The vibrant town of Porto Ercole is situated on the eastern promontory of Monte Argentario which juts out on the Tuscan coastline.
Monte Argentario was once an island but several thousand years ago two strips of land called tombolos were formed by waves and tides pushing sand together and upwards above the water’s surface.
These two strips connected the island to the mainland and since then its two main towns have become popular tourist spots to visit. Porto Ercole is the most popular tourist hub with its stylish shops and classy restaurants. It’s also renowned as being one of the finest nightlife districts in the Maremma!
Monte Argentario was once an island but several thousand years ago two strips of land called tombolos were formed by waves and tides pushing sand together and upwards above the water’s surface.
These two strips connected the island to the mainland and since then its two main towns have become popular tourist spots to visit. Porto Ercole is the most popular tourist hub with its stylish shops and classy restaurants. It’s also renowned as being one of the finest nightlife districts in the Maremma!
Stay in a beautiful vacation rental in the Maremma and explore this intriguing part of Tuscany for yourself.
Begin your exploration of Porto Ercole with a walk through the amazing Spanish fortresses built here centuries ago. Forte Stella is open to the public and dates back to the 16th century.
As the name suggests, the inner section of the fort is shaped like a star with a walkway for lookouts to patrol all around and see potential trouble from many miles away.
Begin your exploration of Porto Ercole with a walk through the amazing Spanish fortresses built here centuries ago. Forte Stella is open to the public and dates back to the 16th century.
As the name suggests, the inner section of the fort is shaped like a star with a walkway for lookouts to patrol all around and see potential trouble from many miles away.
The outer section of the fort has tall encompassing walls with deep outer ditches and a drawbridge to ensure the very highest level of security. Forte Filippo is a fine example of Spanish military architecture but unfortunately it is not open to the public to explore internally.
In Porto Ercole town itself, sights worth seeing include La Chiesa di Sant’ Erasmo with its ornate tombs of Spanish officials and the Government Palace. This 16th century monument was lavishly designed on the exterior and it served as the home of Spanish governors during their reign of the Monte Argentario promontory.
Spend a fabulous few days soaking up the sunshine and culture of Porto Ercole before heading to see the other main town of Monte Argentario called Porto Santo Stefano!
In Porto Ercole town itself, sights worth seeing include La Chiesa di Sant’ Erasmo with its ornate tombs of Spanish officials and the Government Palace. This 16th century monument was lavishly designed on the exterior and it served as the home of Spanish governors during their reign of the Monte Argentario promontory.
Spend a fabulous few days soaking up the sunshine and culture of Porto Ercole before heading to see the other main town of Monte Argentario called Porto Santo Stefano!
Photo credits
picture 1: Petitverdot / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 2: Mac9 / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: Petitverdot / CC BY-SA 3.0
picture 1: Petitverdot / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 2: Mac9 / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: Petitverdot / CC BY-SA 3.0
