is back in the spotlight a half century on and betting on a new wave of popularity Monte Argentario was a destination in the mid 20th century,’ explains Luca the guest experience manager at La Roqqa hotel — by which he means luminaries such as Jackie Kennedy Onassis (below) Slim Aarons and David Bowie holidayed there spreading their particular brand of stardust over its rocky shores as they did on other places in the Mediterranean made the decision to purchase a holiday home They bounced from Spain to France to Italy to ‘the usual suspects’ before settling on Monte Argentario because ‘there were only Italians’ and because they ‘fell in love with the Nature and the culture and the extremely well-kept towns’ The family spent a few summers in their new home before stumbling on the first of four properties (one is a former tuna and sardine packing factory that shut in the mid 1980s) The idea, explains Anton Jonsson — co-owner, alongside his father, Conni, and board member of Miramis the hospitality arm of his family’s holding company Qarlbo AB — is to usher in a new era of tightly controlled popularity Monte Argentario is a slippery fish to describe — a Tuscan peninsula that’s attached to the mainland by three It comprises two main villages: Porto Santo Stefano home to a year-round population of about 10,000 people; and Porto Ercole (Port Hercules in English) ostentatious ones: they are hidden underneath a dusty green quilt of pines and cork oaks and brittle bushes of rosemary Until recently, there was only one hotel of note, Il Pellicano (above) has reached almost legendary status as the discreet holiday destination of choice of the rich and famous is scarce — there are no designer stores or fancy everyone shops for linen cover-ups and stripy towels at Good Harbour and Visitors like to hike and to cycle and voyage to the neighbouring islands of Giglio and Giannutri as much as they like to while away lazy days on beaches the majority of which are wild and lapped by water so luminously blue that the only reasonable conclusion you’ll come to is that it’s lit from beneath by some supernatural force To holiday on the Argentario is to peer back into the past before the words became a hashtag on Instagram and those places such as Portofino and Capri fell to big-name developers and fashion labels and uncontrollable crowds The Jonssons have already transformed one of the buildings purchased in their real-estate shopping spree into La Roqqa It was previously a three-star one and decidedly unremarkable it’s a firmly angled red building — the sort of deep red that looks as if it's been singed by the sun — that squats on the corner of a hair-pin bend overlooking Porto Ercole The remnants of an ancient road trace a faint path up a steep hill all the way up to a fort of the same name (above) there’s the church and hospital that administered to a feverish Caravaggio in the aftermath of the artist's decision to murder someone in the Italian capital and go on the run The hotel’s rooftop bar serves potent and exquisitely crafted cocktails inspired by some of his dark and brooding works each one chosen to reflect the natural landscape — pays homage to more recent Italian artists including Gaetano Pesce (1939–2024) and his ‘Up’ armchair the Jonssons wanted to keep each property entirely distinct from the next (‘They should be unique,’ says Mr Jonsson) mid-century design leanings is very different to the more classic Hotel Torre di Cala Piccola in Porto Santo Stefano which is about to undergo a facelift of sorts It’s also the new hotelier’s favourite Local feedback concerning La Roqqa has been ‘very but there was initial backlash to the factory conversion very contemporary’ and won’t be completed until the end of the decade ‘Perhaps we underestimated the importance of that property [to the local population and the landscape]; perhaps we didn’t have the right team,’ admits Mr Jonsson Italian architect has been brought in to re-mastermind the project and fresh more sympathetic plans drawn up and it is important to note that none of the hotels — only one of which has never been a hotel before and is the only one adding to the Argentario room count — will have more than 60 rooms Mr Jonsson has plenty of recommendations for new visitors taking their virgin steps on this rugged and romantic corner of Italian countryside: the Tarot sculpture garden in Capalbio created by the French-American artist Niki de Saint Phalle that is ‘really whether you’re interested in art or not’ and scuba diving this part of the Mediterranean fosters red corals rarely seen elsewhere Yet another string for the Argentario to add to its already tuneful bow Rooms at La Roqqa from €435 (about £370) on a bed and breakfast basis The price includes access to Isolotto Beach Club we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links In its mid-century heyday, Porto Ercole, a small seaside village on the eastern coast of Tuscany’s Monte Argentario was much like Portofino—and perhaps even like Portofino as we know it today: a beloved seaside hideaway frequented by the glitterati where jetties jutting out from its rocky shoreline graced with colorful umbrellas offered holiday tropes more commonly associated with the Italian Riviera or the Amalfi Coast Monte Argentario’s biggest appeal to in-the-know travelers is its location Situated just 1.5 hours from Rome by car and connected to the mainland by a road that divides two lagoons it’s more accessible than other seaside retreats like Ponza or Elba As it’s in the Maremma region of southern Tuscany precisely where the Mediterranean and the vineyards meet there’s more to fill your time here than just sun-soaked days by the sea; beyond wine tasting culture-seekers can meander through Porto Ercole’s historic Borgo Antico the Spanish-era fortress that was built to protect it Photo: Courtesy of La RoqqaThe two main towns that form the municipality of Monte Argentario are Porto Santo Stefano on the western side which is three times larger with a lively waterfront and more shops and restaurants than the smaller fishing village of Porto Ercole While both are historic fishing villages known for their medieval forts and picturesque harbors Porto Ercole provides a more intimate experience it’s worth visiting both—from waking up to the sunrise in Porto Ercole to catching the sunset in Porto Santo Stefano While Porto Ercole remains one of Italy’s most authentic seaside villages the years following its golden age saw younger generations retreating elsewhere for their summer holidays thus delaying development and leaving in their wake Porto Ercole’s only notable institution: Il Pellicano If even the most discerning travelers haven’t heard of Porto Ercole surely they’ve heard of its most esteemed resort Though travelers visiting Il Pellicano aren’t typically coming to explore Porto Ercole per se but rather to hide away at the hotel—and who can blame them With its picturesque beach etched into the cliffside has created its own little village designed to keep you there family-owned luxury hotel inspired by the 1960s Dolce Vita and the only luxury hotel in the heart of the town guests are encouraged to discover the unique allure of Porto Ercole outside the hotel’s walls While other hotels in the area tout exclusivity and isolation it was important for the Swedish-born Jonsson family who fell in love with Porto Ercole’s dramatic scenery and authentic untouched charms when they began spending their summers here 12 years ago to create a place that affords guests the freedom to explore the magic of this forgotten paradise Photo: Alessandro Moggi“It feels as though time has stopped here,” Anton Jonsson muses The place remains so true to its history and tradition with architecture and food culture preserved much as they have always been.” The area hasn’t bent itself to the demands of global tourism that too often erode the soul of a place “And there is plenty to do: visiting cultural sites and exploring the other islands of the archipelago.” Photo: Alessandro MoggiThe family’s passion for the area and its history is reflected throughout the design of the hotel for which they enlisted help from Milanese design house Palomba e Serafini Associati Studio to create an environment that combined contemporary Italian design with nostalgic tropes of 1960s dolce vita such as Gaetano Pesce and Ettore Sottsass punctuate the lobby and public spaces evoking the town’s original spirit of mid-century glamour reflecting the typical colors of the landscape and local buildings maintaining a sense of harmony with the environment The hotel also reveals its efforts towards sustainability through subtle but meaningful details from the water filters available in every guest room to its partnership with CARITAS to ensure unused food finds a way to those in need daily Photo: Alessandro MoggiBut where La Roqqa really comes alive is on its rooftop restaurant which boasts sweeping views overlooking Porto Ercole port and the Corsini Botanical Gardens and serves traditional Tuscan cuisine paired with local wines and inventive cocktails If guests ascend to the rooftop in search of a pool they won’t find one—a conscious decision that the owners hope emboldens guests to leave the hotel and explore the many wonders of Porto Ercole—perhaps beginning with a walk to La Roqqa’s Isolotto Beach Club located just five minutes away in a secluded bay on the peninsula’s only sandy stretch which is sure to become the new social hub of Monte Argentario with its two beachside restaurants Photo: Alessandro MoggiLa Roqqa’s guest experience team led by the jovial Luca consists almost exclusively of locals who grew up in the area keen on providing its guests with customized experiences on and around Monte Argentario from organizing bespoke boat trips to nearby coves cycling and hiking excursions on the peninsula or visits to wineries and the Capalbio Gardens Photo: Alessandro MoggiThe Jonssons’ vocation to reawaken Monte Argentario has only just begun with a few more hotel projects in the works including transforming an abandoned Porto Ercole sardine factory into a full-service and the rebranding of an existing boutique hotel in Porto Santo Stefano which they plan to refurbish and re-open with a fresh La Roqqa is enough to make us wonder how it’s taken us so long to uncover the magic of Monte Argentario The Danish Home Lighting Trend That Can Improve Your Mental Health In America’s Cities, Saunas Are Becoming the Hottest Social Spot Millie Bobby Brown Shares Her Favorite Paella Recipe—and Details About Her Wedding to Jake Bongiovi A Day-by-Day Guide to Hiking the Legendary Nakasendo Trail in Japan Never miss a Vogue moment and get unlimited digital access for just $2 $1 per month or take a one and a half hour train journey into Orbetello leisurely pace; take picturesque strolls along sandy stretches feast on Tuscan delights or explore one of the three impressive fortresses towering over the village we highlight some of the very best things to do Isolotto Beach ClubLucrezia WorthingtonThe best things to do in Porto ErcoleStroll through L'Orto Botanico CorsiniIn 2020 Alessandro Corsini decided to open this plant-filled botanical garden to the public but the story began officially in the 19th century Tuscan-born General Ricasoli followed his passion for botanical science and created an experimental garden to test the survival of plant species that originate from much warmer climates The first exotic plants in the garden came from Australia the space counts over 1,300 trees and shrubs belonging to about 150 species (including 24 species of Eucalyptus) the botanical garden hosts weekly events that include live music guided tours and art exhibitions which can be booked on the website Website: ortobotanicocorsini.com La ParrinaLucrezia WorthingtonWine tasting at La ParrinaThe agricultural estate La Parrina extends across 1,500 acres of vineyards with a 19th-century stone manor housing 15 rooms and 5 apartments for guests It’s the perfect place to spend an afternoon whether you’re strolling around the estate with your little ones to visit the farm animals browsing the bottega for fresh produce grown on-site or enjoying a wine tasting that showcases the local flavours of Maremma Sample La Parrina’s white and red wines paired with an incredible selection of cheeses made on the estate for a real treat – the Parrina Merlot Radaia paired with Gutus cheese is a match made in heaven Website: parrina.it Giglio PortoGetty ImagesTake a motorboat to the neighbouring islandsIf you're spending a few days in Porto Ercole a boat day is the perfect way to soak up the wild beauty of this peninsula Go snorkelling in the Grotta Azzurra and explore pretty Giglio or the crescent-shaped Giannutri there are plenty of stands where you can enquire for (and book in advance) a motorboat Top tip: head to Il Forno del Porto or Grano and pick up some pizza slices for lunch Porto Ercole beachGetty ImagesHave a beach dayBooking a trip to Porto Ercole wouldn’t be complete without spending a laid-back day or two at the beach A five minute drive from the centre takes you to Feniglia beach sandy stretch lined with pine trees is fully equipped with beach facilities or drive to the opposite side of Porto Ercole to reach smaller coves such as Acqua Dolce and Spiaggia Lunga where the water is clearer but they both require a moderate hike down and up a hill so ensure to bring appropriate footwear Porto ErcoleLucrezia WorthingtonThe best shops in Porto ErcoleCeramicaThis little shop in Porto Ercole sells handmade ceramics that make great gifts for your loved ones or souvenirs to bring home You’ll mostly find decorative items like sea creatures and sailboats capturing the spirit of this fisherman’s village there are also pretty coffee and tea cups ready for purchase and if you’re looking for something in particular Safari Blu is one of the oldest boutiques in Porto Ercole and yet it is still one of the most fashionable shops in this town Inside is a display of independent Italian and International brands including elegant clothing beachwear and footwear presented in colour co-ordinated stands Keep an eye out for the sandals; they come in various coloured beads and are a pretty addition to your summer wardrobe This small boutique showcases a collection of clothing and accessories exclusively made in Italy as well as their own personal line of handcrafted bags rows of patterned gowns and maxi dresses alternate with monochromatic pieces swimwear and hats as well as winter puffer jackets and cashmere The food in Porto Ercole reflects the region's blend of agricultural and maritime traditions from the coastal regions to the Maremma hills Wild game and foraged ingredients are just as important as seafood – but there is one restaurant where you can find an exceptional steak La Vivienda is set within a rustic farmhouse amid the countryside setting of the Argentario Polo Club A warm dining room extends out into an outdoor veranda where you can take a seat and watch the sun slowly set across the fields The menu is a contemporary take on local flavours Address: Località Le Piane, 1, 58019 Monte Argentario GR, ItalyWebsite: lavivienda.it Hosteria AlicinaAlicina sul PortoThis new spot by the port is easily one of the top restaurants in the area It first opened Hostaria Alicina back in 2014 in a different location Alicina brings fresh energy to the waterfront with an elegant outdoor terrace perched at the water's edge where guests can feast on seafood while taking in views of the docked boats and the menu boasts 90 per cent locally sourced seafood from Porto Ercole with standout dishes like spaghetti with clams and sea urchins Address: Lungomare Andrea Doria, 4, 58018 Porto Ercole GR, ItalyWebsite: instagram.com A low-key trattoria-style restaurant where the idea of savouring a classic spaghetti alle vongole with a crisp glass of wine comes to life La Pinta is located at the beginning of the port although the sun sets behind Monte Argentario the sky still turns a pretty pink tinge at dusk Whether you're stopping by for a morning cappuccino and croissant this modern venue is a favourite among locals featuring a nautical-inspired colour palette but it’s the charming outdoor terrace by the water that truly sets the scene for a perfect social hour Address: Lungomare Strozzi, 6, 58018 Porto Ercole GR, ItalyWebsite: bardelporto.cafe has become the go-to destination for late-night gatherings It’s known for its top-tier selection of spirits and champagne as well as an adventurous cocktail menu and live music and jolly voices echo around the port Address: Lungomare Andrea Doria, 54, 58018 Porto Ercole GR, ItalyWebsite: instagram.com La Roqqa HotelALESSANDRO MOGGILa RoqqaUnder new ownership designed by the Milanese architectural studio Palomba Serafini Every detail has been carefully considered from the colour schemes and furnishings that mirror the surrounding landscape to the snazzy touches throughout whitewashed lounge or work out in the air-conditioned gym The rooftop bar on the fourth floor offers local wines while the on-site Scirocco restaurant serves standout dishes including the highly recommended "spaghetti with eight tomatoes" – a dish where the tomatoes are picked in collaboration with the social cooperative L'Orto Giusto a farming initiative that provides employment opportunities for people with disabilities Address: Via Panoramica, 7, 58018 Porto Ercole GR, ItalyWebsite: laroqqa.com Hotel Il PellicanoCourtesy of the Pellicano HotelsIl PellicanoCarved into the rocky coast of Monte Argentario originally opened in the Sixties by a British aviator and his American wife stands as a testament of elegance and old-school glamour The interiors are complete with terracotta floors four-posters in the rooms and stylish tapestries across the furnishings this 50-roomed mediterranean refuge is a taste of La Dolce Vita where simple pleasures such as laying on your terrace reading a book or sunbathing at the private beach-club become the daily routine Guests are spoilt for choice when it comes to cuisine from bistro-style dishes at the Perigrill to Michelin-starred dining at Ristorante Il Pellicano; always with endless views of the sea below