Alghero's Old Palaces (Self Guided), Alghero

Carcassona Palace was established by a Jewish family in 1400. In the mid-15th century the palace became the home of the Royal Family. The windows of the palace are designed in the Gothic-Catalan style. The palace's large wooden door, which is flanked by two arches, is now the entrance to a restaurant.

Ferrera Palace is located in the historic center of Alghero. The palace was built in the 15th century in the Gothic style by a wealthy family of merchants. It was named after Pedro de Ferrera. During a battle in 1541, Emperor Carlos V lived here. The facade of the building is made of perfectly square blocks, laid horizontally. The palace has three floors, and the main entrance leads into a foyer with a grand staircase. On the second floor there are four arches carved from a single block of stone and supported by columns.

The 19th-century Civic Palace maintains its original Neoclassical facade. It is made of squared sandstone blocks with a granite base. The wooden front door is framed by small sandstone blocks. The ceiling of the hall is decorated with frescoes. Civic Palace is located in Municipality Square, near the Diva Caffe' Di Peana Giovanni. It serves as the Town Hall, and weddings are frequently held here.

Peretti Palace is located in the city center. It has played a significant role in the history of the city. The exterior is distinguished by a large wooden door and beautiful stone design. It was built in the 15th century in the Gothic-Catalan style by the noble family Guyo Duran. In the 18th century it was bought by the Peretti family from Corsica, and they still own the building. Although the main facade, facing Roma Street, is composed of square-shaped blocks of sandstone, the rest of the building is fully plastered.

Simon Palace is located on Gilbert Ferret Street, close to San Giovanni Tower. It was built in the late 13th century and restored in the late 19th century. The building was designed in the Neoclassical style. Above the massive front door, which is framed by an arch, is the emblem of the Simon family, the first owners of the palace.

Serra Palace is located at the corner of Civic Square and Carlo Alberto Street. It was built in the late 18th century by one of Alghero's wealthy, landowning families. It was later restored, but the original design remains intact. The building is a mixture of architectural styles, including Gothic – Catalan, which is common to Alghero, as well as Neoclassical and Baroque.

Palace of the Salty Well is an ancient, historic building constructed of stone. The palace is a fine example of old-style Catalan architectural design. Today the palace houses the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Sassari.

Machin Palace was built in the mid-15th century in the Gothic style. The palace was named after a previous owner who was a Catalan merchant. Ambrogio Machin lived in the palace in the early 1600s. The windows of the palace, as well as the front door, are richly ornamented.