Alghero - A Rough Guide

Avis is another well known car hire company with a desk at Alghero airport.
You are usually better off booking your car hire before you arrive at Alghero airport - that way you have more chance of getting the type of car you want. Also you avoid the queues and hassle at the airport and any potential language problems. With an advance booking you can just show the staff the booking confirmation - no problems trying to translate MPV into Italian.
Tips: Air con in Sardinia is essential in the summer.
Petrol in Aug 2008 was 1.42 Euro a litre in Alghero.
Many petrol pumps are pre-pay in Sardinia

We stayed at the Soleado - just across the road from the beach about 1km from the Old town.
The Soleado is a fine 3 start hotel - nothing grand - but clean rooms and friendly staff. The swimming pool is great to cool off in the 34 degree heat - and a shallow pool for smaller children is handy.
There is a bar which we never used. We stayed Bed and Breakfast - the breakfast is fine but don’t expect a “full English”. No toast and just one cereal with UHT milk - as well as cold hard boiled eggs, ham , cheese, fruit ,yoghurt, croissants, cakes,bread rolls. We bought our own cereal down each day (all bran).
Air conditioning in all rooms (you will need it) - no extra charge.
There are small fridges in the rooms too - handy for the odd drink. If you drink the bottled water in the fridge you will be charged 1.50 euro each - so buy your own in the supermarket for about 30c.
Overall - a good hotel though and we would stay here again.

Yes - it seems to get everywhere - McDonalds the fast food giant has a restaurant in Alghero. It must be strange for the locals having to order Mcnuggets and Happy Meals - but there are a couple of redeeming factors. You can buy beer in this Mcdonalds - italian draught beer! There is a small indoor play area (not for dads) and you can get proper coffee from a proper coffee maker. They also have a special caprese salad - with tomatoes and mozarella. The Mcdonalds - if you want to go - is situated about 500 metres from the marina towards the Lido - on the right (there are signs for it).

In Alghero - as on many Italian beaches - there are many “private” areas of the beach that are roped off where you have to hire or rent sun loungers and umbrellas by the day. In Alghero the going rate was €15 a day for two beds and an umbrella . They get booked up very early in the high season and at weekends - you may need to book a couple of days in advance. I think you migh get a a discount if you book a whole week in one go.
Included in the price is use of the toilets and showers and access to things like air beds and other inflatables and toys for the kids.
You could always buy an umbrella and a couple of deck chairs and sit on the public beach areas - but hey - your’e on holiday - why not treat yourself?

Don’t be expecting too much in the way of food, drink or shops in the departure area of Alghero airport.
There are a couple of vending machines, toilets and seats - and that is it.
If you want someting to eat or drink apart from a chocolate bar or a fizzy drink - then stay outside the departure area as long as you can. In the main waiting area of the airport at Alghero - there are two cafes and two small shops selling paper and magazines etc. Don’t expect too many English language reading material - on my visit they were either sold out or never had any English papers. There were a few UK magazines - but not many

When departing from Alghero Airport there is one tip that may avoid some confusion and emabarrasment.
After you have checked in your hold luggage and had the labels stuck on etc. - the check in staff make you take the suitcases back and you have to take them over to be put through a scanner . After the scanner the bags go on a conveyor belt to be loaded by staff on to the planes.
I saw at least one unfortunate couple who were very confused and ended up taking the big bags into the boarding gates to carry on to the plane! Of course they were stopped and had to rush back and try and get the suitcases through the scanner and hope they got on to the plane. This seems a very strange practice - something I have not seen at any other airport - but I haven’t been to that many airports. Why can they not just send all the bags via conveyor belts to be scanned. Maybe this was a temporary measure - I hope so!

Hertz have a car rental desk at Alghero Airport - one of many at the airport.
Hertz car hire prices may not always be the cheapest - but they do seem to have a good selection of cars.
Expect to be offered Italian made cars such as Fiat - make sure you get air conditioning otherwise you will bake in the 34 degree summer temperatures.
Car Hire Alghero Airport
Car hire in Italian is Autonoleggio