Address: Località Sbarcatello, 58019 Porto Ercole GR, ItalyWebsite: hotelilpellicano.com a town that connects Monte Argentario to the terra firma This 15th-century building treasures the lovingly restored Casa Iris a three-roomed B&B curated by Matthew Adams and James Valeri Matthew and James turned to architect Giorgia Cerulli (who also designed the G-Rough hotel in Rome) to help bring their vision into life restoring this antique palazzo into a lovely modern apartment whilst highlighting its history all the magnificent frescoes in the property have been restored by Maria Rosaria Basileo Casa Iris is also available to rent as a full property Address: Corso Italia, 3, 58015 Orbetello GR, ItalyWebsite: casairisorbetello.com The Argentario Golf & Wellness Resort, Autograph Collection in southern Tuscany has launched a golf getaway to celebrate its staging of the Italian Open on the prestigious DP World Tour this June when the Resort will host some of golf’s finest professionals The package offers golfers the chance to experience the challenge of the championship course at the Argentario Golf Club the only PGA National Golf Course in Italy and play the very same 18 holes that the top pros will take on from June 26 to 29 in an effort to secure the country’s national open that dates back to 1925 This unforgettable golf break includes green fees bed and breakfast accommodation in a design room access to the comprehensive practice facilities as well as the Resort’s other on-site activities such as padel and tennis courts and a mini football pitch from just Euros 1,368 for three nights for two guests on a shared basis in a Superior Room Golfers on this package are able to enhance their stay with a special offer that allows them to book a 25-minute Golfer’s Massage for just €40 per person (instead of the usual €50) an ideal way to unwind after a demanding day on the golf course Argentario’s eco-friendly golf course meanders through cork-oak woods and olive groves par 71 layout features 18 holes boasting spectacular panoramas over the Orbetello Lagoon the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Monte Argentario hillside Indeed this unique location creates a microclimate that allows golf to be played at any time of the year A varied and technically challenging course thanks to an array of tight fairways it requires a combination of accuracy and power as well as strategic course management that makes it testing for amateurs and professionals alike Marriott International’s premium brand celebrated for its distinctive the Argentario Golf & Wellness Resort promises guests not only fantastic golf but the opportunity to immerse themselves in the Tuscan way of life Local cuisine created using organic ingredients direct from the Resort’s own vegetable garden and a selection of Tuscan wines are available whilst the surrounding nature reserves typical Tuscan hilltop towns and crystal-clear waters of the Silver Coast are all ready and waiting to be explored Located just 90 minutes by car from Rome Fiumicino airport, the Resort is also conveniently located for a number of other golf courses including the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club Under Armour Golf has appointed Craig Hollingworth to the position of UK Sales Director England Golf is reporting that April was a record-breaking month for scores submitted through the World Handicap System with over 1.4 million scores submitted in England during what was the sunniest April ever recorded Following the news of the theft of over £2 million of stock from its Manchester warehouse last weekend Worldwide Golf Brands reports that the business is 'back up and running' with minimal disruption to the vast majority of its customers GolfBusinessNews.com (GBN) is for the many thousands of people who work in the golf business all around the world We cover the full range of topics both on and off the course We aim to supply essential information both quickly and accurately in a format which is easy to use We are independent of all special interest groups Click here to sign up for our free twice weekly golf industry news summary View the latest newsletter here 5/7 High StreetDorchester-on-ThamesOxfordshire OX10 7HHUnited Kingdom publisher@golfbusinessnews.com © 1999-2025 e.GolfBusiness.com Limited | All Rights Reserved. | GBN Privacy Policy In Tuscany, almost on the border with Lazio, there is a promontory famous throughout the mare nostrum: Mount Argentario. A crystal-clear sea, between theislands of Giglio and Giannutri, in the middle of the “Cetacean Sanctuary” with a marine area classified as “Protected Area of Mediterranean Interest,” surrounds Monte Argentario which was once an island and today is one of the most internationally known places for yachting and sailing and for the unique morphological and environmental features concentrated here The entire promontory (which has a maximum height of 635 meters at Punta Telegrafo) makes a commune in itself with the hamlets of Porto Santo Stefano and Porto Ercole on the two sides of the mountain and boasts a long military history linked to its strategic position on the sea in the middle of the Tyrrhenian Sea (evidenced by the many fortresses and fortifications with which it is encircled) and for its “beautiful to live in” environment so much so that in Roman times several patrician families chose it to build holiday residences there (“Case d’ozio”) The landscape (with a rugged coastline full of very characteristic coves) and the mild climate make it suitable for a vacation many months a year where nature history and traditional events make it rich in different experiences to live not only related to the summer: the steep Monte Argentario rich in man-made terraces over the centuries offers paths in the lush Mediterranean scrub for trekking and biking lovers for excursions among vineyards and palm trees Let’s see an itinerary of 10 points of interest.1 The Orbetello LagoonThe Argentario is connected to the coast by two strips of land to the north and south: the sandy tombolos of Feniglia and Giannella (6 kilometers long) enclose a lagoon with a unique ecosystem one of the most unspoiled naturalistic areas in Italy that amazes for the gifts it can give the pink that invades the lagoon from the flamingos that station or stop there on their migratory journeys There are over 1,500 hectares of marshy land in the middle of which is an isthmus on which stands the town of Orbetello connected to the Argentario by a bridge (the Leopoldina Dam) In the northern part is a WWF Nature Reserve where many species of birds nest or find their space for stops on their journeys: in addition to flamingos Equally rich are the waters of the lagoon: bass Highly developed is the production of the prized botargo Nature is also unleashed in the flora with sclerophyllous vegetation with Phoenician and coccone juniper hoopoes and nocturnal birds of prey live freely whose operation was linked to the movement of water by the tides which can be admired with a short walk from the center of Orbetello The Archaeological Museum of Orbetello since 2004 has been located in a former powder magazine from 1692 along the Levante walls (the place where Garibaldi also stopped to stock up on ammunition and weapons for the Expedition of the Thousand after the attack on Talamone) and preserves in its interior jewels covering a chronological span from theVillanovan to Roman age with artifacts from the Etruscan necropolises in the Orbetello and Talamone area (votive shrines agricultural tools and grave goods) and finds from the Roman structures discovered in the area The collection began in the late 19th century and has changed several locations until the present one and since 2007 it has been part of the museum network of the Maremma Museums Noteworthy are the finds from the necropolis of Orbetello that belonged to the rich Etruscan aristocracy of the 4th century B.C From the Talamone necropolis various decorative objects from the temple doors of the Hellenistic period Also in the museum is the “pediment of the temple of Talamone”: an Etruscan work from the Hellenic age which has very ancient origins dating back to the Neolithic period is built on the isthmus within the lagoon of the same name and that alone would be enough to visit it it was with the Spanish domination that it experienced its greatest moments of development with the related fortifications and constructions A large wall still surrounds the town: these are Etruscan walls later reinforced by the Spanish and the most substantial part of the fortifications rises on the side facing the mainland and is equipped with small square towers played a garrison role against potential invaders the cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is certainly worth a visit with its large rose window on the façade reminiscent of that of Orvieto Cathedral Inside it is richly decorated with works of art stucco and furnishings from the 17th century with the San Biagio chapel in Baroque style Positioned to the southeast of Argentario is Porto Ercole which boasts a beautiful bay topped by the Spanish fortresses built at the time of the Stato dei Presidi: Forte Filippo which are still in excellent condition and can be visited as optimal vantage points It was under Spanish rule that Porto Ercole experienced its greatest splendor and became a port of European importance Throughout the promontory there are ten watchtowers and three fortresses It was targeted several times by pirates including Incitaria and Domitiana on Argentario are all mentioned in theItinerarium Maritimum among the ports and landings of the sea route from Rome to Provence Vasari depicted the naval battle that took place here between the Spanish and the French when Porto Ercole was under Sienese rule and its oldest part under the Fortress has kept its past architecture intact and is passable only on foot Among the narrow streets and colorful palaces one arrives at the church of Sant’Erasmo where the tombs of Spanish rulers are located one can enjoy a splendid view from the panoramic terrace and visit the 16th-century Palazzo dei Governanti and to commemorate him there is an inscription on the gateway to the village Porto Ercole was ranked among the most beautiful villages in Italy in 2004 dominated from above by the 17th-century Spanish Fortress is the administrative center of Argentario and ferries to the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago stop here the waterfront was even designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and the highly renowned marina is always full of yachts which consists of a park of no less than 77 hectares with an 18-hole course set in a natural amphitheater composed of olive trees and Mediterranean scrub services for pleasure boating have been developed making it one of the most visited landings in the Tyrrhenian Sea: Argentario is one of the world capitals of yachting with more than 2,000 berths a mooring point for ships up to 80 meters in length (unique on the entire Tyrrhenian coast) and the two roadsteads (at Porto Santo Stefano and Porto Ercole) that can guarantee safe stopping in all weather conditions the Palio Marinaro dell’Argentario is held at Ferragosto with a race between the four districts it towers over the village: it has long since ceased its military functions and is now a place of art and culture hosting two permanent exhibitions illustrating local history one on archaeological finds at sea and one on the mastery of woodworking The fortress has six-meter-thick walls and a square basement and is structured on two levels that keep intact the embrasures from which the cannons were fired Today the interior is home to the Shipwrights’ Museum dedicated to the artisans capable of “making wood sail,” with a display of techniques for developing ship carpentry There is also as permanent exhibition “Submerged Memories,” which collects archaeological artifacts found on the seabed in the archipelago where the oldest ones are from the Roman period On the second floor is the section dedicated to the discovery of the archaic wreck (6th century B.C.) of Campese (Giglio Island) Fort Stella is an imposing fortification with four-pronged bastions with a second six-pronged fortification above it that overhangs the sea above Porto Ercole Built between the mid-sixteenth century and the first half of the seventeenth century by the Spanish (who actually relied on Cosimo I dei Medici to build it) it is such a precise and well-preserved construction that it amazes today’s visitor It was a watchtower that communicated with the other towers of the Argentario with light signals and thus allowed the entire defense system to be alerted against attacks in real time TheSilver Coast Mediterranean Aquarium was created with the intention of reproducing as faithfully as possible the most indicative ecosystems of the Argentario coastline designed and managed by the Mare Ambiente Academy Association with the intention of “proposing,” they explain on the site “a faithful reconstruction of the characteristic environments of the seabed that lap the shores of the Promontory of Monte Argentario so that visitors can experience the beautiful sensations that every diver experiences when diving in Mare Nostrum 7 of which are panoramic with only seawater (about 50 thousand liters in all) it accommodates hundreds of animal and plant species Posidonia and many others.” It is a museum with educational tours and there is also a permanent shell exhibition and underwater photography exhibition inside Not far from Monte Argentario, in the municipality of Capalbio on the border with Lazio, there is a contemporary art park created by French-American artist Niki de Saint-Phalle that transports visitors to an enchanted world: the Tarot Garden although to a child’s eyes it would seem the same but a place where whimsy and inventiveness have taken shape over 17 long years of work and fun among sculptures There are 22 sculptures 12 to 15 meters high representing the Major Arcana of the Tarot composed of iron and concrete then covered with mirror mosaics The idea was born on inspiration to a visit to Gaudí’s Guell Park in Barcelona “that one day I had to build my own garden of joy A meeting place between man and nature,” and so she did: in 1998 the Tarot Garden opened its gates to take people on an “esoteric walk between nature and culture.” The place is truly incredible and worth the cost of the ticket if only to see what Niki de Saint-Phalle’s passion has produced which over the years has involved other artists and many local people who still work there today which atfirst had only one exhibition hall On display here were artifacts mainly from the Arce and private dwellings and related clay decorations from temples on the Arce In 1997 the expansion led to two more exhibition rooms: one dedicated to the harbor area with artifacts found in the necropolis around the city while the second room collects the history of Cosa up to the 15th century The functions that can be deduced for the so fortified colony (with 18 towers and three gates) were always that of garrison: the Romans from here had strategic point of control of the sea against Carthaginian attacks and no less that of control of the territories just conquered to the Etruscans (Volsinii and Vulci) The museum is a promoter of many initiatives aimed at enhancing and discovering one of the most beautiful and also least known archaeological areas of the Maremma and the entire Mediterranean Metrics details We describe here a partial skull with associated mandible of a large felid from Monte Argentario Italy (Early Pleistocene; ~1.5 million years) Propagation x-ray phase-contrast synchrotron microtomography of the specimen still partially embedded in the rock matrix allows ascribing it reliably to Acinonyx pardinensis one of the most intriguing extinct carnivorans of the Old World Plio-Pleistocene The analysis of images and 3D models obtained through synchrotron microtomography – here applied for the first time on a Plio-Pleistocene carnivoran – reveals a mosaic of cheetah-like and Panthera-like features with the latter justifying previous attributions of the fossil to the extinct Eurasian jaguar Panthera gombaszoegensis pardinensis some other Italian materials previously referred to P gombaszoegensis (sites of Pietrafitta and Ellera di Corciano) The recognition of Panthera-like characters in A pardinensis leads to reconsidering the ecological role of this species whose hunting strategy was likely to be different from those of the living cheetah we hypothesise that the high intraspecific variation in body size in A pardinensis can be the result of sexual dimorphism as observed today in all large-sized felids pardinensis achieved from the Monte Argentario specimen according to which the vestibular system of modern cheetahs is unique in showing adaptations to facilitate visual and postural stability during high-speed prey pursuits and is extremely different in shape and proportions relative to other species Acinonyx pardinensis from Monte Argentario we report on the results of the microtomographic analysis of the felid skull from Monte Argentario based on SR technology (applied for the first time on a Plio-Pleistocene carnivoran) and discuss about the morphological variation and ecology of A The specimen (ArgBsc1) is represented by the rostral portion of the skull with associated mandible of a large felid (Fig. 2, Table 1) The neurocranium is almost completely missing with only a small portion of the left frontal bone being visible The splanchnocranium is better preserved on the left side from which it looks rather shortened and dorsoventrally expanded with the exception of the dorsal margin of the left one which is delimited by the postorbital process of the frontal the nasal apertures look broad though slightly distorted with the median part of the nasal bones being crushed into the nasal cavities The mandible preserves the complete right corpus articulated with the anterior portion of the left one broken at the level of the distal margin of the p4 Two mental foramina are visible on both sides located at the same height immediately behind the distal margin of the