Alghero

Alghero is the surprise of any Mediterranean cruise itinerary. Geographically it’s in Italy, but the city was Catalan for over 400 years and the old town still feels more Barcelona than Rome. Street signs are in three languages (Italian, Sardinian, and a Catalan dialect), the architecture leans Spanish-Gothic, and the regional food has clear Catalan influences.

The medieval Old Town sits on a peninsula behind 16th-century sea-facing bastions you can walk along for harbor and sunset views. Restaurants near the harbor specialize in Sardinian seafood — particularly bottarga (cured tuna roe) and the famous local lobster pasta.

EWT Tours visits Alghero on the Mediterranean cruise. Optional shore excursion: Neptune’s Grotto, a sea cave system reached by a stunning cliffside staircase or boat ride.