“Bosa's houses are painted pink, orange and ochre yellow, and they run all the way down to the Temo. From the medieval castle above, it looks like a nativity scene — but one where people really live.”
Malaspina Castle (also called Serravalle Castle) dominates Bosa from the top of the hill: it was built in 1112 by the Tuscan marquises Malaspina dello Spino Secco. Inside the castle stands the small Church of Nostra Signora de sos Regnos Altos, which preserves Catalan-Sardinian frescoes from the 14th–15th centuries, a rare cycle for the island — a treasure hidden inside a medieval fortress.
Bosa can be visited in a day from Alghero — but it deserves a night for the sunset over the Temo. → See where to stay near Bosa
A 12th-century medieval fortress (1112) with panoramic views over Bosa and the Temo; admission charge. The Church of Nostra Signora de sos Regnos Altos inside preserves 14th–15th-century frescoes. Walk up from the centre (20 min) — worth every step.
A house museum in the old town, near the Temo: a furnished 19th-century upper-class apartment, temporary exhibitions on Bosa's traditions and, on the top floor, the collection devoted to the Bosa-born painter Melkiorre Melis. Opposite, the Pinacoteca Atza gallery shows the canvases of Antonio Atza. Small but well kept, right in the centre.
The medieval Sa Costa quarter is Bosa's picturesque heart — narrow lanes, colourful houses, flowers on the balconies. A fascinating maze to explore on foot, unhurried, losing yourself among the colours.
The Temo riverside is one of the most evocative in Sardinia — fishing boats, colourful houses reflected in the water, old bridges. Beautiful at any hour, sublime at sunset when the light sets the façades ablaze.
Holiday homes in northern Sardinia
We have managed holiday homes in northern Sardinia since 2011. Book direct: save up to 15%, genuine local support, zero commissions.