lower canine and a few centimetres behind The teeth are virtually unworn and in variable state of conservation Only the roots of the right I3 and i3 are visible in rostral view but the distoventral portion of the lower canine root is still preserved the canines on the right side are almost intact and stand out to be robust and elongated A short distance separates the upper canine from the P3 a high and vertically-oriented paracone and a slightly shorter metacone The root of the small M1 is visible distally to the right carnassial the other lower teeth are impossible to describe because they are covered by the upper teeth or the embedding matrix The latter is a highly consolidated red-rust coloured claystone very hard to remove mechanically without the risk of damaging the fossil This led to the need to examine the specimen through a highly performing x-ray image analysis technique 3D models of the Acinonyx pardinensis skull from Monte Argentario (a,b) Rostral view of the skull with (a) and without (b) the embedding sediment (coloured in brown); (c–e) Skull in right lateral (c) and dorsal (e) views; (f–g) Cranium in ventral view without (f) and with (g) the mandible; (h–i) Mandible in labial (h) and occlusal (i) views (a,b) Damaged and fragmented skull in rostral (a) and right lateral (b) views: (c–d) Reconstructed skull with cloned and mirrored portions highlighted in different colour in rostral (c) and right lateral (d) views 3D models of the teeth of Acinonyx pardinensis from Monte Argentario (a,b) Right upper teeth in occlusal (a) and labial (b) views (the fragmented roots of I3 and M1 are preserved); (c,d) Right lower teeth in labial (c) and occlusal (d) views (the fragmented root of i3 is preserved); (e) Ventral view of the cranium showing the position of the left i3 lying against the left lateral surface of the palate; (f–h) Isolated left i3 in labial (f) and distal (h) views; (i,j) Left P3 in labial (i) and lingual (j) views (a,b) Detail of the left p4 piercing the palatine process of the left maxilla (semi-transparent cranium in b); (c) Small supernumerary and non-functional root developing on the labial side of the right p3; (d) Detail of the supernumerary root with reduced diastema between the lower canine and the p3 and short symphysis; Crowded and partially overlapped upper and lower postcanine teeth; Narrow P3 with sub-parallel labial and lingual margins in occlusal view P4 characterised by the strong reduction of the protocone which is only slightly protruding lingually and appears like a prolongation of the lingual root toward the crown base; Cuspids of p3 and p4 exhibiting a ‘fleur-de-lis’ morphology; Lower postcanine teeth with similar crown height in labial view the felid from Monte Argentario is here referred to A we hope that the approach followed in this work may also be followed in the future for similar cases in order to extract as much information as possible from fossil remains of Plio-Pleistocene vertebrates pardinensis (ArgBsc1) is housed in the PaleoFactory The analytical study of the fossil has been carried out in 2015 in agreement with the former Archaeological Superintendence of Tuscany (Italy) which were downsampled by half and segmented using the software Materialise Mimics (version 17.0) The 3D rendering of the model of ArcBsc1 and the partial reconstruction of the missing portions of the skull were performed using the software ZBrush (version 4R6) All the missing parts of the specimen were cloned and mirrored from those preserved and their alignment and positioning were performed following the sagittal plane of the skull the reconstructed portions were highlighted using a different colour Villafranchian: the long story of a Plio-Pleistocene European large mammal biochronologic unit and Hominids: 65 Million Years of Mammalian Evolution in Europe (Columbia Pliocene to Pleistocene palynoflora and vegetation in Italy: state of the art Earliest occurrence of Puma pardoides (Owen Felidae) at the Plio/Pleistocene transition in Western Europe: new evidence from the Middle Villafranchian assemblage of Montopoli Felidae) from the Early Pleistocene of Pantalla (Italy): predatory behavior and ecological role of the giant Plio-Pleistocene cheetah Recherches sur les ossemens fossiles du département du Puy-de-Dôme (Thibaud-Landriot Revision de quelques carnassiers villafranchiens du Niveau des Etouaries (Montagne de Perrier Le loess à banc durcis de Saint-Vallier (Drôme) et sa faune de mammifères villafranchiens Early Pleistocene Mammalian fauna from Longdan Quaternary environmental changes and evolution of large mammals in North China The case of Acinonyx pardinensis (Mammalia The Villafranchian cheetahs from Tuscany and remarks on the dispersal and evolution of the genus Die feliden aus dem Epivillafranchium von Untermassfeld Monographien Römisch-Germaisches Zentralmuseum Mainz 40 The cheetah Acinonyx pardinensis (Croizet et Jobert at the hominin site of Dmanisi (Georgia) e a potential prime meat supplier in Early Pleistocene ecosystems Recent inner ear specialization for high-speed hunting in cheetahs Notizie sul ritrovamento di fauna a Rinoceronte etrusco e Macairodo all’Argentario (prov toscana-gombaszoegensis from Monte Argentario (Grosseto Applications of X-ray synchrotron microtomography for non-destructive 3D studies of paleontological specimens The dental pathology of feral cats on Marion island Population analysis of dental anomalies of otters Lutra lutra from eastern Germany A pathological Late Pleistocene canid from San Sidero (Italy): implications for social-and feeding-behaviour Medical CT scanning and the study of hidden oral pathologies in fossil carnivores Regulation of root patterns in mammalian teeth New data on Early Pleistocene vertebrates from Monte Argentario (Central Italy) Paleoecological and biochronological implications Pleistocene calcareous tufa from the Ellera basin (Umbria central Italy) as a key for an integrated paleoenvironmental and tectonic reconstruction Mammalia) from the late Villafranchian of Pietrafitta (Umbria Voles from the Early Pleistocene of Pietrafitta (Central Italy Large carnivore and other mammal fossils from the Early Pleistocene alluvial plain of the Tiberino Basin (Pantalla The plant record of the Dunarobba and Pietrafitta sites in the Plio-Pleistocene palaeoenvironmental context of central Italy Corciano: materiali preistorici e paleontologici (Quattroemme Updating Villafranchian molluscs and mammal faunas in Umbria and Latium (Central Italy) Acinonyx pardinensis (Croizet et Jobert) remains from the Middle Villafranchian locality of Varshets (Bulgaria) and the Plio-Pleistocene history of the cheetahs in Eurasia 1846) (Carnivora: Felidae) - in the Lower Villafranchian (Upper Pliocene) of Kvabebi (East Georgia Transcaucasia) and its evolutionary and biogeographical significance The Iberian record of the puma-like cat Puma pardoides (Owen Cheetahs in the Middle Pleistocene ofEurope: Acinonyx pardinensis (sensu lato) intermedius (Thenius Large mammal biochronology framework in Europe at Jaramillo: the Epivillafranchian as a formal biochron Dramatis personae: an introduction to wild felids in Biology and Conservation of Wild Felids (eds Macdonald The late Villafranchian (Early Pleistocene) carnivores (Carnivora A phylogenetic and palaeoecological review of the Pleistocene felid Panthera gombaszoegensis (PhD Dissertation Mammalia) and its role in the faunal assemblage from Pantalla (Perugia central Italy): comparison with the Late Villafranchian large carnivore guild of Italy Tracing the ecophysiology of ungulates and predator-prey relationships in an early Pleistocene large mammal community Le unità tettoniche del Monte Argentario (Toscana meridionale) Mammalia) in the Early Pleistocene of Italy The African species Megantereon whitei from the Early Pleistocene of Monte Argentario (South Tuscany CT scanning analysis of Megantereon whitei (Carnivora Machairodontinae) from Monte Argentario (Early Pleistocene central Italy): evidence of atavistic teeth The PyHST2 hybrid distributed code for high speed tomographic reconstruction with iterative reconstruction and a priori knowledge capabilities Correction of ring artefacts in x-ray tomographic images Download references We gratefully thank all the people that helped us in analysing museum collections (institutional abbreviations are explained in Supplementary Note 2): M.C Profico for his precious suggestions and to M Antón for allowing us the use of skeletal reconstructions Argano for having entrusted the specimen to R.S We acknowledge the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble for providing SR-µCT facilities and assistance in using beamline ID17 This work has been supported by the ‘Fondo Ricerca di Base 2014’ Iurino and Marco Zanatta contributed equally to this work European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) wrote the manuscript with input from the other authors All authors discussed the results and reviewed the final version of the manuscript The authors declare no competing interests Publisher's note: Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-26698-6 Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science The dates displayed for an article provide information on when various publication milestones were reached at the journal that has published the article activities on preceding journals at which the article was previously under consideration are not shown (for instance submission All content on this site: Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker It’s definitely worth planning your itinerary in advance to make the most of everything the region has to offer – below find a few of our favourite things to do in Tuscany the historic town centre fills with Montepulciano DOC wine tastings from 40 local wineries where you can spend the day soaking up some sunshine venture down to the lively port and enjoy a sea-front spritz at the storied Bar del Porto if you’re looking for delicious spaghetti alle vongole head to I Pescatori in the nearby Orbetello or at Controvento in Porto Santo Stefano Markt in TuscanyGetty ImagesTaste Tuscany’s cucina poveraMany Tuscan recipes are considered cucina povera due to their roots in the region’s rural culture Chianina beef (a breed native to the Val di Chiana area) and Cinta Senese pork (a type of pork exclusive to Tuscany) all typically served with pasta or atop a crostino These are just a few of the many traditional Tuscan dishes you can taste at authentic trattorias across the region Some of our favourites include Ristorante Tullio in Capalbio La Bucaccia in Cortona and Trattoria di Sor Paolo in San Casciano Archways in Abbey of San GalganoGetty ImagesVisit San Galgano AbbeyIn the early 12th century the mediaeval knight Galgano Guidotti erected a chapel in Chiusdino where he spent his last years living as a hermit Cistercian monks built a much larger church in his honour in a striking Gothic architectural style the structure began to deteriorate in the 16th century the remains of the church stand as a testament to how time can transform architecture into a marvel of natural beauty Stroll through the ruins to come across the legendary sword in the stone said to have belonged to the knight himself Natural springs in TuscanyGetty ImagesBathe in the natural springsThe Val D’Orcia area for its stunning green landscapes but the area also treasures a handful of natural springs discovered by the Romans for their healing properties creating picturesque travertine terraces where you can bathe in the warm thermal waters San GimignanoGetty ImagesExplore the pretty hilltop villagesTuscany’s hilltop settlements with ancient stone houses and cobblestoned streets are the best way to immerse yourself in the region’s beauty and rich history Stroll through the mediaeval streets of San Gimignano perched dramatically atop sheer cliffs of rock as well as the Etruscan village of Montemerano whose Giardino dei Tarocchi is an artistic representation of the 22 cards of the Major Arcana with a kaleidoscope of coloured sculptures commissioned by its founder and French artist Niki de Saint Phalle a UNESCO World Heritage site whose beauty has inspired many including the renowned Italian film director Franco Zeffirelli for his film “Romeo and Juliet.” While there visit Palazzo Piccolomini before heading to Marusco e Maria to try the famed pecorino di pienza Golf course in TuscanyGetty ImagesPlay golf in the Tuscan countrysideBetween wining spending a breezy morning on the golf course is a delightful break in the fresh air Renowned for impeccable design and challenging layouts and the 27-hole course at Castelfalfi offer golfers of all levels a chance to enjoy a game amid natural reserves and countryside scenery enjoy a well-deserved spread of Tuscan cuisine and a glass of wine – especially at Trattoria La Stellata at Terme di Saturnia where the bucolic tables offer views of the verdant golf course and beyond For golf enthusiasts seeking an exclusive experience the Rosewood Castiglione del Bosco boasts a brilliant 18-hole course designed by Tom Weiskopf available only to hotel guests and members spelt cultivation and building scarecrows out of recycled materials one of the largest flea markets in the country held in the Centro Convegni Sant’Agostino in Cortona from 24 August to 8 September 2024 a stylish summer home set among pine trees where you can fall asleep to the sound of cicadas Step inside this vintage shop with terrazzo floors and explore its secret underground cellar where cheeses are aged you can shop a bargain at the Ginori 1735 Factory Store '+n.escapeExpression("function"==typeof(o=null!=(o=r(e,"eyebrowText")||(null!=l?r(l,"eyebrowText"):l))?o:n.hooks.helperMissing)?o.call(null!=l?l:n.nullContext||{},{name:"eyebrowText",hash:{},data:t,loc:{start:{line:28,column:63},end:{line:28,column:78}}}):o)+" \n '+(null!=(o=c(e,"if").call(r,null!=l?c(l,"cta2PreText"):l,{name:"if",hash:{},fn:n.program(32,t,0),inverse:n.noop,data:t,loc:{start:{line:63,column:20},end:{line:63,column:61}}}))?o:"")+"\n"+(null!=(o=(c(e,"ifAll")||l&&c(l,"ifAll")||n.hooks.helperMissing).call(r,null!=l?c(l,"cta2Text"):l,null!=l?c(l,"cta2Link"):l,{name:"ifAll",hash:{},fn:n.program(34,t,0),inverse:n.noop,data:t,loc:{start:{line:64,column:20},end:{line:70,column:30}}}))?o:"")+" www.erqole.it tips and exclusive itineraries in Florence After having refreshed the spirit while enjoying a splendid sea and one of the most evocative sunsets in Italy it is time to think about the stomach and the Argentario will not disappoint you in this either that pamper tourists and locals alike with exquisite dishes If you want to enjoy a nice aperitif before dinner, here is a list of the best aperitifs in Argentario. If you want to enjoy the Argentario by day, here is our guide to the most beautiful beaches and coves. Il Leccino Strada Regionale 74 Maremmana, 170 - Orbetelloph. +39 0564 188 6996 Ristorante Il LeccinoLa ViviendaLocalità Le Piane, 1 - Monte Argentario ph. +39 366 876 0482 I PescatoriVia Giacomo Leopardi, 9 - Orbetelloph. +39 0564 860611 La BussolaPiazza Facchinetti, 11 - Porto Santo Stefanoph. +39 0564 814225 The cuisine of this restaurant, an institution for those who frequent the Argentario, exudes the scent of the sea from every dish. From starters to main courses, it is always fresh fish that plays the starring role here. Proposed both in the traditional way, such as the timeless spaghetti with seafood, and in a more innovative way. Also worth tasting are the appetisers, tagliatelle, gnocchi and bread! Ristorante Domizia SP161, n° 40 - Porto Santo Stefanoph. +39 0564 810246 The watchword here is creativity. The fish dishes on the menu always have an original touch: the classic spaghetti with clams is dressed with a garlic cream, the half pacchero with red prawns meets lard, mint and pecorino cheese, the monkfish is accompanied by coconut flakes, milk and escarole, to name but a few examples. All served in a magical setting, that of the Giannella tombolo and the Domitian Bay. Vecchia PesaPiazzale del Valle, 11/A - Porto Santo Stefanoph. +39 0564 813574 Since 2018, Vecchia Pesa has been mixing traditional Italian and Santo Stefano flavours, from land and sea. The dishes on offer are great classics: risotto alla marinara and spaghetti with clams to name a few first courses, frittura and mixed grill among the main courses. Obviously, imagination is not lacking, such as that which can be found in the tuna steak with aubergine caponata and pea cream or in the paccheri with swordfish Messina style. Large selection of wines from all over Italy. Il Pellicano Località Sbarcatello - Porto Ercoleph. +39 0564 858111 It is part of the beautiful Hotel Il Pellicano, set in a cove of rare beauty. The menu is sophisticated and innovative, with seafood and land dishes, from pigeon to lobster, and is very attentive to Tuscan excellence and the seasonality of the products, purchased only from small producers. If you don't know what to choose, there are no less than three tasting menus. However, leave some room for the end, here even the desserts are of the highest level! 