Making the most of Porto Torres
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
The port is very close to the town centre. Take along a printable map.
At the mouth of the Mannu River, Porto Torres sits on the Gulf of Asinara, an inlet of the Mediterranean, just northwest of Sassari city, for which it serves as port. First a Phoenician port, it later came under Carthaginian and Roman control; the Romans called it Turris Libisonis.
Porto Torres's marina, at the heart of the civic harbor overlooking the Gulf of Asinara, is 9 miles from Stintino, 10 miles from Cala Reale on Asinara Island and 13 miles from Castelsardo.
Much of ancient Turris Libysonis's Roman fabric survives today: aqueducts, sewers, thermal baths, the forum and a few temples remain in good condition, while the Mannu river bridge is still usable. These Roman antiquities are certainly the city's main attraction and are considered a pole of vital importance to Sardinian commerce and industry.
The modern harbor is clearly visible from Balai Beach, famous because it is home to San Gavino Basilica, which rises on a cave dedicated to the saint. Porto Torres is a very interesting city that can capture visitors' attention.
Getting around
A ferry to Asinara, certainly the area's main excursion, may be tempting. For the last few years Asinara has been a natural park, though it has in truth always been a prison; fishing the sea bed and similar activities are prohibited, and it is now one of the richest in the world. This lets divers with oxygen tanks experience, more than anywhere else, the underwater world's fascination.
Sardinian Railways serve the Alghero-Porto Torres-Palau-Macomer-Nuoro lines.
Tip: Il Trenino Verde's special tourist trains run only between June and September on these routes: Mandas/ Arbatax; Isili/ Sorgono; Macomer/ Bosa; Nulvi/ Tempio/ Palau. They are an excellent way to discover the Sardinian hinterland. Vintage wagons from 1913 and steam locomotives from the 1930s travel through spectacular mountain gorges of breathtaking beauty and otherwise unreachable areas. These memorable journeys can feel like a step back in time—think D.H. Lawrence in the "Sea and Sardinia" book.
Nearby places
Sassari, Sardinia's second largest town and capital of the province of the same name, stands on a limestone plateau in the island's northwest, some 15km/9mi south of the Golfo dell'Asinara. It is an archiepiscopal see and university town, as well as an important commercial and administrative center. The Cavalcata Sarda, with riding competitions and a procession in historical costumes, is held in May; the Festa dei Candelieri follows on August 14th. The traffic hub is palm-shaded Piazza Cavallino de Honestis; immediately southeast of it is the large Piazza d'Italia, with a…
Food and shopping
Near Marina di Porto Torres, supermarkets and shops are close to restaurants as well.
Money
Currency: Euro.
Staying connected
Sardu (Sardinian) and Italian are the languages used.
Wi-Fi is available near the Marina.
Use 112 in an emergency.
Opening Hours and
Across Italy, most shops and businesses open Monday to Saturday from around 8am until 1pm, then from about 4pm until 7pm. Many close on Saturday afternoons and Monday mornings; in the south, the day can begin and end an hour later. Some northern businesses work a 9am-5pm day to facilitate international dealings. Traditionally, everything apart from bars and restaurants shuts on Sunday, although most towns have a pasticceria open in the mornings; Sunday opening is becoming more common in large cities and tourist areas.