Porto Santo Stefano is the largest city on the Monte Argentario peninsula, and is home to many of the most important historical monuments present locally. The Spanish Fortress dominates the horizon, built in the sixteenth century. Now home to two contemporary art exhibitions dedicated to fishing fleets and archaeological heritage of the region, it is worth putting aside a couple of hours from a self catering Porto Santo Stefano villa to go and visit it. A walk along the seafront is extremely interesting, with spectacular views, idyllic cafés and markets with many stalls selling the best of local crafts.
Porto Santo Stefano is known for its nautical heritage. Fishing is particularly popular (and exciting). There are a wide range of opportunities to go fishing in the area, either from the rocky beach, from the golden ones or on board a boat. Sailing is a very popular sport, and you can find numerous water sports centers where you can organize lessons, hire equipment and excursions for sailing, windsurfing, diving and water skiing. The great annual boat race for the Palio dell'Argentario, which takes place on August 15th, sees the participation of the whole city and is a day worth living in Porto Santo Stefano. '
The beaches of Porto Santo Stefano extend for many kilometers inside the bay. The beaches are thin, and of fine, golden sand, other stretches of coastline are of smooth rocks, where there are ideal conditions for swimming and snorkelling. The warm Mediterranean beaches are ideal for windsurfing.
Places to visit on holiday in Porto Santo Stefano
Excursions to the Isola del Giglio are very popular, and leave from the port of Porto Santo Stefano. The journey lasts an hour, and the island is famous for its clear waters and the particularity of the village of Porto Giglio, where the ferries arrive. The beautiful island is a paradise for swimmers, and divers or anyone with a simple snorkel. Visits to the Roman villa of Giannutro and to the Castello del Giglio are worth doing, giving up perhaps a bit 'of the beach of Arenella and Cannelle.
Useful websites
http://www.monteargentario.info/
https://travel.fanpage.it/monte-argentario-guida-cosa-vedere/
Beaches
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La Giannella
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La Giannella is the northernmost tombolo of the Argentario, you will meet it a few km before entering Porto Santo Stefano. You will find both bathing establishments and several km of free beach, there are numerous bars and restaurants by the sea. The access points to the beach are numerous and you will meet them along the homonymous road. It is a very suitable beach for sailing sports. Behind the beach is a narrow and long pine forest.
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The Baths of Domitian
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The Baths of Domitian (also called Gerini beach) is a small sandy beach located on the right of the road leading to Porto Santo Stefano, at the foot of what was once the villa of the Domizi Enobarbi (Emperor Nerone's family). During the low tide, the remains of the ancient fish breeding basins still emerge from the sea, the ruins of the ancient ancient Roman villa (from 36 BC) are also visible. The seabed slopes gently so it is a beach very suitable for children. The beach is completely free, there are no bars or bathing facilities.
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La Soda
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The Soda is a cove that we find continuing from the Baths of Domitian in the direction of Porto Santo Stefano. It is a beach formed by small pebbles, partly free and partly served by a bathhouse, there is also a bar and a restaurant directly on the sea. The easy access by land and its shallow seabed make it particularly suitable for beginners who begin to become familiar with diving.
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Pozzarello
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The Pozzarello beach is immediately after the Soda it is a wide bay bordered by the road, here too we find a part of the beach and a bathing establishment with bar and restaurant. Access to the beach takes place directly from the road and is particularly convenient for people with disabilities. It is a very quiet beach, ideal for relaxing, it is particularly recommended on days when there is a scirocco wind.
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The Blonde
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La Bionda, you will find this small and pretty cove taking, at the end of Pozzarello, the road that runs along the sea; or starting from Porto S. Stefano, at the end of the three galleries. It gives the impression of being a private beach (it is not) because some houses overlook it, and there has been a barrier of rocks within which the waters are always calm. It can also be reached on foot from Porto Santo Stefano, access is convenient, there are no bathing establishments or bars, as a drawback we point out that algae often accumulate on the beach.
