The picturesque city of Alghero is located on the north-western coast of Sardinia and falls entirely within the province of Sassari. It is also known as the Sardinian Barceloneta, or little Barcelona, due to the Catalan influences that left their deep mark on many aspects. From the architecture to the traditions, to the typical cuisine and, last but not least, the Catalan language, a symbol of Alghero's belonging to this culture.

The name Alghero seems to derive from "aliga" (seaweed), later transformed by the locals into "S'Alighera" (place of the seaweed) due to the abundance of Posidonia Oceanica along the sandy coastline following the sea storms. Alghero is also the capital of the Riviera del Corallo (literally Coral Riviera), a coastal stretch of north-western Sardinia south of the Nurra plain that includes the neighbouring municipalities Olmedo, Villanova Monteleone and Bosa.