Cap d’Any de l’Alguer: New Year’s Eve and beyond
In Alghero’s Piazzale della Pace, the historic Sardinian New Year’s Eve has been celebrated for years now, the “Cap d’Any de l’Alguer” said in Algherese, one of the local dialects which is actually a real recognized minority language, a variant of Catalan; the city is called for this the Sardinian Barceloneta.
As usual, a significant program of events is proposed: shows and reviews are scheduled throughout the month of December, up to the New Year’s appointment in the square to celebrate the arrival of the new year in style.
Program 2024
An entire month of fun begins on 8 December 2023 and ends on 7 January 2024 in Alghero, where the New Year’s Eve celebration is celebrated! The Catalan town will be animated by a month full of events, concerts and initiatives for all tastes, as per tradition.
Many collaborations and events are planned, starting with the urban displays in Piazza Porta Terra, where the large Christmas tree was created. Festivalguer, the city’s international performing arts festival conceived and organized by ExPopTeatro, returns to fascinate and involve; in the historic center you can hear the “Music from the Balconies“, while in the city churches there are “Musical Awakenings“. The “Santa Claus Village” will also reappear in the Sulis Tower for the happiness of the little ones and families, to whom various moments of entertainment are dedicated in the city museums. The winter edition of Birralguer, the craft beer and street food market, will take place at the former Ortofrutticolo. Ateliers and numerous sporting and theatrical events are also scheduled, as well as concerts by choirs in Alghero and events dedicated to the Befana.
The concerts scheduled for 29, 30 and 31 December 2023 on Piazzale della Pace represent the most important part of the programme.
On December 29th Guè, Noyz Narcos and Anna will perform.
On December 30th we will dance to the dance music of “I Want to Return to the 90s“.
The last day of the year, December 31st, is entirely dedicated to a rock artist who marked the history of Italian music: Luciano Ligabue.
The Cap d’Any de l’Alguer is organized by the Municipal Administration of Alghero and the Alghero Foundation, with the support of the Sardinia Region – Tourism Department. The sponsors are Sella & Mosca and Peroni Nastro Azzurro.
The entire Cap d’Any 2023/2024 program can be viewed and downloaded in pdf format below:
Program 2023
The highlight of the celebrations for 2023 is the concert by Max Pezzali, who performs immediately after the midnight toast. But it is already starting from the Immaculate Conception, with the lighting of the Porta Terra tree entitled “Alghero pearl of the Mediterranean” and the inauguration of the Christmas Village (where events are scheduled for children and families until Epiphany), that in the most important city of the Riviera del Corallo the Christmas atmosphere is beginning to feel. The inauguration of the Christmas tree was enhanced by the music of the Dalerci musical band and a toast with wine from the Sella & Mosca estate, official partner of Cap d’Any 2023.
Only on December 25th and 26th and January 1st are no events scheduled, while the remaining days, until January 8th, are animated by concerts, exhibitions, events, artistic performances, workshops and tastings. On Friday 23 December at the Teatro Civico there is, for a fee, the concert by Fabio Concato & i Musici, as part of the “Musico Ambulante Tour”. Piazzale della Pace starts to come alive on December 30 with the free concert by rapper Lazza. Max Pezzali’s New Year’s concert, also free, is preceded by a show by the actor Dario Ballantini.
The complete programs of the Christmas Village and the Cap d’Any de l’Alguer edition 2022/2023 can be read and downloaded in pdf format by clicking on the links.
Reach Alghero by ship
Alghero can also be reached from the Italian peninsula by ship: in fact, you can take a ferry to Porto Torres from Civitavecchia or Genoa and once landed, complete the journey by car or bus. The distance between these two cities is 34 kilometers.
The Civitavecchia – Porto Torres ferries take eight hours to complete the route; in the low season, during the Christmas period, departures are made on Sunday night with the cruise ferries of the Grimaldi Lines fleet; you can cross the deck or book a seat or a cabin. The standard cabins, with or without portholes, are equipped with four bunk beds; the Junior suites are larger, equipped with a porthole, double bed and bunk sofa bed, internal bathroom, TV and fridge; the Owner’s suites are the most spacious cabins. On board there is a self-service restaurant, an à la carte restaurant, a bar, a casino, a video games room, a disco, a shop, an equipped area for children, a spa and a gym. You must show up for boarding the ship 90 minutes before departure. Thanks to the fast check-in procedure, you can go directly alongside with your paper or digital ticket, skipping the line at the port ticket office.
The Genoa – Porto Torres ferries take ten hours to complete the route; even during the month of December there are daily evening departures of naval units, of the cruise ferry category, of the Tirrenia shipping company, on which you can spend the journey in deck passage, armchair, internal or external cabin, double or quadruple. The carriers are equipped with a restaurant, self-service, bar, cinema and area for children. It is necessary to show up for boarding, in the port of Genoa, if you are by car, two hours before departure or half an hour before if you are on foot.
After disembarking in Sardinia, if you are traveling with a car, you can take the SP 42, the provincial road of the Two Seas which connects Porto Torres and Alghero, crossing a good part of the Nurra plain in about 35 minutes. Otherwise, for those without a car, there is the 714 bus, which takes an hour to get to Alghero.