1 Star in the MICHELIN Guide. Hosteria AlicinaPiazza S.Sebastiano, 54 - Porto Ercoleph. +39 0564 832630 Great cuisine in a small restaurant! Hosteria Alicina, a family-run gem, offers land and seafood dishes studied with maniacal care in the choice of ingredients, their highly original combinations and the presentation of the dishes. In the hands of the chef lies the magic, if you don't believe us try the fantastic smoked fusillo with cacio, pepper and bottarga (roe) and perhaps pair it with one of the 300 labels stored in the restaurant's cellar. Ristorante Dama Dama Località Le Piane - Porto Ercoleph. +39 0564 810292 Ristorante Dama Dama - Argentario Golf & Wellness Resort La TerrazzaViale Caravaggio angolo Via Tramontana - Porto Ercoleph. +39 0564 833636 This is the panoramic restaurant and lounge bar of the five-star Porto Ercole Resort and Spa, has a splendid view of the Feniglia beach and is equipped with an elegant swimming pool. Meat and fish are prepared here according to traditional Tuscan criteria, but the menu also includes several vegetarian dishes. The wine cellar of this restaurant will leave you speechless: there are many wines on offer selected only from the best cellars! Addresses to remember for an atmospheric sunset happy hour Nature, art, history, restaurants, and hotels... everything to discover in the 'spartan-chic' paradise between Tuscany and Lazio Discover the temples of Tuscan hospitality to book now for unforgettable experiences Our ultimate guide to enjoying the beauty of an incredible sea along the coast and on the islands An itinerary to discover the golden beaches and crystal clear seas of the Maremma An itinerary through the hills and medieval villages: let's discover together the best ones not to be missed An itinerary to discover the coves with the clear sea that are a must in the area The most beautiful grape harvests in Tuscany where you can experience them Get more inspiration, tips and exclusive itineraries in Florence The Italian beaches are filled to capacity and the surrounding Tyrrhenian Sea teems with sailboats and megayachts you’ll find a much less crowded but equally beautiful alternative in an area you’d least expect—by the rolling hills Thanks to the attention heaped on Tuscany’s lush countryside—it is Italy’s most enduringly famous wine region—its own stretch of Tyrrhenian coastline has remained fairly under the radar the beaches of Tuscany’s southern coast remain wild MONTE ARGENTARIO: Monte Argentario is a rugged heavily wooded promontory connected to Tuscany’s mainland by three sandy isthmuses Two of its best-known beaches are La Feniglia and Giannella shallow turquoise waters and pristine sand On the westernmost coast of Monte Argentario you’ll find even more secluded beaches—try Cala Piccola and Cala del Gesso—accessible by narrow cliffside paths and great for snorkeling You can also catch a ferry from Porto Santo Stefano to Giglio Island to enjoy what are arguably the most gorgeous beaches in L’Argentario: Cannelle CAPALBIO: The beautiful medieval town of Capalbio its sandy stretch of coast—over eight miles long all the way to the Lazio border—is the main draw The pretty and popular beaches of Chiarone and La Torba are all easily accessible off the Aurelia and SS1 highways and boast calm Capalbio offers plenty of deserted beaches and small secluded coves—just follow the winding coastline along the SS1 and you’re bound to spot something magical a few miles from the ancient city of Grosseto is a lively coastal town home to the pretty Fiumara beach—a popular kite-surfing spot we suggest you venture a little south of Marina di Grosseto to the completely unspoiled Marina di Albarese beach It’s a four-mile stretch of beach backed by thick forest and is one of the wildest and most beautiful beaches on the Tuscan coast It’s located within the Maremma Nature Park FOLLONICA: With its tall buildings studding its sandy white coast Follonica has been dubbed the “Miami of the Maremma.” But don’t let that put you off—unlike Miami Follonica has a laid-back vibe and flawless beaches The always-deserted Ponente is perfect for those craving tranquility while Levante is great for families with its play area ELBA ISLAND: This island off the Tuscan coast—famous for harboring Napoleon during his exile in 1814—boasts more than 70 beaches while others like Capo Bianco and Sansone resemble tropical Caribbean beaches with their powdery white sand and jewel-colored waters you’ll even find stunning red sand beaches such as Cala Seregola Read on for the latest Traveler tips, dining guides, hotel recommendations, and more in Italy. up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse We understand that time is the greatest luxury which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world a former fishing plant in Porto Ercole that has been abandoned for 40 years and is being transformed into a luxury hotel by architect Marco Casamonti (Archea Associati architecture studio) Erqole endeavors to broaden its portfolio of unparalleled hospitality within Argentario and reinforce the Jonsson family’s vision of long-term revitalization of the region With the investment in Boutique Hotel Torre di Cala Piccola Erqole intends to expand the offering of diverse striving for the highest standards of hospitality for a unique and high-quality guest experience Perched gracefully along the scenic north-western shores of Argentario and only a 15-minute drive from Porto Santo Stefano Boutique Hotel Torre di Cala Piccola is surrounded by a private park of over 11,000 sqm that also houses a sensory garden offering panoramic views of the Giglio Island and lush landscapes The hotel will reopen for the 2024 season on 11 April under the management of the Erqole team as well as a restaurant and a bistro with an outdoor terrace we give our guests the opportunity to truly discover an enchanting destination by land and sea We are investing in this long-term project with conviction to restore the value the territory deserves focusing on a level of hospitality that is of the highest standard but at the same time sustainable a philosophy that we first and foremost express towards our collaborators who make the facilities we manage extraordinary and unforgettable," commented Anton Jonsson as well as a member of the Board of Directors of Qarlbo in addition to managing the already operational structures also include the restyling of La Capitana and the conversion of the former Cirio we have recently appointed Stefano Cuoco as the new CEO of Erqole a professional with 20 years of experience in the luxury hospitality sector who has become chairman as well as CEO of Qarlbo Hospitality: a team of great professional quality committed to bringing to life the vision we have for this unique destination Erqole is the Italian company of the Swedish holding company Qarlbo AB; a family-run business founded by Conni Jonsson and owned by the Jonsson family with majority stakes and in partnership with the founders in sectors from entertainment to hospitality Erqole has started a programme in Tuscany for the requalification and conversion of some disused buildings into accommodation and hotel facilities in the luxury segment contribute to the development of the local community and to the conservation and enhancement of the territory Among the renovation and repositioning projects followed and already launched by Erqole in Porto Ercole (GR) are: LA ROQQA (former Hotel Don Pedro) Isolotto Beach Club (former Le Viste and Riva del Marchese) You currently use an outdated internet browser. You can upgrade to a modern browser or use the Google Chrome Frame to optimize your viewing experience the EasyPark app has been expanding in Italy The latest cities to get the innovative parking app are Desenzano del Garda The EasyPark app is available for the blue-line parking areas in these cities The app allows drivers to pay via their smart phone without the hassle of carrying cash or having to find a meter The parking app is free to download for iOS and users only need to register and fill in their payment details Desenzano del Garda is a popular tourist destination because of the Garda lake and the nearby Alps while Monte Argentario in Tuscany and Isola delle Femmine in Sicily near Palermo are popular beach destinations The EasyPark app adapts well to these cities because of its intuitive nature and the different payment possibilities such as PayPal the Councilor for Economic Development for Desenzano del Garda stated “with this agreement we are offering a convenient solution for tourist and residents […] we chose one of the leaders in the industry in order to offer the same convenience as in Brescia and other municipalities.” allows the driver to ease the parking operations and be able to spend more time on their business and to their lives.” The EasyPark app is already in use in 80 Italian cities such as Rome Verona and Catania as well as in other European cities Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world Leave Como to Clooney cosplayers and Taormina to White Lotus wannabes The beach club at La Roqqa, in Monte Argentario there are chic islands strewn like bocce balls across the indigo seas blazing hot weather made for boats and beaches and magnificent pools fringed with palm and pine trees Tourist stampedes and astronomical prices can quickly sour those charms The truth is that you can still get all of Italy’s charms without the crowds or surge pricing as long as you stay off the beaten path try these four lesser-known corners of Italy This stretch of southern Tuscany is chic but discreet – disappear into the dunes discover beguiling coves and stay on rambling estates amid stunning scenery Summer means serried rows of sunbeds and regimented beach games It’s all about bonding and strutting your stuff in matching tangerine mankinis Southern Tuscany makes a more stylish splash Sugary sands are framed by pine groves and low-slung hills set designers are seemingly in charge of the sunsets and rosemary-scented scrubland running down to the sea A former Italian prime minister now presides over the local tennis club Even the region’s princes play at being gentlemen farmers in their perfectly groomed wine estates famous for their bulging bellies and lyre-shaped horns are herded by macho Tuscan cowboys straight out of central casting Unlike in flashy Forte dei Marmi further north Etruscans cultivated it; Tuscans civilised it Politically, this is Italy’s “red belt”, but it’s true blue on its shores. After Liguria, the region has more Blue Flag beaches than anywhere else in Italy, with beguiling coves clustered along the Maremma coast or carved into the Monte Argentario peninsula. The Parco Regionale della Maremma with its pine groves and 20kms (12.4 miles) of pristine coast where ruined watchtowers dominate cliffs Secluded coves and mellow resorts offer intimacy and privacy for couples; while the wide sandy beach of Marina di Alberese is popular with families it’s a stroll south to secluded Collelungo beach snuffling boar and the lesser-spotted nudist This stretch of coast is dotted with driftwood and sun-bleached tree trunks Collelungo beach Photograph: AlamyBut for back-to-nature remoteness It’s reward enough for a short but sweaty hike through silvery olive groves and sweet-smelling juniper woods Wimps can arrive by sea from Talamone in a canoe (€25pp with guide) as I do from neighbouring Le Cannelle (see below) Talamone is a setting made for speedboat chases feature in Quantum of Solace as the seaside retreat of Bond’s Italian pal Perhaps they toasted themselves with Maremma wine Ornellaia produced by the Frescobaldi family since 1308 But for all its vintages and villas, this coast has not priced out its less princely fans. Club le Cannelle (from €70pp full-board) is the only beachfront place to stay in the Parco della Maremma and feels reassuringly remote Rooms are housed in a farmhouse or a former Benedictine monastery Romantics can snooze in the Medici watchtower (€250 for up to six guests) which once marked the southern end of the grand dukedom of Tuscany The club’s kitchen can rustle up anything from a picnic to take to the rocky beach to a feast of ribollita bean stew wild boar tortelli and panzanella peasant salad Just south lies the Orbetello lagoon and the working farm of La Parrina (doubles from €95 B&B) a rambling estate that has survived intact Stay in the moody stone manor or in a tied cottage and cycle the grounds orchards and vineyards to monastic ruins and lagoon views Few leave the farm shop without falling for the organic honey the Vin Santo dessert wine or the stinky but sweet caciotta cheese Time to flop in the Feniglia or Giannella dunes – family-friendly gently sloping sandspit beaches bordering the lagoon but backed by pine groves Above Feniglia are the windswept remains of the Roman town of Cosa which once controlled land and sea traffic to Rome the site is at one with the ruins of the Roman port below La Feniglia sand dune the craggy peninsula of Monte Argentario feels The town of Porto Ercole has more summer swagger than Porto Santo Stefano and is topped by the finest fort on the coast the Spanish six-pointed star of Forte Stella Below this promontory swirl the curious rock pools of Acqua Dolce At Porto Ercole, head out to sea with Argentario Divers to explore the crystalline waters and wrecks that litter Giannutri’s marine park Dive master Stefania Mensa says: “These are Italy’s finest waters sunken wrecks and water teeming with barracuda and lobsters.” Gambero RossoBack at Porto Ercole, refuel on superb seafood, with great views, at Gambero Rosso wine and scenery into a seamless experience Photograph: Faabi/Getty ImagesLess than an hour from Genoa airport Noli is a picturesque village with old palazzos the coves of Capo Noli are great for snorkelling Photograph: AlamyAn hour south of Pompeii lies an impressive but much less busy ancient wonder. Paestum (ruins and museum entrance €9, museopaestum.beniculturali.it) was founded by Greeks overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea around 600 BC It was later conquered by Rome and then abandoned for centuries Three huge Doric temples sit in wide grassy spaces Help herd Maremma cattle and horses in traditional rancher style at Tenuta di Alberese (€60) down 60% as thousands of midges torment locals and tourists Authorities in a Tuscan town have urged residents to close their windows and refrain from hanging out washing as they tackle a plague of midges that has been tormenting locals and tourists for weeks well known for its lagoon and long stretches of sandy beach overlooked by Monte Argentario say business has been badly hit as customers avoid venturing out for dinner “We are forced to close two hours early,” the owner of Caffè sul Corso di Luigi Drogo Some establishments have switched off outside lights and are taking dinner bookings only until 9pm “Takings are down by 60% despite these measures,” said Marco Di Pietro while describing the “psychological horror” inflicted by the midges on outdoor diners “Thousands of midges gather around the light bulbs and move like a disturbing wave between the outdoor tables,” he told Corriere Orbetello midges on a white car Photograph: SuppliedLa Repubblica quoted a visitor from Rome as saying Orbetello had been “completely overrun” by the insects “For almost a month it has been impossible to walk along the lagoon Now it has become impossible to even dine or have an aperitif outside The situation reached such an extreme yesterday that many shops and restaurants were forced to close at around 9pm.” said last month that the infestation is linked to the conditions of the lagoon amid high temperatures that have reduced the presence of the midges’ natural predators Authorities said they would undertake pest control procedures overnight on Wednesday – the fourth time the town has been fumigated in several weeks But residents complained that a deep disinfestation They are not the only ones being invaded by insects this summer – the nearby Castiglione della Pescaia has been hit by swarms of wasps said: “Today it is difficult to find a solution to a problem that should have been dealt with earlier What I can say is that we are here for any citizens who express concern or whose season has been ruined by these insects.” discover five lesser-known alternatives for the perfect road trip This article was adapted from National Geographic Traveller (UK).Roads chiselled into cliffs some of Europe’s most lusted-over hotels and the Tyrrhenian Sea twinkling away safe in the knowledge that nothing created by humans can ever outshine it No wonder everyone loves the Amalfi Coast.This year that love will be even fiercer as attentions turn to the Bay of Naples the tiny island of Procida has been named Italian Capital of Culture What’s already a well-trodden corner of the country will be packed to the gills.But if you’re keen to feel that unhurried dolce vita vibe that’s long drawn people to Amalfi then there are plenty of worthy alternatives in a country with nearly 5,000 miles of coastline so too are their coastlines — so whether you’re looking for full-on luxury or a wilder you’ll find a coastline that’s every bit as dramatic as Amalfi with an even more evocative name.Photograph by Alamy1 named after the livid colour it turns during dramatic sunsets runs north from Reggio Calabria — the very end of the Italian mainland — up to the Capo Vaticano peninsula But what a ‘bunion’ it is — this is an area of dramatic cliffs shearing down to dreamboat sandy beaches where the narrow streets slalom past ancient palazzi before finishing abruptly at the cliff edge home of Italy’s double-layered ice cream dessert Where to stay: Villa Paola is an elegant grande dame in Tropea meticulously crafted from a 16th-century convent and with a spectacular pool with sea views With sweeping corniches over the Tyrrhenian Sea Monte Argentario has all the Amalfi essentials and adds another precious ingredient: sand A high promontory anchored to Tuscany’s southern coast by two thick sandbars Monte Argentario could almost pass an island — indeed Sunloungers line up along the shore at dune-rippled Feniglia beach street food stalls at elegant Porto Santo Stefano dole out cones of delicately fried fish and the only exercise anyone seems to do is the walk down the cliffside to one of the perfect coves etched round the perimeter (you’ll hit gold on the stretch between Porto Santo Stefano and Cala Moresca) Monte Argentario has long been a low-key weekend retreat for wealthy Romans and is also beloved by equally low-key celebrities whose previous claim to fame was being the malarial swamp where Caravaggio died a place of old-school wealth where yachts huddle in the marina there’s not a whole lot else to do on Monte Argentario — and that’s exactly the point Where to stay: Follow the stars to Hotel Il Pellicano near Porto Ercole where shady sunloungers among the rocks guarantee privacy Wondering what the Amalfi Coast felt like several decades ago Look no further than the eastern coastline of Puglia’s Salento peninsula — the stiletto tip of Italy’s heel with the Adriatic washing at the bottoms of cliffs there’s a much simpler feel — one of the main attractions on the most spectacular stretch from Otranto south to Leuca