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Nature

porto-di-alghero-notturna

The Flora and Fauna: 



The Alghero area is covered in the main by Mediterranean maquis, which – with its mixture of plants – offers up that inimitable fragrance that every tourist always picks up on as soon as they get off the plane. Contrary to what you might think, the pine tree is not native to the island. One of the most well-known Mediterranean scrub plants is myrtle, which is used by a local company to produce myrtle liqueur.
The most remarkable creatures in the vicinity include the colonies of griffon vultures, which can be seen on the coast between Alghero and Bosa, and around Punta Cristallo, where you can also see deer, Asinara donkeys and foals in the wild. There are numerous, brightly coloured species of birds in the skies above this part of the island, particularly at the Calic basin.



The Grotte di Nettuno, Sardinia's most famous caves: 



The mouth of the Grotta di Nettuno (Neptune's Cave) is located at sea level, on the western side of the imposing promontory of Capo Caccia, which can be reached by sea in one of the boats that leave from the docks of the old port, or over land, via a long staircase of 656 steps carved out of the rock (the so-called "escala del cabirol”), which, from a height of 110 metres, descends steeply to the mouth of the cave, offering panoramic views along the way. The formation of the cave may date from the early Pleistocene epoch, around two million years ago.

Near Neptune's Cave is the Grotta Verde, which can unfortunately no longer be visited by the public. In this karstic cave, also known as the “Grotta dell'Altare”, prehistoric graffiti have been found, along with remains dating from the Neolithic period. The cave, featuring stalagmites measuring up to 12 metres in height, has over recent years been subject to works geared towards stabilising it, with a view to allowing tourists and enthusiasts to visit it once again.



Capo Caccia-Isola Piana Marine Protected Area: 



The Marine Protected Area is located between Marina di Lioneddu and Capo Galera. This tract of coast, studded with caves and gorges, is loomed over by the promontory of Capo Caccia, with cliff faces plunging into the deep blue sea. The celebrated bay of Porto Conte, which stretches for a full 6 km, is located here.
The karstic caves with the evocative names Nettuno, Verde, Palombi, Pizzi and Ricami, constitute an articulated underground system. Across from the promontory, formerly a national park, you will find the Piana and Foradada islands, the latter so-called due to the cave that perforates it. The bay of Porto Conte includes an expanse of Posidonia oceanica (Mediterranean tapeweed), at a depth of between 10 and 35 metres. The marine environment is in an excellent state of conservation, as evinced by the presence of colonies of red coral at a depth of between 40 and 50 metres – hence the name "Riviera del Corallo" or Coral Riviera. At the same depth are populations of violescent sea-whip and sponges of the Axinella genus. The Marine Protected Area, established in late 2002, extends across a surface area of 2,631 hectares and is managed by Alghero City Council. (link sito amp)



Coral



Corallium rubrum (red coral), which grows abundantly along the coast of Alghero, has been used to make necklaces since ancient times. Coral fishing was traditionally carried out by experts who would dive down more than 100 metres. Today, fishing for coral is prohibited.
The branches are selected on the basis of their colour and thickness, and it is the thickness that makes the piece suitable for working. Colour and compactness are other important elements.
The craftspeople of Alghero are experts at carving coral into exceptional pieces of jewellery.



grotte-nettuno
Comune di Alghero
Club Nautico Alghero
Yacht Club Alghero
Lega Navale Italiana
Confartigianato
Confcommercio