areas. Excavations have revealed the ancient streets and monumental remains of public and private buildings and have allowed us to uncover many aspects of Roman citizens' life. Archaeological park tour: Central Baths, Orpheus' Domus, Pallottino Baths.
Reviewed By David A - Blairgowrie, United Kingdom
We were the only visitors at this museum and yet the staff were so helpful. Having dropped off the teenage kids at a lovely beach we went to the tourist office and decided to visit this museum. What a discovery - although we don't speak very much Italian and the staff don't speak much English we had an amazing visit and learned so much. A gentleman took us outside through an amazing tour of the site and gave us so much information that it all came alive. We subsequently spent a week in Rome but this museum visit had a such an impact and was a highlight to our holiday in Italy. Also the price, about 3 euro, was too low!
6. Torre Aragonese
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 16 reviews
7. Pista Ciclabile e Pedonale
Overall Ratings
4 based on 10 reviews
8. Area Archeologica Tombe Ipogeiche - Via Libio 53
Overall Ratings
5 based on 4 reviews
9. Ponte Romano sul fiume Rio Mannu
Overall Ratings
4 based on 6 reviews
10. Museo del Porto
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4 reviews
Reviewed By raffaele g - Pescara, Italy
Bella vista esterna- Un recupero funzionale ed estetico, con i due magazzini e la perimetrazione lignea. La memoria dell'era moderna e della tradizione turritana del mare. Interessante il ricordo dei caduti in mare ,delle corazzate affondate nel golfo dell'asinara nel 1943.
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