Travel guide

Cala Gonone, and those of Nettuno (Neptune), near Alghero beneath the
rocky promontory of Cape Caccia. The Grotte del Bue Marino (Caves of
the Monk Seal) comprise two sections: the north branch, currently
fossilised because of the cessation of karstic activity, and the south branch,
still active and open to the public. The latter is incredibly rich in
concretions, including stalactites and stalagmites of different shades which,
mirrored into the many pools, give rise to coloured reflections of stunning
beauty. The Grotte di Nettuno (Neptune’s Caves) can be reached either by
Nettuno’s grottoes
boat or through the Escala del Cabirol, a long staircase carved in 1954 into
the promontory. Inside the caves is a large salty pool, 120 m long, with
huge pillars rising up to the surface formed by the joining of stalactites
with stalagmites. Picturesque concretions, enormous halls and mysterious
tunnels, the outcome of the endless erosion of the sea into the limestone
rock, complete this mighty and fascinating nook of Sardinia. The Sardinian
coast typically features wetlands. Of these, 20% are uniformly distributed
along the coastal areas, whereas the remaining 80% are concentrated into
three main sectors: the Gulf of Oristano, the Gulf of Palmas, and the Gulf
of Cagliari. The area of Cagliari is the south-eastern end point of the
Campidano and is covered by swamps and lagoons over an area of 4500
ha. The Laguna di Santa Gilla (Santa Gilla Lagoon) spreads into the
western part of town, whereas in the eastern one are the swamps of
Poetto, Molentargius, and Quartu. The most interesting naturalistic feature
is the rich bird fauna (180 species in total) which populates these pools,
with some rare species including the purple swamphen, the black-winged
stilt, the marsh harrier and many others, let alone the well-known pink
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