Porto Conte Natural Park and Marine Protected Area

The Porto Conte Natural Park and Protected Marine Area is located in north-western Sardinia, between the municipality of Alghero to the south and the municipality of Sassari to the north, in the Argentiera area. It has an area of about 5000 hectares and 60 km of coastline. Three species of amphibians, eleven species of reptiles, seventy-five species of birds and twenty-three species of mammals breed in the park. There are, for example, the greater and minor berta, the tufted marangone, the griffon, the peregrine falcon, the great svasso and the sultan chicken, the Giara horse, the Sardinian donkey, the white Asinara donkey and the fallow deer. The flora, typically Mediterranean, has an important contingent of endemic species such as the spiny cornflower and the extremely rare Sardinian buglossa.

The park can be divided into three zones: to the south, between Alghero and Fertilia the lagoon area of the Calich. Heading north is the area of the Punta Giglio promontory with its unique habitat. Further north is the State Forest managed by the Ente Foreste and the promontory of Capo Caccia.

The managing body is the Azienda Speciale Parco di Porto Conte, a company owned by the municipality of Alghero and entrusted with the management of the two protected areas by the Autonomous Region of Sardinia and the Ministry of the Environment and Protection of Land and Sea; it is based in Tramariglio, in the former penal colony called Casa Gioiosa. On the other hand, Le Prigionette State Forest and a large part of the Park's forest heritage is managed by the Ente Foreste.

Through the C.E.A.M.A.T. (Centre for Marine and Terrestrial Environmental Education) the park offers guided tour packages for schools, individuals and groups. The park is part of the North Sardinia and Corsica Parks Network (Retraparc). Within the park there are trails for trekking, horse-riding, cycling and on the coast diving and snorkelling activities.

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Park Authority: Monday to Friday 9am to 2pm
For emergencies outside office hours 335 1618744.

Web site https://www.algheroparks.it/