One Of Italy's Most Beautiful Medieval Towns Is An Enchanting, Coastal Sardinia Gem With A Famed Castle

View the beautiful little Castelsardo from close to the marina, and you instantly see it has everything that makes an Italian coastal village just so exquisitely charming. There are the boats ahead, bobbing in the shimmering blues of the Gulf of Asinara, and beyond that a rocky outcrop rising high from the water, painted with pink, yellow, and orange houses leading the eye to a fortress atop the hill and, on most days, a perfect, sunny blue sky.

Many of Castelsardo's sights are in and around the Centro Storico, the small, cobbled old town, with tiny streets leading between centuries-old churches and view-laden parks. As you descend to the lower part of town, you'll find a more modern side with a small handful of scenic hotels close to the water, as well as the marina and a lovely collection of beaches and coves, ideal for exploring the famous Sardinian coastline.

You'll find Castelsardo in the north of Sardinia, a Mediterranean island known for its long, warm summers, colorful villages, and for having some of the world's best beaches. The closest international airport is Alghero Airport, which is around a one-hour drive away. The quickest ferry crossing takes about an hour and departs from Bonifacio on France's Corsica, an underrated Mediterranean gem, to Sardinia's Santa Teresa di Gallura, which is about an hour's drive north of Castelsardo. You can complete the journey entirely by public transport, too. From Rome, you'd take a 40-minute train to Civitavecchia, a ferry to Sardinia's Olbia, and from there a bus. The ferry takes approximately seven hours, while the bus from Olbia to Castelsardo takes around two hours and 20 minutes.

Begin your exploration of Castelsardo at the hilltop castle, known as Castello dei Doria. Up here, you can trace the history of the castle as a residence and fortress built for the Doria family in the 1200s and visit the on-site Museum of Mediterranean Weaving, which showcases local weaving techniques, such as those used for the iconic Sardinian style baskets, in a series of small castle rooms. But the highlights are the ramparts, from which the sweeping panorama of the bay from the western Asinara coast to Santa Teresa Gallura in the east can be enjoyed without interruption.

From the castle, it's a short stroll to Cattedrale di Sant'Antonio Abate, set on a scenic terrace with gorgeous sea views and distinctly recognisable thanks to its long campanile (bell tower) topped by a tiled cupola. Interestingly, it wasn't always a bell tower –– it was actually built originally as a lighthouse. The church has Gothic roots but was enlarged between 1597 to 1607 and completed to its current state in 1727. Inside, there are numerous works of art by the mysterious local artist known only as the Maestro di Castelsardo, most notable of which is the "Madonna in trono con Bambino." For more of the mysterious artist's work, see the crypt beneath the church.

Set snug between the castle and the Parco Lu Grannadu (just beneath the cathedral), is a warren of streets crisscrossing the hill, which belongs to the perfectly pleasant Centro Storico (Old Town). Here, you'll find charming cobbled alleys with the scents of bubbling pots from within busy trattorias, and baskets full of flowers on the walls of old houses, an ideal setting for a scenic post-lunch stroll.

There are plenty of beaches within an easily reachable distance from the historic core of Castelsardo, but, with its crystal clear waters, the beautiful Spiaggia Lu Bagnu is one of the most popular. It's just a short trip west from town, and while there aren't many amenities, it's a popular spot for snorkelling.

A favorite Sardinian beach amongst locals, the delightful Spiaggia della Pelosa is around an hour's drive west of Castelsardo. Here, you'll find not just the requisite fine white sands needed for a perfect beach day, but pristine waters and views of the nearby Isola Piana, and a striking 16th-century tower, the Caletta della Torre, perched on Isola La Torre, just offshore. This is a good option for divers with numerous dive centers close by, and you can rent canoes and surfboards too. You'll likely need to book a spot on the beach at the official website, as it has extremely limited spots.

While Castelsardo is well-suited for a short break off the typical Italian tourist trail, it makes a particularly good option for a wider itinerary exploring Northern Sardinia, between beach days on the Emerald Coast and fascinating towns like Alghero. There are some decent hikes in the area too, with a highlight found at the nearby Multeddu to Mount Ossoni circular. It's a moderately challenging hike that should take about five hours, with various archaeological sights of interest on Mount Ossoni. But the real draw is the exceptional view of Castelsardo from above.