… Also known as the “Small Barcelona” of Sardinia, Alghero retains a lively atmosphere of those times, re-evoked by the ramparts (the walls surrounding the “fort town”), its houses, the Cathedral, the Churches of San Francesco and San Michele, the seven Towers, the Forts (Maddalena, Montalbano and Sperone), roads, alleyways and squares, which are called by both Italian and Catalan names. Catalan influence is found not only in the Historical Centre, however, but also in the language, customs, gastronomy, popular and seafaring traditions, that make the town particularly striking and such a popular tourist destination.