One of the greatest natural attractions of Sardinia is Neptune's Cave, set inside the base of the cliffs of Capo Caccia. It is, however, a bit expensive and can be chaotic in summer, and if you've seen stalactites and stalagmites elsewhere, you might want to think twice before you commit. You can arrive by boat, with one of the regularly organized excursions from Alghero's marina, or by land, down the legendary Escala del Cabirol: This hand-cut "stairway of goats" has 656 stone steps leading down the cliff face. Either way you get there, this spectacular cavern has a 120m-wide (394-ft.) saltwater lake, a forest of stalactite columns, and concretions in the form of "organ pipes." Guided tours of the cave are included in the admission fee and last about 30 minutes. For those who wish to brave the stone stairs, a public bus marked Nettuno runs here from Alghero, costing 4€ round-trip. Allow 20 minutes to descend the stairs, and longer for the trip back. For the boat trip crowd, excursions depart from Bastione della Maddalena in Alghero several times daily, though not in rough weather. The boat tour of the caves takes 2 1/2 hours total, costing 10€ to 14€ per person, depending on the company.