is the Grotta Zinzulusa stalagmites and a whole lot of guano from the resident bats That’s not to say it isn’t glam — Otranto itself is a chic beach town where restaurants serve fish caught just hours earlier and the Pugliese take their daily passeggiata (evening stroll) around the 15th-century Aragonese Castle Heading south is the turn-of-century spa town where you can still take the waters and enjoy spa treatments on the rocks or go for a dip in the lido scored from the cliffside this is a storied land where prehistoric dolmens sit amid olive groves and fortified masseria farmhouses have been transformed into upmarket accommodation But that coastline — fragrant with the herbs and bushes of the macchia mediterranea shrubland — is so breathtaking Where to stay: Soak up the peace at Masseria Montelauro a 19th-century farmhouse fringed by citrus and olive trees you’re best skipping the most famous stretch that runs north of Cernobbio start inching up that inner peninsula from Como town to Bellagio (pictured) for a road that hugs the cliff edge and plunges over mini ravines including the waterfall-laced Orrido di Nesso.Photograph by Getty Images4 LombardyIt might not flank the sparkling Mediterranean but if you’re looking for the old-school glamour and superstar glitz of Amalfi then look no further than Europe’s longest either on ferries or those famous vintage Riva boats you’ll realise Lake Como is also perfect for road-tripping a cooperative that’s been feeding the locals for more than a century stop off for lakeside walks around Musso and Gravedona Where to stay: You’ll be cantilevered over the lake from the balconies at Al Molo 5 a delightful restaurant-with-rooms in sleepy Vassena Sardinia’s underrated west coast has it all: cliff-etched roads gorgeous coastal villages and beaches that are accessible to all.Photograph by Getty Images5 Western SardiniaThe east coast of Italy’s second-largest island has long been known for its GPS-defying cliff drives and spectacular coves calling from the bottom of precipices for those who dare has the ritzy beaches of the Costa Smeralda but Sardinia’s underrated west coast has it all: cliff-etched roads Its industrial history — this was a mining region — means it missed the tourism boom Sardinia’s wild west is an astonishingly varied place. Start in Carbonia in the south — a mining town of blocky, rationalist buildings with the fascinating Museo del Carbone based in the former Serbariu mine where visitors are led through underground tunnels head west up the not-for-the-faint-hearted coastal road which lurches round the cliffs to Portixeddu the road ripples through Amalfi-style villages unfurling down the rockface you’ll find the chocolate-box seaside town of Alghero and the coastal wilderness of Porto Conte Regional Natural Park Where to stay: Villa Asfodeli is a beautiful albergo diffuso (‘scattered hotel’) centred around an art nouveau mansion in teeny Tresnuraghes discover five lesser-known alternatives for the perfect road trip.","enableAds":true,"endbug":true,"isMetered":false,"isUserAuthed":false,"isTruncated":false,"isEntitled":false,"freemiumContentGatingEnabled":true,"premiumContentGatingEnabled":false,"ldMda":{"cmsType":"image","hasCopyright":true,"id":"cb340adc-25d1-42d2-8b52-cdf04ea56129","lines":3,"positionMetaBottom":true,"showMore":true,"caption":"Wondering what the Amalfi Coast felt like several decades ago with turquoise coloured sea","crdt":"Photograph by Alamy","dsc":"Wondering what the Amalfi Coast felt like several decades ago Look no further than the eastern coastline of Puglia’s Salento peninsula — the stiletto tip of Italy’s heel.","ttl":"amalfi","rchDsc":{"markup":"Wondering what the Amalfi Coast felt like several decades ago Look no further than the eastern coastline of Puglia’s Salento peninsula — the stiletto tip of Italy’s heel."},"rchTtl":{"markup":"amalfi"}},"imageAlt":"Eastern coastline of Puglia’s Salento peninsula driving puglia","lg":"https://assets-cdn.nationalgeographic.com/natgeo/static/default.NG.logo.dark.jpg","pblshr":"National Geographic","abt":"Road Trips","sclDsc":"Italy’s most storied coast isn’t the only choice for glittering water and heart-stealing views Look no further than the eastern coastline of Puglia’s Salento peninsula — the stiletto tip of Italy’s heel.","lines":3,"showMoreText":"Read More"},"image":{"alt":"Eastern coastline of Puglia’s Salento peninsula Unauthorized use is prohibited."},"marginTop":false,"ratio":"3200x2132"},"config":{},"usesArticleObject":true},{"name":"PrismBadgeTag","props":{"badge":null,"tags":{"tags":[{"label":"TRAVEL","href":"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel"}]},"isUserAuthed":false},"config":{}},{"name":"Headline","props":{"title":"Five alternatives to the Amalfi Coast for an Italian road trip","description":"​Italy’s most storied coast isn’t the only choice for glittering water and heart-stealing views discover five lesser-known alternatives for 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read"},"config":{},"usesArticleObject":true},{"name":"Divider","props":{"className":"natgeoDivider"},"config":{},"usesArticleObject":true},{"name":"Body","props":{"body":[[{"type":"inline","content":{"name":"EditorsNote","props":{"body":"This article was adapted from National Geographic Traveller (UK).","header":null},"context":{},"config":{"align":"full"}}},{"type":"p","content":["Roads chiselled into cliffs No wonder everyone loves the Amalfi Coast.",{"type":"br","content":[]},{"type":"br","content":[]},"This year What’s already a well-trodden corner of the country will be packed to the gills.",{"type":"br","content":[]},{"type":"br","content":[]},"But if you’re keen to feel that unhurried the country’s your oyster."," "]},{"type":"inline","content":{"name":"Image","props":{"link":{},"caption":{"title":"","credit":"Photograph by Alamy","source":"","text":"On the toe of Italy’s boot with an even more evocative name.","lines":3,"showMoreText":"Read More","showLess":false},"image":{"id":"amalfi1","showCopyright":"Please be respectful of copyright Unauthorized use is prohibited.","alt":"Coastline on the toe of Italy’s boot Calabria"]},{"type":"p","content":["On the toe of Italy’s boot the ",{"type":"i","content":["tartufo"]},"."]},{"type":"p","content":["Along the Costa Viola itself zigzagging up and down through villages like castle-crowned Scilla with the Aspromonte mountain range in the distance Not that you’ll be looking that way — heading south one of the Aeolian islands in the distance but hold back — swaggering Reggio is calling meticulously crafted from a 16",{"type":"sup","content":["th"]},"-century convent and with a spectacular pool with sea views B","&","B."," "]},{"type":"h2","content":["2 Tuscany"]},{"type":"p","content":["With sweeping corniches over the Tyrrhenian Sea street food stalls at elegant Porto Santo Stefano dole out cones of delicately fried fish and the only exercise anyone seems to do is the walk down the cliffside to one of the perfect coves etched round the perimeter (you’ll hit gold on the stretch between Porto Santo Stefano and Cala Moresca)."]},{"type":"p","content":["Monte Argentario has long been a low-key weekend retreat for wealthy Romans and is also beloved by equally low-key celebrities there’s not a whole lot else to do on Monte Argentario — and that’s exactly the point."]},{"type":"p","content":[{"type":"b","content":["Where to stay:"," "]},"Follow the stars to ",{"type":"a","content":["Hotel Il Pellicano"],"attrs":{"href":"https://www.hotelilpellicano.com/en/","rel":"noopener noreferrer","target":"_blank"}}," near Porto Ercole B","&","B."," "]},{"type":"h2","content":["3 Puglia"]},{"type":"p","content":["Wondering what the Amalfi Coast felt like several decades ago and the Pugliese take their daily"," ","passeggiata"," ","(evening stroll) around the 15",{"type":"sup","content":["th"]},"-century Aragonese Castle where you can still take the waters and enjoy spa treatments on the rocks or go for a dip in the lido scored from the cliffside."," "]}],{"type":"inline","content":{"name":"Ad","props":{"ad":{"type":"fitt-article-inline-box","className":"fitt-article-inline-box"},"className":"natgeo-ad","placeholders":{"compact":{"size":[300,250]},"regular":{"size":[300,250]}},"initSelf":true},"context":{},"config":{"gridDisplayMode":"none"}}},[{"type":"p","content":["Salento isn’t just about the coastline and fortified ",{"type":"i","content":["masseria"]}," farmhouses have been transformed into upmarket accommodation But that coastline — fragrant with the herbs and bushes of the ",{"type":"i","content":["macchia mediterranea"]}," shrubland — is so breathtaking you may not want to go inland at all."]},{"type":"p","content":[{"type":"b","content":["Where to stay:"," "]},"Soak up the peace at ",{"type":"a","content":["Masseria Montelauro"],"attrs":{"href":"https://www.masseriamontelauro.it/","rel":"noopener noreferrer","target":"_blank"}}," a 19",{"type":"sup","content":["th"]},"-century farmhouse fringed by citrus and olive trees B","&","B."," "]},{"type":"inline","content":{"name":"Image","props":{"link":{},"caption":{"title":"","credit":"Photograph by Getty Images","source":"","text":"For Amalfi-style drives including the waterfall-laced Orrido di Nesso.","lines":3,"showMoreText":"Read More","showLess":false},"image":{"id":"amalfi2","showCopyright":"Please be respectful of copyright Lombardy"]},{"type":"p","content":["It might not flank the sparkling Mediterranean you’ll realise Lake Como is also perfect for road-tripping."]},{"type":"p","content":["It’s easy to loop Lake Como in a full day of driving you’re best skipping the most famous stretch that runs north of Cernobbio — the outer side of the forward ‘leg’ if imagine the lake to look like a sprinter start inching up that inner peninsula from Como town to Bellagio including the waterfall-laced Orrido di Nesso where an ancient-frescoed church watches over a pint-sized harbour the road ripples up and down around Laglio and Moltrasio — where you should stop for lunch at",{"type":"a","content":[" ","Trattoria La Moltrasina"],"attrs":{"href":"https://www.lamoltrasina.it/","rel":"noopener noreferrer","target":"_blank"}}," stop off for lakeside walks around Musso and Gravedona."]},{"type":"p","content":[{"type":"b","content":["Where to stay:"]}," You’ll be cantilevered over the lake from the balconies at ",{"type":"a","content":["Al Molo 5"],"attrs":{"href":"https://www.almolo5.it/","rel":"noopener noreferrer","target":"_blank"}}," are accessible to all.","lines":3,"showMoreText":"Read More","showLess":false},"image":{"id":"amalfi3","showCopyright":"Please be respectful of copyright Unauthorized use is prohibited.","alt":"Sardinia’s underrated west coast has it all: cliff-etched roads Western Sardinia"]},{"type":"p","content":["The east coast of Italy’s second-largest island has long been known for its GPS-defying cliff drives and spectacular coves calling that’s a boon."]},{"type":"p","content":["Sardinia’s wild west is an astonishingly varied place Start in Carbonia in the south — a mining town of blocky rationalist buildings with the fascinating ",{"type":"a","content":["Museo del Carbone"],"attrs":{"href":"https://www.museodelcarbone.it/","rel":"noopener noreferrer","target":"_blank"}}," based in the former Serbariu mine which lurches round the cliffs to Portixeddu."]},{"type":"p","content":["History buffs will love the San Giovanni di Sinis peninsula halfway up the coast where the Roman city of ",{"type":"a","content":["Tharros"],"attrs":{"href":"https://www.tharros.sardegna.it/","rel":"noopener noreferrer","target":"_blank"}}," still overlooks a sweeping sandy beach and the ",{"type":"a","content":["museum at Cabras"],"attrs":{"href":"https://www.museocabras.it/","rel":"noopener noreferrer","target":"_blank"}}," houses mysterious sculptures of ancient warriors and the coastal wilderness of Porto Conte Regional Natural Park."]},{"type":"p","content":[{"type":"b","content":["Where to stay:"]}," ",{"type":"a","content":["Villa Asfodeli"],"attrs":{"href":"https://www.asfodelihotel.com/","rel":"noopener noreferrer","target":"_blank"}}," is a beautiful ",{"type":"i","content":["albergo diffuso"]}," (‘scattered hotel’) centred around an art nouveau mansion in teeny Tresnuraghes with an even more evocative name.","lines":3,"showMoreText":"Read More","showLess":false}}},{"type":"image","data":{"disableFullscreen":false,"articleConfig":{"alignXxs":"full","align":"full"},"image":{"id":"amalfi2","showCopyright":"Please be respectful of copyright including the waterfall-laced Orrido di Nesso.","lines":3,"showMoreText":"Read More","showLess":false}}},{"type":"image","data":{"disableFullscreen":false,"articleConfig":{"alignXxs":"full","align":"full"},"image":{"id":"amalfi3","showCopyright":"Please be respectful of copyright Šibenik Tourist Board","dsc":"With the same terracotta roofs and narrow stone buildings of Split and Dubrovnik the coastal town of Šibenik appeals to travellers looking to explore Croatia's Dalmatian coast away from the crowds.","rchDsc":{"markup":"With the same terracotta roofs and narrow stone buildings of Split and Dubrovnik the coastal town of Šibenik appeals to travellers looking to explore Croatia's Dalmatian coast away from the crowds."},"rchTtl":{"markup":""},"ratio":"3x2"},"isFeatured":true,"sections":["Paid Content"],"headline":"A guide to Šibenik such as the Baths of Queen Giovanna.","ttl":"Sorrento experience cave","rchDsc":{"markup":"Sorrento's hillside location makes for secluded beaches and swim spots such as the Baths of Queen Giovanna."},"rchTtl":{"markup":"Sorrento experience cave"}},"sections":[{"name":"Travel","id":"432c4f83-2d55-3974-b95f-a221c87c0fd1","type":"sources","uri":"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel"}],"headline":"Why Sorrento should be your next Italian gastronomic 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experiencing a remarkable revival clawing themselves back from the dark days of the end of the last century bar shacks and fish stalls line Sri Lanka's sandy beaches in a surfing revolution.","ttl":"Sri Lanka surfing birds eye sea view","rchDsc":{"markup":"Boutique surf camps bar shacks and fish stalls line Sri Lanka's sandy beaches in a surfing revolution Set against a backdrop of the Knoydart Peninsula the distillery overlooks the picturesque Knock Bay The Sunday TimesLuigi Sabatini was waiting for the Brits to descend when I found him “I started English lessons,” he said hopefully “I put this up” — he gestured to a Union Jack hanging limply from the beams of his olive press Think of Tuscany and the posh villas and hill towns of Chiantishire spring to mind Those or the winding roads of the Val d’Orcia Which does seem a little unfair on Maremma has “rolling hills” and “fairy-tale” medieval towns “perched atop” mountains But it also has a seaside: dune-backed beaches accessed via pine forests Swiss and Austrians plough down from Mitteleuropa as you’ll see from the pitiful declarations of gratitude slung up around Grosseto says one of the plaques outside the town hall who dubbed the area a place of beasts and brigands The one person who goes unhailed is he who almost single-handedly turned the fate of Maremma around: Mussolini the dictator drained the marshes and cut irrigation canals in the coastal basin around Grosseto turning it from malarial swamp to fertile farmland though ritzy by Maremma standards just means there’s a marina It’s one of only two towns on Monte Argentario knitted to the mainland by two chunky sandbars Caravaggio is said to have succumbed to malaria in Porto Ercole A coastal road loops round most of the island shuttling day-trippers from inaccessible beach to inaccessible beach I say inaccessible: Italians park bumper to bumper along the cliff edge and wedge multicoloured umbrellas into the pebbles below I stuck to the beach that came with my self-catering apartment: Attico at Punta Nera a one-bedroom top-floor flat outside Porto Santo Stefano with 270-degree sea views and a giant wraparound terrace Those in the smattering of houses on the promontory have keys to the gated beach below: a tiny spiky-rocked cove with a ladder dropping you straight into the sparkling water while I ate local cheese and cherries with the seagulls on my terrace I’d watch fishing boats haul in bulging nets against the sunset I wasn’t the first to weep when checking out It’s that lack of attitude that really marks Maremma out as different from the rest of Tuscany no waiters standing outside restaurants trying to reel you in I tried my best to find a shop selling “local delicacies” in Sorano one of three canyon-topping towns an hour inland — snail-shaped coils of medieval houses balanced on sheer tufa outcrops plunging into nothingness — but there weren’t any and in the single grocery shop open on a Tuesday evening I asked whether the cheese in the display case was local Marina di AlbereseLUCA DA ROSAt Orbetello, a pretty town on the lagoon between Monte Argentario and the mainland, I took a ticket from the dispenser and queued with the locals at I Pescatori, a restaurant run by a co-operative of fishermen (mains from £7; ipescatoriorbetello.it) “I’ve only got room on the pontoon,” shrugged the fisherman maître d’ leading me past tables of rowdy Maremmani in the “outside” seating area (a heated gazebo) to a table cantilevered over the lagoon I ate fried eel and pasta with bottarga — grey mullet roe an Orbetello speciality — as the locals looked on pityingly at the turista risking a chill I thought that would be the best meal of my week in Maremma, but that was until I went to La Sorgente, a no-frills trattoria in a wooded glade halfway up a mountain on Monte Argentario (mains from £5.75; ristorolasorgente.it) they yell out your number over a loudspeaker and you eat at a picnic table beneath trees hung with fairy lights — fenced off from the wild boars that are both your neighbours and (My homemade pappardelle with boar ragu was uncomfortably fresh.) Then there was the night I was filling up at a petrol station in Manciano noticed a steady stream of families filing into an apparently nameless pizzeria and followed them in to find that its owner was once named the second best pizza-maker in the world I’d fly 800 miles back just to taste that crisp feather-light crust again (from £6; Pizzeria Osée; 00 39 0564 628300) Medieval PitiglianoALAMYNear Sorano is the Parco degli Etruschi, an Etruscan graveyard where VIPs were laid to rest in temple-like complexes, with still visible sculptures of winged “angels” to see them through eternity (£4.50; museidimaremma.it) as it was bombed to near oblivion in the Second World War but it’s been perfectly restored and is one of the only big towns in Italy that still feels ruled by locals There are beaches aplenty: the rumpled dunes of Feniglia the sandbar where Caravaggio apparently died are now packed with sunloungers and beach bars between the pines And there’s ice cream at Castiglione della Pescaia a fortified medieval town spilling down a cliff where the gelaterie vie with each other over fancy flavours where I took a ticket (again) and queued for gelato made with chestnuts from Monte Amiata and chunks of lemon from Giglio the island beyond Monte Argentario (£2.20) is the feeling that Maremma is yours and yours alone that you’re not the 86th Anglo to have eaten eel today that everything is here because it always was “English?” said a policeman who pulled me over on a routine traffic stop Maremma sheepdogsGETTY IMAGESMeet Maremma’s best friend Google “Maremma” and the first pictures that come up won’t be of blue seas and Renaissance towns you’ll get fluffy white dogs: pastori Maremmani There’s more to them than their cuteness — the sheepdogs are an integral part of country life in Maremma White livestock dogs in Italy have been recorded as far back as Roman times look closer — that flock of sheep in the olive grove might well have a dog among them A word of warning: they’re not as cuddly as they look “It all depends on how they’re brought up,” says Luigi Sabatini They can always be aggressive with strangers but they’re only doing it to protect the herd or their family.” Julia Buckley was a guest of To Tuscany and Rhino Car Hire. Attico at Punta Nera sleeps two and starts at £1,306 for a week, self-catering (to-tuscany.com). Rhino has a week’s car hire from Rome Fiumicino airport from £69 (rhinocarhire.com) Fly to Rome Fiumicino (two hours’ drive) with airlines including British Airways Registered in England No. 894646. Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, SE1 9GF. ItalyChevron TuscanyChevron Porto ErcoleChevron Set the scene for us: Where is this place, and what's the vibe? An Italian coastal classic, yet fresh as a popsicle, Il Pellicano continues to convince with a well-judged mix of retro glamour, glorious seafront location, and choreographed service. Its beach club is one of the coolest summer hangouts in the Mediterranean. Evocative, indeed. How about the food and drink? Pelligrill has been a classic long lunch stop-off for yachties and Romans for decades: spaghetti with clams and courgette flowers and sea bass baked in a salt crust. Michelin-starred Il Pellicano for Michelino Gioia’s creative take on Tuscan and Italian classics, such as John Dory with gallinacci mushrooms and a wild sorrel sauce, and pigeon breast with foie gras and Campari ‘profumo.’ Anything stand out about the service? Totally charming, with that hard-to-achieve balance between professionalism and familiarity. At a solo lunch at the Pelligrill, the waiter thoughtfully delivered a couple of magazines. That's a nice touch. What type of person stays here? Star-struck couples, smooth young Italian aristos, older folk treating themselves to a stay at one of Italy’s best-known hotels, and the tanned regulars for whom casual-chic is second nature. Of course. Can you tell us a little more about the area? Although Monte Argentario and Porto Ercole are quite built up, the Pellicano is positioned in such a way that once inside, you are completely unaware of any nearby buildings. Porto Ercole is no longer the chi-chi enclave it once was, but it is a pretty little town set around a harbor which fills up with yachts and gin palaces in summer. Got it. Anything we missed? Getting to the sea involves a steep staircase or lift that plunges down the cliffside. The spa uses Santa Maria Novella products from Florence. Nice! So, is it worth it—and why? The staff are terrific, the barman is a cocktail whizz, and the food is superb. Il Pellicano is truly a beautiful hotel in an incredible spot. All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. The 5-star Argentario Golf & Wellness Resort The view from the 3rd hole at Argentario The recent news that the Argentario Golf Club in Tuscany will host the Italian Open on the DP World Tour in 2025 as well as the Italian Challenge Open this September over its 6,218 metre course is testament to the fine quality of the layout its extensive practice facilities and its well-appointed clubhouse Set in an area of outstanding natural beauty on the Monte Argentario promontory awarded PGA National Italy status by The PGA in 2019 weaves in and out of natural Mediterranean vegetation on the front nine and ancient olive groves on the inward nine holes and offers a challenging test for golfers at all levels The dramatic entrance to the Argentario Golf & Wellness Resort In addition to mesmerizing golf overlooking the picturesque Orbetello Lagoon, the Argentario Golf & Wellness Resort is also the ideal place for those looking for a relaxing and luxurious golf holiday whilst indulging in mouth-watering Tuscan delicacies The 5-star hotel itself offers all the old-world glamour and seductive charm of a private Tuscan hideaway with its sleek state-of-the-art amenities and exceptional personal service modern interiors that are beautifully appointed all with private decked terraces with elegant furnishings curated by Milan-based interior designer The 13th hole The Resort also boasts a collection of bespoke luxury villas with ground-breaking design and views of the lagoon sea and golf course that blend seamlessly into the landscape open-plan villas feature achingly stylish interior furnishings whilst the exterior wooden private decks provide the allure of al fresco living Guests at the Argentario Golf Villas benefit from the full range of amenities and services offered by the Resort The indoor pool at Argentario The property also boasts a 2,700 m² extensive Espace Wellness Centre and MediSPA where guests can unwind or get into shape thanks to a fitness centre with Technogym equipment heated indoor swimming pool with saline water six massage cabins and tanning showers plus numerous other services Local Tuscan cuisine created by local chef Emiliano Lombardelli is served in the stylish Dama Dama Restaurant named after the fallow deer that occasionally roam the resort The cuisine is based on the flavours and colours of the local terrain with dishes prepared using organic produce from small, carefully-selected local farms and directly from the hotel’s vegetable garden and orchard. For more casual dining guests can enjoy healthy Mediterranean dishes with local influences on offer in the Club House Restaurant and its spacious wooden deck overlooking the 9th green and beyond Practice bays at Argentario Golf Club Other facilities available include the Argentario Golf Academy jogging paths that skirt the golf course and edge of the forest a small football pitch and an outdoor fitness station whilst horse riding fishing trips and outings to the nearby famous silver beaches with their crystal-clear waters can easily be arranged by the hotel Argentario is easily accessed from Rome Fiumicino Airport by car in just 90 minutes whilst Rome Ciampino and Pisa are just over two hours away For more information & reservations: www.argentarioresort.com or T: +39 0564 810292 | E: booking@argentarioresort.it Listen to The Par FORE Podcast presented by GolfMagic: equipment reviews and promotions direct to your inbox For more information, read our Privacy Policy When Andy joined GolfMagic it was a small site with potential © Crash Media Group Ltd 2025.The total or partial reproduction of text photographs or illustrations is not permitted in any form Enjoy New Year in style at Argentario Golf & Wellness Resort in the stunning magical Maremma region of Tuscany.  Argentario Golf $ Wellness For a truly memorable celebration to welcome in 2024, the Argentario Golf & Wellness Resort in the magical Maremma region of Tuscany is offering a New Year’s Eve package that includes Cenone di San Silvestro (New Year’s Eve Dinner) live music and a DJ set finished off by a fantastic fireworks display overlooking the Resort’s golf course and the Orbetello Lagoon This year’s packages at the luxury Resort that combine fine dining wellness and golf for an unforgettable start to the New Year are priced from 2,270 euros (UK£1,973) for four nights in a double Superior Room whilst a three-night package in a double Suite costs from 4,126 euros (UK£3,587) For those looking for more independence over the New Year period a collection of luxury villas a golf buggy ride from the hotel lie nestled amongst the local Mediterranean flora providing privacy and tranquility as well as panoramic views of Monte Argentario and the Tyrrhenian Sea Argentario Golf & Wellness The three and five-bedroomed properties boast stylish interiors equipped with the finest Italian furniture selected by Milan-based interior designer Moreover a generous 20% discount benefits anyone booking five nights or more in one of these villas prepared by renowned local chef Emiliano Lombardelli will commence with champagne and oysters and will include lobster carpaccio with citrus pearls and Italian caviar braised pork cheek and homemade semifreddo local sweets will be served followed by Italian Christmas sausages Located on the captivating Monte Argentario promontory Argentario is set in a nature reserve that provides a serene and tranquil environment in which to relax whilst the extensive 2,700 sq metre spa and wellness centre is the ideal place to revive and restore oneself after all the New Year’s Eve celebrations Indoor pool at Argentario 4.jpg For those who have made New Year’s resolutions about embarking on a more healthy and physically active lifestyle in 2024 horse riding and jogging paths around the property offer a range of opportunities to kick start the year as you mean to go on the Argentario Golf & Wellness Resort is home to a championship golf course that was awarded PGA National Italy status back in 2019 in recognition of the quality of the layout and the comprehensive practice facilities at the Argentario Golf Club This stunning course is not only challenging thanks to strategically-placed water hazards links-style undulating fairways and small greens but offers dramatic panoramas of the Orbetello Lagoon and Tyrrhenian Sea on the front nine and soaring views of Monte Argentario on the back nine as you pass through serene olive groves Argentario also hosts the prestigious Christmas Pro Am which sees professional and amateur golfers from all over Italy compete on the Tuscan golf course Hole 3 of the Argentario Golf Course in Tuscany the layout and driving range were designed by the architect whilst Brian Jorgensen subsequently shaped certain holes the course has been given the BioAgriCert certification for its eco-compatibility and plays host to a number of birds such as the black ibis and fauna such as the small deer art and cultural cities including Florence Siena and Rome are ideal for day trips away from the Resort as are visits to nearby vineyards and olive oil mills to taste local produce An added attraction is the number of traditional events that take place in the Maremma to celebrate the Christmas season sell everything from hand-crafted goods like toys and decorations to freshly roasted chestnuts hot chocolate and every kind of sweet local delicacies.  live re-enactments of the Nativity and aspects of village life at that time play out within the ancient historic walls as locals transform their villages into Bethlehem At this time of the year there are fewer crowds allowing visitors to enjoy nature in a pristine state historical and cultural riches and an unspoilt picturesque landscape and coastal beaches in mild The first 5-star Resort in Italy and one of the few Golf Resorts in Europe to belong to the golf portfolio of the largest and most prestigious hospitality group in the world, the Marriott International group.  As a member of Marriott Bonvoy guests benefit from a loyalty program that allows all travellers to collect points and transform them into benefits Argentario is easily accessed via the airports of Rome Fiumicino Maremma Cottage Villa at Argentario.jpg The New Year’s Eve package at Argentario includes: Pricing: 4 nights starting from 2,270 euros in a double Superior Room             3 nights from 4,126 euros in a double Suite *Seven uniquely decorated suites are also available with the dedicated Suite Experience package To book Argentario, call the Resort on Tel: +39 0564 810292 or email: booking@argentarioresort.it Sign up to receive the Gourmet Traveller newsletter and offers we choose to share with you straight to your inbox  By joining, you agree to our Privacy Policy & Terms of Use Cathay Pacific has more than 70 flights a week from Sydney The two main towns on the Monte Argentario peninsula, Porto Santo Stefano and Porto Ercole, are about 150 kilometres north of Rome, an easy two-hour drive. Or take the Pisa train from Rome and alight at Orbetello or Albinia.  La Locanda di Ansedonia This renovated farmhouse is close to beaches and the archaeological site of Cosa Ghiaccio Bosco This is a holiday farmstay with tastefully converted stables A five-star hotel with 50 rooms plus six cottages and a two-star restaurant Villa Cala del Bove This luxury villa was designed by architect Julio Lafuente and is located in a secluded cove on the Via Panoramica Hotel Torre di Cala Piccola The remains of a Spanish-built watchtower share the grounds with 51 rooms and a restaurant perched on a cliff above the sea This trattoria run by the Orbetello Pesca Lagunare fishermen’s cooperative is known for the freshness of the fish and the authenticity of the menu Ristorante Villa Ambra L’Oste Dispensa The menu at this ethically minded restaurant lists the source of primary ingredients and suppliers This harbourside fish restaurant has a beautiful summer terrace This WWF nature reserve is a birdwatchers’ paradise open between 1 September and 1 May. Check visiting times before arrival. Entrance at SS Aurelia km 147, Località Ceriolo, Albinia, +39 0564 898 829, [email protected] The point of sale for all the fish specialities of the Orbetello co-operative Antica Fattoria La Parrina This old farm has a shop selling its own produce from wine to vegetables long hours lounging and lazing round the uncleared table On the plastic cloth the remnants of a summer lunch: fish skeletons The tinkle of glasses and the chatter of lingering bathers Bagno Florida is a bathing establishment I discovered a long time ago on my first visit to this part of the Tuscan coast and this is an experience I’ve repeated but he always pours me a glass of his own wine from the nearby village of Fonteblanda the waves steam in the hazy afternoon sunshine Rearing up dramatically along the coast is Monte Argentario This massive rocky outcrop was given its name dazzled by the glint of the leaves in the olive groves on its rugged slopes Ulisse’s beach lies on the seaward side of the Tombolo della Giannella The water is shallow here – you stop touching the bottom almost half a mile out My first view of Monte Argentario was a blur of pastel grey on a pink background one morning at dawn at journey’s end after an overnight drive down from the north into what was unknown territory then I’d seen a classified ad under “Vacation Rentals” in a freesheet: “Argentario I found the place on the map: deepest south-west Tuscany almost on the border with Lazio; it appealed to me was on the top floor of an ugly cinder-block building by a railway line There was no lift and the sea was a barely discernible speck of blue in the distance a village originally built in the 1930s by Mussolini to house workers on a swamp reclamation scheme For centuries salt was extracted at the mouth of the nearby river Albegna a customs post built by the Spanish in the 16th century that gave the river – and later the town – its name Today the mainstay of the local economy is tourism and in summer Albinia fills with holidaymakers the grubby apartment and its grimy location became the base for a memorable stay And many of the places I discovered then I still frequent today The only town of any size in the area is Orbetello which stands magically on an isthmus in the middle of the lagoon It’s connected to Monte Argentario by a manmade causeway built by Grand Duke Leopold II of Tuscany in 1842 when the water gleams on either side of the road If Orbetello is the gateway to Monte Argentario the gateway to Orbetello is a monumental triple arch adorned with the coats of arms of Spanish rulers like additions to the Etruscan city walls and fortifications The Spanish had been preceded by the Etruscans Orbetello was an elegant resort in the 1920s and ’30s; today it’s a lively fishing port processing much of their catch to sell in their shop and serve at their lagoonside restaurant The smoking and preserving techniques they use were likely introduced by the Spanish involves marinating eels in barrels of boiling vinegar and pepper brushed with the red pepper sauce they call pimento and smoked over pine branches The fishermen also smoke fillets of umbrine and flathead mullet This last fish has always been vital to the city’s economy; in 1414 when Siena gave Orbetello its coat of arms depicting a lion the locals added a trident and a flathead mullet to reaffirm their seafaring traditions The fishermen make bottarga di Orbetello by extracting the mullet’s roe washing it and leaving it to dry for a week or so They recommend grating it over spaghetti with a splash of extra-virgin olive oil a squeeze of lemon and a twist of black pepper In the old days local fishwives used to make bottarga in their cottages; today it’s the cooperative’s best-selling product Not that the labours of the fishermen of Orbetello end