What's on in Alghero, Italy through the year

Peak crowds — travelers describe it as peak season, Christmas holidays in Italy

Nothing new starts in January.

Still on: The maestrale (15 Oct – 15 May (usually)), Winter: flights and hotels thin out (1 Nov – 20 Mar)

Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in February.

Still on: The maestrale (15 Oct – 15 May (usually)), Winter: flights and hotels thin out (1 Nov – 20 Mar)

Busy — Setmana Santa, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Setmana Santa

  29 Mar – 5 AprEaster & Holy WeekCrowded

  Holy Week here is done in Catalan, not Italian, and the Mysteries processions through the old walls are the reason Sardinians and Catalans both travel for it. Book the walled town early. Source ↗

Still on: The maestrale (15 Oct – 15 May (usually)), Winter: flights and hotels thin out (1 Nov – 20 Mar)

Peak crowds — Setmana Santa, Easter holidays in Italy

Nothing new starts in April.

Still on: Setmana Santa (29 Mar – 5 Apr), The maestrale (15 Oct – 15 May (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: The maestrale (15 Oct – 15 May (usually))

Busy — Summer holidays in Italy, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Hazard

  Sardinian fire season

  1 Jun – 15 OctSmoke season

  The regional fire campaign runs all summer and the worst days are the ones when the maestrale is up. Scrub roads and some coastal paths shut at short notice. Source ↗

• Season

  Sea warm enough to swim

  20 Jun – 5 Oct · usually

  The bay holds its heat into early October, and the beaches north towards Fertilia are usable a fortnight after the Italian season has officially ended.

Busy — Summer holidays in Italy, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in July.

Still on: Sardinian fire season (1 Jun – 15 Oct), Sea warm enough to swim (20 Jun – 5 Oct (usually))

Peak crowds — Ferragosto, Summer holidays in Italy

• Holiday

  Ferragosto

  5–25 AugSchool holidaysCrowdedBook early

  Mainland Italy arrives by ferry for the middle fortnight of August and the town roughly doubles. Anything on the beach road is booked out months ahead. Source ↗

• Nature

  Vermentino harvest

  20 Aug – 5 Oct · usually

  The vineyards on the plain behind the town bring in vermentino and cannonau from late August, and the cellars at Santa Maria La Palma open for it.

Still on: Sardinian fire season (1 Jun – 15 Oct), Sea warm enough to swim (20 Jun – 5 Oct (usually))

Busy — Summer holidays in Italy, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in September.

Still on: Sardinian fire season (1 Jun – 15 Oct), Sea warm enough to swim (20 Jun – 5 Oct (usually)), Vermentino harvest (20 Aug – 5 Oct (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

• Season

  The maestrale

  15 Oct – 15 May · usuallyWind seasonRisk

  The northwesterly comes straight at this coast for most of the cold half of the year. It is what cancels the Capo Caccia boats and what keeps the town's terraces facing inland.

Still on: Sardinian fire season (1 Jun – 15 Oct), Sea warm enough to swim (20 Jun – 5 Oct (usually)), Vermentino harvest (20 Aug – 5 Oct (usually))

Quiet — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

• Season

  Winter: flights and hotels thin out

  1 Nov – 20 MarOff-season shutdownClosures

  Most of the summer routes into Fertilia airport stop, the seafront hotels close and the town shrinks back to its residents. The old quarter keeps a handful of restaurants going. Source ↗

Still on: The maestrale (15 Oct – 15 May (usually))

Busy — Christmas holidays in Italy, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in December.

Still on: The maestrale (15 Oct – 15 May (usually)), Winter: flights and hotels thin out (1 Nov – 20 Mar)