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New Year’s Eve in Alghero is one of the best festivals in northern Sardinia. The crowds gather along the ancient city walls that surround the harbour, looking out to the sea towards Spain, ready to salute the old year. It is a chance not only to participate in the noise and merriment, but also a chance to enjoy shows and street performances that animate the streets of the historic centre, the aristocratic palaces and the Aragonese Churches.
The New Year festival has taken place over the last ten years and has become a major event in Sardinia’s calendar. The city is filled with street artists especially jugglers, stage designers, and actors, and there are many mini-productions and shows in the town’s squares. You can also enjoy music concerts around the harbour. The medieval centre of Alghero becomes filled with people wearing brightly coloured costumes, faces covered in make-up, joining in the impromptu parades that make their way through the narrow streets.
The celebrations each year take on a different theme, with preparations starting from the beginning of December. Throughout the month you can find outdoor events around the town, thanks to the mild Sardinian climate, including firework displays over the sea. Crowds gather along the city walls, the bastions and the towers that surround this fortified coastal city to enjoy the shows that light up the night sky.
The last day of the year is traditionally when you eat the local dish, 'Catalan Lobster', a traditional Catalan recipe. Ensure you accompany it with a glass of local white wine like Terre Bianche to toast the new year. Or just stroll along the market stalls and little shops searching for souvenirs made from red coral, another thing for which this city is famous.
Text by Monia Melis
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