here for guided tours of the lagoon and its lavorieri two canals that allow seawater to run in and where the mullet congregate oregano – it’s populated by foxes found only here and in the Camargue in France spoonbill and great white heron stop off in the reserve also a popular breeding for the Arctic and little terns A provincial road runs down the middle of the Tombolo della Giannella to Monte Argentario past pine woods An osteria of note is Ristorante Villa Ambra L’Oste Dispensa where Stefano Sorci and his wife Francesca serve local recipes with fish supplied by the Orbetello cooperative’s fishermen “Sometimes they tell me about the dishes cooked on boats in days gone by,” Sorci says “I collect these forgotten recipes and then recreate them in my kitchen.” “The recipe was given to me by a dear friend whose grandfather had handed it down to him,” says Sorci The Tombolo della Giannella road leads on to Porto Santo Stefano and two harbours – the first is the main boarding point for ferries to the islands of Giglio and Giannutri the second is for private yachts and racing boats The late American yacht designer Olin James Stephens II designer of six America’s Cup race-winners loved the place and local craftsmen often repaired his boats He was made an honorary citizen of Monte Argentario at Porto Santo Stefano in 2004 Other recipients of the honour have been Queen Juliana of the Netherlands who owned the 24-room Villa Elefante Felice nearby Nobel Prize-winning Russian nuclear physicist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov and Mother Teresa who came to deliver her acceptance speech in 1988 the scenic road that encircles Monte Argentario the hills dense with the villas of moneyed Romans and Florentines I was once invited to dinner on the lawn of one We dined suspended between the sea and the stars I was the guest of the son of a Roman banker the fiancé of a friend of a friend in Turin I was asked to pay for my share of the meal Penny-pinching is sometimes the way of the wealthy is why they’re wealthy in the first place Past coves of white sand and turquoise water is the legendary five-star resort hotel Il Pellicano: a cluster of cottages on a woodland cliff that plunges It was opened by the British aviator Michael Graham and his wife Patricia in 1965 from Hollywood to Carnaby Street to Cinecittà Ted Kennedy – they and many more are immortalised in the period photos that plaster the walls of the hotel bar and corridors “If Thoreau could have stayed at one of the cottages in the grounds of Il Pellicano,” writes British novelist Will Self “the one at Walden would have remained without a tenant forever.” This is a quote from his introduction to a coffee-table book published last year Eating at Hotel Il Pellicano (Violette Editions) the executive chef at the hotel’s two-star restaurant each dedicated – more name-dropping here – to an illustrious guest: Missoni but the cooking style and influences of Guida a native of Puglia who has worked in the kitchens of Pierre Gagnaire in Paris and Annie Féolde at the Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence His spring menu last year offered sautéed vegetables served with Il Pellicano’s garden herbs and flowers karkadé-marinated onion and Venus clams; hake with oysters and shiso sauce; roasted blue lobster with Marsala barberry and smoked potatoes; tempura of scampi and monkfish; tartare of anchovies with sweet and sour sauce; sweetbread and cinnamon with marinated mashed carrots in citrus juices – and those were only the antipasti At the end of this anticlockwise tour round the Via Panoramica after more beaches below and old watchtowers above smaller and more historical than Porto Santo Stefano but otherwise it’s a laid-back place the former Spanish presence takes the form of two 16th-century quayside fortresses In between them are fish restaurants with the usual names: La Lampara Frequent visitors in the early postwar years were the Italian novelist Alberto Moravia and Americans such as composer Samuel Barber In 1960 he built a villa and planted eucalyptus his friend the American author Irwin Shaw paid him a visit: “I had met Alan Moorehead during the Blitz in London in the winter of 1944… As we sat on the terrace… we ate the good meal looked at the trail of the moon on the sea below and secretly congratulated ourselves that we were together in such a place so many years after the bombs Moorehead was also friend and mentor to another Australian In 1964 Moorehead persuaded the penniless young art critic to seek his fortune in Europe; it was Moorehead who put him up in his Porto Ercole villa later the same year “A huge living postcard” is how Hughes described the town which became his base for forays around Tuscany on a Vespa At last he was seeing all the art he had only ever known through photographs One painter he fell in love with was Caravaggio who died near Porto Ercole in the summer of 1610 He’s believed to have been struck down by malarial fever on the beach south of the town “There was art before him and art after him,” wrote Hughes Porto Ercole has a long connection with cinema while shooting Cleopatra at Cinecittà in Rome Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor slipped away here for what Burton describes in his diaries as “a clandestine weekend” “We gambolled like children,” he wrote “scrambling down the rocks to the sea and enjoying ourselves as if it was the last holiday.” The town itself has also been a popular location for films as American author John Cheever discovered to his dismay in the 1950s the 16th-century fortress that overlooks the town “When we arrived we found that the signorina had rented the place out as a movie set There were two light generators in our yard and a company of about 45 people wandering around eating sandwiches and relieving themselves.” In 1954 Mario Camerini shot Ulysses starring Kirk Douglas on the beaches and cliffs of Monte Argentario and in 1999 Anthony Minghella set many scenes of The Talented Mr Ripley here The Tombolo della Feniglia is less developed than Giannella It’s a place of sand dunes and pine woods Ansedonia is a beach resort with a distinguished past said to have been abandoned by its population following an invasion by rats defence towers and some buildings with mosaics and wall paintings are still visible and visitable The beaches to the south are popular among left-wing politicians nicknamed the “Little Athens” for its historical and artistic importance during the Italian Renaissance used to spend his summer holidays at the establishment called L’Ultima Spiaggia After which all roads really do lead to Rome a wild promontory on Tuscany’s southern coast we stayed in a clifftop cottage above a cove near the fishing village of Porto Santo Stefano Every evening from our kitchen we watched as the island of Giglio just offshore became a silhouette against a sunset the colour of Campari – a rather nice view as we sliced artichokes and untangled tentacles for octopus stew Forte Stella – one of the three fortresses in the area – sits high above Porto Ercole.  seemingly overlooked stretch of Tuscan coastline closer to Rome than Florence the older and smaller of the two villages on Monte Argentario We settled into an airy apartment flanked by olive groves where wild boars – cinghiale – frequently woke us as they rummaged through bins The view of the port became our daily weather forecast dry day by the look of the water on the port.) One of the many archways in Orbetello.  a region within a region notable for its rugged beauty – in sharp contrast to the tamed prickly pear-lined roads leading to sandy beaches Monte Argentario lies a few kilometres offshore connected to the mainland by two long sandbars named Giannella and Feniglia (The latter was the spot where Caravaggio died in 1610 on his way to Rome to plead for a papal pardon on a charge of murder.) The lagoon of Orbetello between these narrow sandbars is teeming with eel and well known as a refuge for migrating pink flamingos island and lagoon that makes this promontory so appealing not just for exploring but also for savouring Fishing remains a mainstay of the local economy so the table is dominated by abundant seafood and supported seasonally by wild mushrooms and boar Here are a few of my favourite places to eat on Monte Argentario On the winding coastal road between the towns of Orbetello and Porto Santo Stefano this unassuming restaurant on a pebbly beach known locally as La Soda has old-school charm and wonderfully fresh seafood which might include tuna fillets in olive oil fresh vinegar-cured anchovies – a staple of Argentario’s table – and squid stewed with wild mushrooms a local dish that marries Argentario’s sea and mountain on a plate Grilled scampi and spaghetti with vongole are favourites bright-coloured beach umbrellas at tables irresistibly close to the water for informal lunches while indoors there’s white linen on tables wooden rafters and rustic-chic décor Or hire a couple of the restaurant’s deckchairs and umbrellas and make a day of it.  this modest trattoria is the home of Paolo and Rosita Bracci and it’s a full family affair: Rosita and the couple’s son turn out traditional home cooking in the kitchen while Paolo and their daughter work the floor The focus here is the classic dishes of Argentario the kind of food you’re likely to find only in family homes Expect the likes of minestra di riso e femminelle rice and crab soup available only in autumn when these lagoon crabs can be found white-fleshed fish baked with a breadcrumb crust and topped by a dollop of tomato sugo Rosita’s fresh pasta is always made in-house and the seafood is fished locally; the family is happy to identify the fishing boats that supply them.  Via dei Tre Ragazzi 46, Porto Santo Stefano, +39 0564 813 139, trattoriapaoloerosita.it. Pizza time at L’Antico Forno la Schiaccia in Porto Santo Stefano. ** Located in a backstreet accessible through a tunnel (look for the green sign in the archway) from the port this no-nonsense bakery is one of the oldest and best in town It specialises in the traditional treats of Porto Santo Stefano most notably a pizza by the slice called schiaccia or with a delicious combination of stewed sweet onions and salted anchovies This very traditional bakery still uses strutto for many of its preparations – ingredients are clearly displayed so you know what you’re getting.  This tiny excellent pizzeria on the port serves Roman-style pizza al taglio: pizza by the slice Crisp but satisfyingly chewy dough is shaped into long slabs and topped with just two or three ingredients: mozzarella with grated zucchini or potato anchovies and dollops of tangy salsa verde Don’t underestimate the simple goodness of the pizza bianca a plain dough slathered with olive oil and sprinkled with salt There are only a few seats outside (within metres of the water and bustling markets) but no one minds takeaways at €1.50 per generous slice.  a secluded location and even a private beach to kick back on this luxury resort exemplifies 1960s Italian glamour The focus is firmly on seafood in dishes by Puglia-born chef Sebastiano Lombardi at the resort’s Michelin-starred restaurant then perhaps zucchini soup with poached egg and raw violet prawns endive and grapefruit features the prized local bottarga from Orbetello Few can resist the Amedei chocolate trolley head outdoors to Pelligrill to dine poolside on grilled catch of the day and retire to the bar at sunset for cocktails by talented barman Federico Morosi.  Località Sbarcatello, Porto Ercole, +39 0564 858 111, pellicanohotels.com. La Parrina pecorino made from organic sheep’s milk.  farm and agriturismo on the mainland not far from Orbetello La Parrina’s best asset is its store Stocked with produce grown and made exclusively on the property it’s a one-stop shop for the makings of a special picnic The farm’s dairy products are outstanding: yoghurt ricotta and a good selection of goat’s and sheep’s milk cheeses (try the Guttus Aperitivo is sorted with a bottle of the farm’s Parrina bianco DOC a blend of white varieties including ansonica And children will love visiting the farm animals Via Aurelia km 146, Località Parrina, +39 0564 862 626, parrina.it. The spicy scaveccio at I Pescatori di Orbetello The headquarters of the Orbetello Fishermen’s Cooperative is a modest eatery in a converted 19th-century stable suspended over the lagoon prices reasonable and there’s prime sunset viewing at communal tables outside It’s a simple format: order and pay first then take a seat and wait for your number to be called This is the place to savour some of the area’s oldest culinary traditions such as anguilla sfumata (spicy smoked eel) scaveccio (Orbetello’s version of escabeche A typical summer menu might include house antipasti (the likes of chickpea and bonito salad and potato mash topped with grated bottarga) Via G Leopardi 9, Orbetello, +39 0564 860 611, ipescatoridiorbetello.it one of seven islands that form the Tuscan Archipelago is just a short ferry ride from Porto Santo Stefano Francesco Carfagna has painstakingly restored Vigneto Altura an abandoned vineyard on an almost impossibly steep hillside His unique signature wine is made from ansonica It’s a white wine that should be treated like a red: served cellar temperature rather than chilled and even With little intervention in the vineyard or cellar unfiltered and with a mineral quality that reminds you of its island origins There’s no cellar door but visitors can taste Ansonaco Carfagna at his family restaurant with tables set on the street in warm weather.  Vigneto Altura, Località Mulinaccio, Isola del Giglio, +39 0564 806 041, vignetoaltura.it; Arcobalena, Via Vittorio Emmanuele, Isola del Giglio, +39 0564 806106, arcobalena.net/ristorante_arcobalena.htm. Emiko Davies is the author of Aquacotta: Recipes and Stories from Tuscany’s Secret Silver Coast (Hardie Grant Books Gourmet Traveller is Australia’s trusted authority on food bringing the latest news and trends to life through quality journalism enticing recipes and evocative photography it has been inspiring and informing Australians with the best in cooking Our critics bring the expertise of years of critical eating as the country’s leading title in the luxury sector Gourmet Traveller works closely with Australia’s leaders in the travel and hospitality industries to give our readers exclusive access The Gourmet Traveller legacy is one of trust By Emma Mahony Simply sign up to the Life & Arts myFT Digest -- delivered directly to your inbox Where On a peninsula within the Province of Grosseto about 150km south of Florence and connected to the mainland by three spits of land which takes about two-and-a-half-hours by car What A villa built over the foundations of an ancient Roman villa The property has 1,000 sq metres of living space nine bedrooms (including a three-bedroom staff apartment) and a lift to all floors Why The house has panoramic views from its raised position allowing the owners to swim from the stone steps within the old Roman walls Who Precious Villas, preciousvillas.com 60 miles from Cork airport and 226 miles from the capital What A three-bedroom main house with 2,200 sq ft of living space There is also a one-bedroom guesthouse within the 2.5 acres of grounds Why In Ireland owners can only buy up to the high tide mark the shingle beach at the property is only accessible via a private slipway Who Charles McCarthy, charlesmccarthy.com 10 minutes from Providenciales international airport and two fixed-base operators catering for private jets built in 2001 and divided into three buildings with a boardwalk along the 200ft-long private beach Within the 1.43 acres of tropical vegetation and landscaped grounds is a pool and a waterfall Why Grace Bay was rated the second-best beach in the world in the 2014 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice awards This particular private stretch overlooks a ribbon reef Who Hamptons International, hamptons-international.com where the high-speed passenger ferry to Portsmouth takes 22 minutes There are airfields at Sandown and Bembridge four-bedroom house with a private beach and 5,404 sq ft of living space A fifth bedroom is set above the double garage Why The property comes with 60 metres of beach frontage up to the mean low-water mark A boathouse and jetty could be built with planning consent Who Knight Frank, knightfrank.com Where On the island of Key Biscayne set within a national park The property features a covered entry bridge over a pond and an infinity pool with views over Downtown Miami Why The house is the only one on the island with a private beach and boat dock The bay is a natural reserve for dolphins and sea turtles Who One Sotheby's International Realty, onesothebysrealty.com Monte Argentario is a welcoming island in the Med Homes & Property | Where to live renting and decorating in London from our award-winning experts I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice Think of a Tuscan holiday home and you probably picture a rural hideaway set among vines What has hardly registered with most British buyers is the region’s beautiful coastline where pine-shaded beaches and tiny fishing villages with pastel-painted homes provide a deliciously understated The 250-mile Tuscan coast is where Italian holidaymakers go a green and densely wooded island 90 minutes from Rome airport Linked to the mainland by road and two long sandbanks lined with family beach clubs it’s where elegant Romans and millionaire industrialists have holiday homes hidden down steep Past occupations by Spanish and Neapolitan forces have left their architectural mark on Monte Argentario largely unpopulated Mediterranean coastline feels more like Sardinia than Tuscany Ercole is more exclusive and seasonal while friendly unspoilt Porto Santo Stefano is where locals barter with fishermen — a place with a year-round life and marginally lower house prices “Property prices on the Tuscan coast peak in exclusive Forte dei Marmi and Viareggio further north,” she adds “In Argentario they are about 20 per cent lower The lifestyle is more laidback but totally Italian Porto Santo Stefano has a daily food market selling fresh