Neptune's Grotto Alghero: Which Ticket, Boat or 654 Steps, and How to Visit
A tour every full hour, and the slot does not move
- Ticket
- €18, reduced €10
- Time slot
- Compulsory by land
- Takes
- 30 min, a tour every full hour
Neptune's Grotto is won or lost at the booking stage, long before the stairs. By land a time slot is compulsory even at the ticket office, so you reserve first and plan the day around that single hour. The boat is the only way in that spares your knees, and the ticket covers entry to the cave only, so the shuttle and the boat are paid on top.
Which Neptune's Grotto ticket, and what it leaves out
The full ticket costs €18, and the reduced one is €10 for ages 6 to 17, for residents of Alghero and for students up to 26, who show proof at the entrance. Groups of 25 or more have their own lower rate. What you buy is entry to the cave and nothing else. The shuttle uphill from Casa Gioiosa and the boat from the harbour are separate tickets, which is where the real total comes from.
Tickets are sold on the official site, grottadinettuno.it. From June to October you buy online, at Casa Gioiosa where the shuttle leaves, or in the port of Alghero if you are going by boat. The ticket office at Capo Caccia is shut in summer, so do not plan to buy it there. From 16 October 2026 the cave's own ticket office sells tickets as well, but by land a slot is compulsory in every case.
The ticket covers entry to the cave only; the shuttle and the boat are paid separately. From 16 October 2026 tickets can also be bought directly at the cave's ticket office.
Official ticket
- Entry
- €18, reduced €10
- Time slot
- required by land
Through a partner
- options with a guide or audio guide
- usually costs more than the official ticket
Boat or steps
By land the route is the bus on line 9321, which runs all year to Capo Caccia, or your own car, and then 654 steps down the Escala del Cabirol. The staircase was cut into the cliff in 1954 and leads from the car park at the top to the cave entrance, about one metre above the sea. The cliff is around 110 m high, so the way back up is the part to think about. The stairs are not recommended for people with heart or lung conditions.
The boat leaves from the Banchina Dogana in the harbour or from the Cala Dragunara pier in the Porto Conte park, and sails for about 40 minutes each way. It runs from April, with Navisarda on the Linea Grotte and with Frecce delle Grotte, and it does not sail when the sea is rough. The verdict is made on knees, not on money. Take the steps if yours are sound, and the boat if they are not, since the boat fare is paid separately in either case.
When to come and what to bring
Arrive early, because a late arrival cancels the booking. In the summer season, June to October, you park at Casa Gioiosa and take the shuttle, so you should be there one hour before your slot. From November to May you drive straight to the plateau and need to arrive 40 minutes ahead.
Dress modestly: no swimwear and no going bare-chested, and comfortable shoes such as hiking shoes or open sandals. Bring water and a hat for the stairs. Food and drink are forbidden inside, as are touching the formations and smoking, and a dog is allowed on a lead and with a muzzle. There are no toilets in the cave, only a café next to the ticket office at the top of the cliff.
Stalactites and the salt lake
A guided tour starts every full hour and lasts about 30 minutes. The last entry is at around 17:00, and the cave opens every day when the weather and the sea allow, except 24 and 25 December.
Fishermen found the cave in the 18th century, and what they found is still lit for visitors today: stalactites and stalagmites on the way in, and a salt lake. A guide leads the tour, and touching the formations is forbidden.
When the sea is rough or time is short
The cave stays closed when the sea is rough, and the slot you booked simply moves to another day. A short day still works if you plan it backwards from the hour of the tour.
- If the sea is rough, move the slot to another day rather than the whole trip.
- To skip the steps, take the boat, and remember the fare is separate.
- With little time, book the earliest slot, and count 40 minutes to an hour of arrival plus a 30-minute tour.
- On the way back, stop at Le Bombarde or Lazzaretto, both on the same road.
Where to next
Nomadinho scores out of 100, the same ones behind “Where to go”.
If you like Alghero
Three places with the closest scores, from any country.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
Do you buy the grotto ticket online or on the spot?
In summer the choice is online, Casa Gioiosa or the harbour, since the Capo Caccia counter is closed. The cave's own counter starts selling tickets on 16 October 2026. Whichever way you buy, a slot goes with the ticket by land.
Who enters free or for less?
The reduced price is €10, for ages 6 to 17, for residents of Alghero and for students up to 26 with proof. Entry is free for children under 6, for people with disabilities and one companion, for guides and for the third and every later child under 17.
Is the grotto suitable for wheelchairs or dogs?
It is not accessible for wheelchairs. Dogs are allowed on a lead and with a muzzle. The 654 steps are not recommended for people with heart or lung conditions.
Ready for Alghero?
Front row for the next trip
Leave your email and we'll let you know when a new destination or story goes up.