Bosa Sardinia Italy

Bosa, Sardinia – A Great Day Trip from Alghero

About one hour south of Alghero by car (45 km or 28 miles) is the town of Bosa, home to Sardinia’s only navigable river (the Temo River). We visited Bosa as a day trip from Alghero and we made it part of an interesting loop drive – visiting Basilica della Santissima Trinità di Saccargia on the way (see below) and Nuraghe Santu Antine. It’s possible to visit all three sights in one day if you get going early from Alghero. (For a general map of the regions we visited in Sardinia, click here).

Bosa is an ancient town, it was established by the Phoenicians and continued to grow under the Romans. It’s easy to see why, Bosa is an ideal port location – close to the coast and at the mouth of the Temo River.

View of Bosa and its 13th century castle as seen from our drive into town.

Malaspina Castle

One of the main sights in Bosa is Malaspina Castle. You can drive up to the castle and park just below it. Even then, you have a steep walk up into the Castle. There is not much left of the Castle other than the walls (which you can walk), a few towers (which you can climb) and the 14th century Chiesa di Nostra Signora di Regnos Altos, which has some lovely frescoes.

The view of Bosa from Malaspina Castle, built in the 12th and 13th centuries by a Tuscan noble family to protect Bosa from pirate raids.

14th century frescoes of Saints in the Chiesa di Nostra Signora di Regnos Altos, within the walls of Malaspina Castle.

The old town of Bosa is a delight to wander, and as is possible in every Italian town, we enjoyed some great food!

A postcard view of Bosa with the Malaspina Castle in the distance, the old town across the river, and Ponte Vecchio spanning the Temo River. We parked for free near this spot, just a short walk from the old town.

St. Peter’s Church

Just outside Bosa along the south shore of the Temo River is St. Peter’s Church, which dates from the second half of the 11th century. The Church can be visited, but was closed at the time of our visit. There is information posted about the Church near the entrance.

Views of St. Peter’s Church outside Bosa. The image on the right is a snapshot of a signpost at the Church, to at least provide a glimpse of the interior.

On the Drive to Bosa: Basilica della Santissima Trinità di Saccargia

The Church of the Holy Trinity Saccargia is about a 40-minute drive (50 km or 31 miles) from Alghero. It is well worth the “detour” to visit this fascinating 12th century Pisan-style basilica on the way to Bosa. The abbey was built on the site of a pre-existing monastery, of which there are some scant ruins.

Views of the exterior of The Church of the Holy Trinity Saccargia, constructed of alternating layers of white limestone and dark volcanic rock.

Views of The Church of the Holy Trinity Saccargia’s nave. The frescoes are from the second half of the 12th century – amazingly well-preserved.

Some interesting figures in the church – left – a face in the wall of the nave and right – cows carved into a pillar on the portico. Some believe the name of the Church comes from the Sardinian word for “cow with the spotted hide”, but this is not likely. The land surrounding the church is rural and probably has been perfect grazing pasture for centuries.

About 20 minutes south of The Church of the Holy Trinity Saccargia is the ancient archeological site of Nuraghe Santu Antine, also a very worthwhile stop before turning southwest on your drive towards Bosa. Since I covered our visits to Sardinia’s ancient Nuraghe in another post, I won’t comment further on it here.

After our visit to Bosa, we drove north along the west coast of Sardinia back to Alghero. It was a scenic, beautiful drive and the perfect end to another perfect day in Sardinia.