Diving in southern Italy: Sardinia island

Found on the north-west side of Sardinia, the Capo Caccia promontory is like a sleeping giant on the road to Alghero. Its sheer rock cliffs guard a precious ruby-coloured gem in underwater treasure chests. This gem is the famous red coral, from which the riviera of Alghero gets its name, while its metaphorical treasure chests are the numerous natural grottos found in the area.

And recently a different type of fossil bed was discovered here. Instead of the usual aquatic animals and ancient molluscs, this fossil strip preserved the imprints of a herd of deer.

Diving enthusiasts can visit Nereo Cave, Europe's biggest underwater cavern. Inside, moray eels flit between the rocks and grouper fish and lobsters flesh out a beautiful underwater world. Indeed, Alghero's typical 'spagnolette' fishing boats are dedicated to lobster fishing.

The town of Alghero itself has a bit of a Spanish air, in particular Catalan style. Alghero's second name is "little Barcelona", not least because variants of the Catalan dialect are still spoken. The pretty streets of the town centre reflect Spanish influences. Carlo Alberto street, for example, is actually called Carrer de Sant Francesc and even the Capo Caccia promontory is known as Cap del la Caca in Catalan dialect.

A marine village in Spanish style, Alghero's heart is with the sea. The very name of the town derives from the Italian word "alga", easily translated to the English "algae" and the area's Poseidonia sea grass meadows are an important marine ecology and, along with the town and cape, a splendid Sardinian attraction.