Stintino Beaches: Which Alghero Coast Spots to Choose

Why Stintino draws you north-west of Alghero

Stintino sits on the north-west coast of Sardinia roughly 36 km from Sassari, and the drive from Alghero takes about an hour. That makes it a realistic day trip from the Alghero base, though a night in the village saves you the return drive after a long afternoon on the sand.

The setting is what sells it. La Pelosa looks across the water to the Torre Falcone on Isola Piana, and beyond that lies Asinara, the former prison island now run as a protected nature reserve. Boat trips run from Stintino to Asinara and around Isola Piana, so a beach day can be paired with a half-day on the water.

If you are weighing up whether to spend your whole holiday around Alghero or give the north-west tip its own day, this is one of the strongest arguments for heading out. Compare it with the closer sand at the beaches near Alghero before you commit the car for the day. For the practical details, see the Alghero beaches.

La Pelosa: the headline beach at the village's edge

La Pelosa is the beach most people picture when they think of Stintino: fine, pale sand and clear turquoise water, with the tower on Isola Piana framed across the sea. It sits at the edge of the village, so you can walk to it from the centre rather than committing to a full day out with the car.

Because it is the draw, expect company. Visitors describe drones, portable speakers and queues for patches of sand in high summer, which tells you what kind of day this is: spectacular, but social rather than secluded.

There is a restaurant with a panoramic sea view at the beach, so lunch does not have to mean packing up and driving back into the village. The water is shallow and clear close to the shore, which is the reason families gravitate here.

Getting to La Pelosa and where to park

From Alghero the drive is about an hour, and from Sassari it is roughly 36 km. On arrival, parking near the beach is paid and frequently fills; the practical response is to arrive early, or to accept a longer walk in with your kit.

If the car park is full, the walk in with a cool bag, sunshade and beach mats is the trade-off for a late start. Travelling light matters here: a mat, water and shade are the three things you will not want to carry far.

Staying in Stintino village removes the parking problem altogether, since the beach is a walk from the centre and the harbours at Porto Nuovo and Porto Vecchio. It also puts you first in line for an early swim before the day-trippers arrive.

La Pelosa in summer: booking and the towel rule

During summer, access to La Pelosa is limited and requires online booking with a paid ticket. That changes how you plan the day: secure your slot before you set off from Alghero rather than driving an hour and hoping.

The other rule to pack for is that towels cannot go directly on the sand, for conservation reasons, so a beach mat is not optional kit. Fold one into your bag alongside your towel and you will not be caught out at the entrance.

Ticket prices, release dates and the daily cap are set by the beach's management; the Comune di Stintino publishes the current season's arrangements on its own site. Book as soon as your dates are fixed, because summer slots are the thing that goes first.

La Pelosetta: the windsurfing neighbour

Spiaggia de La Pelosetta is the neighbouring stretch, a short distance from La Pelosa and closer to Capo Falcone. Where La Pelosa is the postcard, La Pelosetta is the working beach for wind and boards.

There is a windsurfing centre here where you can rent a board or take lessons, which makes it the pick for anyone who wants activity rather than a sunbathing session. Experienced surfers head here for the same reason families prefer the shallows at La Pelosa.

Because La Pelosetta sits next to the bookable beach, it is a sensible fallback if you want the same turquoise water without committing to a timed entry. Walk between the two and you get both in one day.

Le Saline: white pebbles and no reservation

Le Saline is the contrast to La Pelosa: a shore of small white pebbles near the salt flats, with no reservation needed to use it. If you would rather not plan your day around a booking slot, this is the simpler choice.

Pebbles change the kit list. Bring footwear you can wear into the water, a thick mat or a low chair rather than a thin towel, and something to weigh down anything light if the wind picks up.

The salt flats around the beach are part of the wider landscape here, and the setting feels quieter and less built-up than the La Pelosa side. Combine it with a walk and you have a different kind of Stintino day.

Capo Falcone and Cala Lupo: walking and views

Capo Falcone is the rocky cape just past La Pelosa, and the walk out gives you the view back over the beach, the tower and across to Asinara. Treat it as a walking and photography outing rather than a family swimming stop.

Cala Lupo is the other name that comes up in Stintino, a natural area that rewards confident swimmers and those happy on rock rather than sand. Sturdy shoes and a willingness to scramble make the difference here.

Pair the cape walk with the Museo della Tonnara in the village for a day that mixes coast and local history, especially useful when the wind makes the beach less appealing.

Facilities and what to bring

La Pelosa has a restaurant with a sea view, and the village itself is close enough to walk back to for lunch or an ice cream. Beyond that, the practical facilities at each beach change with the season, so the local tourist office is the place to ask about sunbeds and showers on your dates.

Pack differently for the two main beaches. La Pelosa needs a beach mat because towels cannot touch the sand, while Le Saline needs water shoes and a thicker mat for the pebbles.

A sunshade is worth the carry at both: the sand at La Pelosa is bright and open, and the pebble shore at Le Saline offers little natural shade. Add a refillable water bottle and you have the essentials covered.

Best time to go

Summer is when the sea is at its warmest and when the access system at La Pelosa is in force, so the two go together: the best swimming coincides with the busiest weeks and the need to book. Late spring and early autumn give you warm water with far more room on the sand.

In the peak weeks, go early. The parking fills, the queues build and the beach gets loud, so a morning swim followed by lunch in the village is a better rhythm than arriving at midday.

Outside the booked season, La Pelosa is the easy option and you can turn up without planning. Use those months for the cape walks and the boat trips to Asinara, which reward a full day rather than an afternoon.

Nearby beaches to combine

If you are based in Alghero, the closest sandy alternative is Maria Pia beach, a long pine-backed shore within reach of the town. It is the sensible fallback on a day when the drive north does not appeal.

Further afield, the beaches around Porto Torres and the shoreline at Forrazzu and Spiaggia l'Ancora sit on the same stretch of coast and can be slotted into the drive back. If you are still mapping out the island's northern coast, the Olbia beaches offer a comparable mix of coves and bays to weigh against this side. The Alghero beach guide covers the full run of options if you want to build a beach-hopping itinerary.

Heading south instead, Bosa Marina gives you a different day out with its river-mouth setting and town behind the sand. It is a fair-weather alternative when the north-west tip is booked out.

Where to base yourself

Stintino village puts La Pelosa, the harbours and the restaurants within walking distance, which is the simplest way to enjoy the beach without the parking scramble. The La Pelosa side, with its cluster of hotels and apartments, suits anyone who wants to roll out of bed and onto the sand.

Alghero makes a better base for a wider beach holiday: you get the town, the airport and a spread of beaches along the coast. The trade-off is the hour's drive each way to Stintino, which works for a day trip but wears thin if you plan to visit repeatedly.

Two to three days in Stintino covers the main beach, the cape walk and a boat trip to Asinara; add a fourth and you have time for Le Saline and the village museums. Beyond that, you are better off spreading along the coast.

Plan Your Stintino Beach Day

Book La Pelosa if you want the pale sand and turquoise water and are happy to plan around a timed entry and a beach mat. Choose Le Saline if you would rather turn up unannounced and do not mind pebbles underfoot.

Whichever you pick, arrive early, carry shade and water, and give yourself time for the cape walk or a boat out to Asinara. That combination is what makes the drive to Sardinia's north-west tip worth it.