seafood while crime is low and it’s easy to make a day trip to go exploring and shopping to Siena and Rome A shortage of good medium-priced hotels on Argentario means rental properties are in high demand in the summer months Typical rents range from £456 a week for a one-bedroom flat to £6,100 for a secluded detached villa with five or more bedrooms Holiday homes: it's all about vineyard vistas Find Italian holiday homes for all budgets High above the boats moored in Porto Santo Stefano, a furnished three-bedroom modern flat with wide terraces and a small garden is £448,500 with Great Estate It’s easy to lock and leave and weekly rentals could reach £1,140 The quiet location and wonderful sea views are appealing though the steep uphill walk from the shops and late afternoon shadows might deter some buyers from small flats for £228,000 to detached villas from £910,000,” says Biglia “The most expensive recent sale was Villa Feltrinelli which sold for £13.3 million to a Russian oligarch last year spent a week together in September in the apartment owned by Lucinda’s family on Monte Argentario They went to soak up the autumn sun by the pool They flew to Pisa and then took a train directly to Orbetello opposite the island “My family bought the apartment in 2001 and we’ve been coming to Argentario every year since,” says Lucinda others we have a day trip to Rome or Florence visit Elba and the islands or hire a boat to explore the coast Argentario is relaxed and friendly and still seems an undiscovered secret.” Lucinda always heads for the Shangri-La jewellery shop in Porto Santo Stefano VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin David Beckham extends olive branch to son Brooklyn amid 'family feud' New visa crackdown as Home Office plans to restrict applications from nationalities most likely to overstay New visa crackdown as Home Office plans to restrict applications Regala o regalati un abbonamento al Giornale della Vela cartaceo + digitale e a soli 69 euro l’anno hai la rivista a casa e in più la leggi su PC introdotta lo scorso febbraio dall’AIVE (associazione Italiana Vele Epoca) per le barche in “plastica” costruite dal 1970 al 1984 hanno dominato le acque della Toscana e le banchine di Porto Santo Stefano A vincere nelle categoria Classic IOR è Vanessa (15 metri) di Patrizio Bertelli con il mago brasiliano della vela al timone l’olimpionico Torben Grael (cinque medaglie olimpiche Una vera “chicca” della collezione Bertelli Vanessa è una particolarissima barca progettata da Giulio Cesare Carcano Giulio Cesare Carcano è il progettista delle mitiche Moto Guzzi Falcone e V7 e viveva a Mandello Lario sul lago di Como Ovvio che gli piacessero anche le barche a vela capisce che c’è qualcosa che non va nelle barche da regata del periodo Si inventa barche rivoluzionarie che sono più leggere larghe a poppa e con un piano velico che simula quelli delle classi olimpiche Il risultato è che le sue barche in condizioni di vento sostenuto vanno il doppio dei suoi concorrenti di pari lunghezza si innamora di Carcano e recupera negli anni 2000 Vanessa un 15 metri realizzato nel 1975 dal cantiere Gallinari di Anzio che versa in condizioni pietose e lo restaura completamente un’altra imbarcazione mitica Il Moro di Venezia I di Massimiliano Ferruzzi Le barche che recano il nome Il Moro di Venezia sono nove in tutto: tre con scafo 2bianco e fascia al galleggiamento verde cinque che hanno gareggiato nel 1992 per la Coppa America e un maxi di 24 mt costruito in materiali compositi in Australia ridenominato in seguito “Il Moro IX” La storia delle imbarcazioni che recano questo glorioso nome risale al 1976 quando per volontà di Raul Gardini ebbe inizio la realizzazione del primo vero maxi italiano (oggi di Massimiliano Ferruzzi) questo Ocean Racer è il gemello di Bumblebee III uno yacht di grande successo che faceva parte del team australiano all’Admiral’s Cup del 1975 Encounter ha regatato con un certo successo da Milwaukee sua base sui Grandi Laghi negli Stati Uniti Gli attuali proprietari hanno trovato Encounter abbandonato in un cantiere navale a Fort Lauderdale il suo pedigree era facilmente riconoscibile sono state riportate al suo antico splendore e dal 2011 Encounter è di nuovo attivo su i vari campi di regata del Mediterraneo di Keith Mills si è imposto nettamente con 4 primi posti nella categoria Big Boats (Grandi Velieri) Belknap & Skene e costruita da Fred Lawley a Quincy con l’albero di prua più basso degli altri alberi) capace di competere anche nella classe 12 metri Al secondo posto Mariella di Carlo Falcone Mariella fu costruita su progetto di Alfred Mylne dal Cantiere di William Fife & Son in Scozia Appartenuta inizialmente al commerciante di caffè James Patterson è stata poi venduta al barone Ronald Teacher Negli anni ’80 ha fatto il giro del mondo con sosta in Nuova Zelanda per effettuare alcuni lavori Nel 1992 è stata acquistata all’asta da Carlo Falcone e nel 1994 e 1995 si è aggiudicata la vittoria overall all’Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta Tra il 2007 e il 2009 è stata restaurata ad Antigua da una squadra guidata dall’architetto-marinaio inglese John Shearer a Gaeta è stata ingaggiata per girare il film Nauta Nel 2017 ha effettuato importanti lavori di ristrutturazione presso il Cantiere Francesco Del Carlo di Viareggio cutter Marconi ispirato alle linee dei 15 Metri S.I nello stesso anno del varo vinse il Fastnet stabilendo un record tutt’ora rimasto imbattuto (nel 1939 il percorso è stato accorciato tagliando per The Needles invece che circumnavigare l’isola di Wight) Durante gli anni ’80 venne sottoposta a un restauro presso il Classic Boat Museum di Newport Nel corso della sua vita Hallowe’en è passata dall’armo a cutter Marconi in occasione di un restauro effettuato a Barcellona Sul gradino più alto del podio della categoria Vintage Marconi troviamo Comet di William Woodward-Fischer seguito da Stormy Weather di Christopher Spray completamente restaurato nel 2001 e già vincitore dell’Argentario Sailing Week è uno yawl costruito in mogano e quercia con rinforzi in bronzo è il ventisettesimo progetto dell’allora ventiseienne progettista Nel 1936 Stormy Weather si classificò primo di classe alla Bermuda Race e dal 1937 al 1941 vinse per cinque volte consecutive la Miami-Nassau Nel 1941 raggiunse il più alto gradino del podio al South Ocean Racing Conference (SORC) Dopo essere passato nelle mani di Giuseppe Gazzoni Frascara nel 2001 venne acquistato dal finanziere inglese Christopher Spray che lo tenne in Francia Nel 2011 ha vinto il Prix du Yacht de Tradition de l’Année (PYTA) nella categoria 12-18 metri Chiude la classifica Varuna di Jens Kellinghusen Tra i Vintage Aurici spicca al primo posto Spartan di NGH Restoration secondo classificato Viola di Kostin Belkin e terzo posto per Chinook di Paolo Zannoni Spartan è l’ultimo esemplare rimasto della New York Yacht Club 50’ Class Costruito dal cantiere Herreshoff di Bristol questo yacht faceva parte di una serie di nove imbarcazioni realizzate tra il 1913 e il 1915 che ha una lunghezza fuori tutto di 72 piedi (22 metri) e una lunghezza al galleggiamento di 50 piedi (15 metri) Convertito da cutter aurico a yawl nel 1945 e sottoposto a lavori di restauro negli anni ’60 e ’70 Spartan è stato utilizzato per il charter nei Caraibi Nel 1989 è stato avviato un refit completo dell’imbarcazione ma i lavori sono stati interrotti con il ripristino di scafo e ponte nel 1993 è stato trasferito all’Herreshoff Museum dove è stato sottoposto a un accurato recupero terminato alla fine del 2009 è uno dei 14 scafi realizzati tra il 1916 e il 1926 su commessa di un gruppo di soci del New York Yacht Club Se ne contano non più di quattro esemplari ancora naviganti Quest’ultima e Chinook sono le uniche ad essere armate a cutter aurico È stata costruita contemporaneamente insieme ad altre 11 gemelle in soli 6 mesi acquistata nel marzo 2010 a Newport dallo skipper irlandese Jonathan Greenwood e Sandra Ugolini è stata trasferita via cargo a Genova e quindi a Bizerta già plurivincitore del Trofeo Panerai con Rowdy l’ha venduta al londinese Paolo Zannoni successo di Crivizza di Ariella Cattai e Luigi Rolandi Cristopher di Valentin Martin in seconda posizione e Voscià di Giancarlo Lodigiani al terzo Crivizza è un III Classe RORC (Royal Ocean Racing Club) Buchanan e varato nel 1966 dal cantiere Apollonio di Trieste Nel 2019 la barca ha compiuto il periplo dell’Italia con Mauro Pelaschier per promuovere il rispetto del mare attraverso la Charta Smeralda della One Ocean Foundation Nel 2021 è stata acquistata dall’attuale armatore il Segretario Generale AIVE Luigi ‘Gigi’ Rolandi (figlio dell’ex-presidente FIV Carlo Rolandi) che tra una lezione e l’altra di Fisica Sperimentale delle Alte Energie alla Normale di Pisa Da quando è tornata a navigare ha letteralmente dimostrato di essere uno scafo vincente Basti pensare che nel corso delle partecipazioni alle regate estive la barca è sempre salita sul podio uno yawl a deriva mobile commissionato da Filippo Rava è il progetto n° 1188 dello studio S&S Con il nome di Oliana III si classificò 2° alla Giraglia Acquistato dall’ammiraglio Luigi Durand de la Penne che dopo averla chiamata Givare (iniziali di Gigi ci navigò in Mediterraneo con l’amico Tino Straulino Nel 1971 divenne Voscià (“Vossignoria” in genovese) fece base a Portofino e appartenne per 35 anni a una sola famiglia Le linee di questo scafo sarebbero derivate da quelle di Stormy Weather (vedi sopra) anch’esso progettato dall’americano Olin Stephens Il primo armatore fu un avvocato di Chicago già proprietario di un 6 Metri Stazza Internazionale di progetto Stephens e di Malabar X Nel 2006 è stata acquistata da Giancarlo Lodigiani riservata alle repliche di Yachts d’Epoca e Classici per Dream di Francesco Pennisi Persio (YCSS) con Toi et Moi di Alessandro Rinaldi (YCSS) al secondo posto e Hanni II di Bjorn Hedlund Toi et Moi è un Eagle 44 disegnato da Dykstra Naval Architects forti di una grande esperienza in recenti progetti ispirati alla J-class del 1930 che includono Hanuman and Rainbow L’armatore e timoniere Alessandro Maria Rinaldi ha commentato: “La vela per me non è solo no sport La vela è passione per il mare e la navigazione Quest’anno sono 50 anni che vado a vela: ho iniziato proprio all’Argentario con i Flying Dutchman e ho deciso di regalarmi una regina del mare che posso condurre in solitario Una barca è come una donna: come tutte le donne vince sempre lei ed è più forte più che una fidanzata: tanto è vero che tutte le barche che ho avuto nella mia vita le ho seguite e cresciute dalla costruzione in poi Perché è in assoluto uno dei posti più belli al mondo dove regatare ma ti consente al tempo stesso di vivere appieno il mare in tutte le sue forme.” Il tuo indirizzo email non sarà pubblicato Iscriviti ora alla nostra newsletter gratuita e ricevi ogni settimana le migliori news selezionate dalla redazione del Giornale della Vela E in più ti regaliamo un mese di GdV in digitale su PC accetta la Privacy Policy e clicca sul bottone “iscrivimi” Riceverai un codice per attivare gratuitamente il tuo mese di GdV la grande festa della vela caraibica dove la nostra Ida Castiglioni è a caccia di storie (qui la prima puntata e la seconda puntata) scampata alla guerra in Ucraina “grazie” alla vela Va in archivio a Livorno una bellissima e tecnica edizione della Ran 630 una delle regate più lunghe che si corrano in Mediterraneo (la più lunga per le barche a rating) Dopo l’arrivo della prima imbarcazione la grande festa della vela caraibica dove la nostra Ida Castiglioni è a caccia di storie (qui la prima puntata e la seconda puntata) scampata alla guerra in Ucraina “grazie” alla vela Il pronostico della vigilia è stato rispettato la linea d’onore della Ran 630 dello Yacht Club Livorno una delle più lunghe e impegnative regate che si corrano in Mediterraneo è andato al catamarano foil F4 Falcon di Matteo Uliassi PER COMUNICARE CON LA REDAZIONE02 535 811111 – speciali@panamaeditore.it PER LA PUBBLICITÀSenior account:Guido De Palma:tel Cookie policyPrivacy policy 02 535811 111/200abbonamenti@panamaeditore.it which runs from Cecina in the north to Civitavecchia and then to Rome in the south around Orbetello the landscape begins to change Here Tuscany's big islands emerge from the sea: there is Giglio This last became less isolated (quite literally) in the 18th century when the shallow waters began to silt up In 1842 Orbetello achieved a fixed link to Monte Argentario with a finely engineered dyke This is what you drive over today: through Orbetello's splendid triple-arched gate a relic of the prestige attached to this area when it was a Spanish possession The jewel of Monte Argentario is one of the world's great resort hotels For nearly 40 years Il Pellicano has had an almost fetishistic attraction for a certain type of prosperous Anglophone The car swoops into an anonymous gravel court There is minimal signage and the other guests' cars are hidden in a garage (but I check: Italian-registered Porsches and Mercedes) Beware My Foolish Heart is on the sound system a choice that is either rich in post-postmodern irony or evidence that the population of Il Pellicano has changed little since it was founded by Michael Graham a slightly rackety English playboy who married an ex of Clark Gable's Trace elements of slightly tarnished stardust remain donors of an inscribed telescope in the lobby who have been coming here to commune with the shades of La Dolce Vita since 1967 Il Pellicano was virtually a club with just eight rooms the sort one imagines that took place in a bar rather than a boardroom with the Principe "Tinty" Borghese The handsome Englishman with swept-back hair and a pilot's licence would use the hotel to introduce his friends to the area He would give them land to build their villas The legacy is a sprawling collection of hotel rooms and cottages gently integrated into a wooded landscape that falls dramatically down to the sea Another legacy of the same initiative is a gallery of photographs in the bar: "Tinty" Borghese Graham himself and a priceless period icon susceptible to many levels of inter pretation: a youthful and beaming Ted Kennedy opening a bottle of Mateus Rose on the terrace There is an olive oil menu: they offer the Felsina range of hand-harvested vintage varietals from the rare Pendolino to the more everyday Raggiolo while Antonio Guida has impressive credentials with kitchen-time served at the multi-stellar Pierre Gagnaire in Paris and at Florence's Enoteca Pinchiorri merely mismatched to British tastes and expectations of seasonality Guida says he aims "to create dishes to reawaken a taste for simple Italian cooking" his salmon with bourbon strikes me as neither simple Wines are brought up from a superb new cantina all wood and archi tectural lighting and climate control A Vermentino di Toscana called Ariento and a chardonnay by Fabrizio Bianchi from Castello di Monsanto were both exquisite and - while in its different way no less ambitious - more safely navigable than lunch Someone has sold them a muesli mangle and you are invited to grind your own spelt There are four types of cake and Sicilian torrone with coffee beans Bacon and scrambled eggs for dogged Anglophiles four juices (you whizz your own in a centrifuga) five types of marmalade and four different muffins or on the variety of stepped terraces and redoubts lining the precipitous descent to the rocky beach lounging on the terracotta reflecting on the eternal truth of dolce fa niente (which might be translated as the sweetness of doing bugger-all) So we head into town of an evening in search of a little contrast Of Monte Argentario's two significant settlements Porto Santo Stefano is the more yachty and swish The inhabitants are descended from Neapolitan fishermen windowless but excellent pizzeria called El Pirata Each is a welcome corrective to the artifice of the Pellicano kitchen but little distinguishes it except for a plaque claiming that here the painter Caravaggio died in July 1610 at the age of 35 or so the Porto Ercole records prove no such thing but it's beautiful and immortal." There is something rather wonderful about imagining this criminal renegade expiring from rage on the quayside on seeing Maybe there is something about this remote area that attracts the better sort of fugitive Michael Graham's personality was suited to many things but perhaps not to running an increasingly sophisticated luxury hotel with a client list expanding beyond his own little black book In 1979 Il Pellicano was sold to Roberto Scio a telecoms entrepreneur and property developer while Graham went to California and opened a Porsche dealership that he had turned it into a replica of the hotel It has all the features the international rich expect: the beauty centre isolation and some of the best views in the world It even has its own airport: Grosseto's Baccarini military field is just 42km away and they will open it for you if you fax them 48 hours in advance But even more enjoyable is a sense of the intangibles you enjoy here the area is not particularly rich in traditional art history Caravaggio was only the first colourful personality associated with the area La Dolce Vita may have been degraded in our more fastidious moment in history to a sort of Lo-Cal Vita but visitors to Il Pellicano have vicarious contact with an ancient past when Ted Kennedy was slim and people in Bentleys danced all night It also has a level of service unusual even among its luxury peers When we were leaving I muttered to no one in particular that I did not have a clue what to do with our bags all day in Rome I got a call to say Il Pellicano had spoken to Rocco Forte's Hotel de Russie and our bags would be welcome there had a prosecco in the Stravinskij Bar and thought: what a magical place we have just left Getting there: Exclusive Italy (020-8256 0231, exclusiveitaly.co.uk) offers three nights at Il Pellicano from £597pp, based on two sharing a garden double room on a B&B basis, with return scheduled flights from London Gatwick to Pisa and car hire for the duration. Il Pellicano, (+564 585111, pellicanohotel.com) Further information: The Italian Tourist Board (09065 508925, enit.it)