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The Cantoniera
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La Cantoniera is a small sandy beach with small pebbles. It can also be reached on foot from Porto Santo Stefano, crossing the gallery where once (from 1913 to 1944) passed the train that connected the town with Orbetello. There is both the free beach and the bathing establishment with bar and restaurant. It is a lively and very busy beach, you will have fun admiring the local teenagers who perform the dives from the rocks located on the left side. When there is a scirocco wind, the sea is particularly crystalline. It is also accessible to disabled people.
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Il Moletto
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Il Moletto is a small beach located just inside Porto Santo Stefano, it is particularly convenient to reach and also accessible to the disabled. The space intended for the free beach is very small, there is also the bathhouse, the bar and the restaurant. During the summer in the waters in front of the beach, a water polo field is placed.
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La Caletta
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La Caletta is the beach of the homonymous hotel, also located in Porto Santo Stefano and therefore easily accessible for everyone. There is a bathing establishment, a bar, a restaurant, and even a diving that allows you to dive from the ground with a guide to observe seahorses. A small artificial dock allows even the little ones to dive in peace.
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La Cacciarella
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La Cacciarella is the first of the beaches far from the inhabited centers and therefore without bars and bathing establishments but in compensation much more beautiful from the naturalistic point of view. La Cacciarella is a small sandy beach, set between two cliffs, the path from the road is about 500 meters long and is challenging. Wear a mask because the backgrounds are definitely beautiful. In the cliff to the east you will find the Grotta del Turco whose access is barely visible but inside the cave is wide; according to the legend, here he managed to hide a boat of local fishermen fleeing from Turkish pirates, who raged on these shores in the eighteenth century.
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Cala del Bove
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Cala del Bove a little further on than Cala del Gesso, the path is passable only on foot and is about 700 meters long; it is a cliff without the beach but the rocks are smooth and allow you to lie down relatively comfortably. Excellent area for snorkeling.
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Cala Piccola
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Cala Piccola, to this small pebble beach is accessed from the highway following the signs for the Hotel Torre di Cala Piccola, there is the hotel's bathing establishment, access is reserved for hotel guests and members of the Consortium of Cala Piccola. In front of the beach there is the famous coral rock, a rock that rises from a depth of 45 meters up to a few meters from the surface, is one of the favorite destinations for divers.
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Dead Sea
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Dead Sea the path that leads to the sea is quite long (about 500 meters but not excessively demanding) the name of this cove comes from its rocky barrier that prevents the waves from reaching the shore directly, thus forming natural pools within 'water is always calm and allows bathing in total relaxation. Do not forget to bring sun umbrella, sunscreen and water as there are no bars or natural shelters from the sun (which is always very strong here). The backdrop of this bay is among the most beautiful of the Argentario also is also rich in fish, there will be enough a mask to enjoy the show. To lie down you will have to find the smoothest rocks, obviously they are never too comfortable, however we advise you not to go on the beach at the foot of the slope since in summer the heat is almost unbearable and access to the most complicated sea, better certainly the barrier we talked at the beginning, from which you can more easily reach both the open sea and the natural pools, moreover it is the pleasantly more ventilated point.
Fresh Water
The Acqua Dolce can be reached from Porte Ercole along the panoramic road and following the signs for the Hotel Il Pellicano. Just before arriving at the entrance of the hotel you will be forced to leave your car in a parking lot and continue walking on a very easy path about 200 meters long. The beach is made up of sand and small pebbles. We advise you not to arrive at the beach too late as the sun in the summer around 18:00 drops behind the mountain behind the beach.
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The Sbarcatello
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The Sbarcatello can be reached from Porto Ercole through the scenic road, at 1.6 km leave the car and continue on foot along a footpath.
The Long Beach
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The Long Beach can be reached from Porto Ercole through the scenic road, reached at km 1.55 (a few meters before the fork for Forte Stella) you will find on the left the path to go down to the beach. The path is about 200 meters long and in some stretches it is difficult to walk. The beach is free but for those who want it there is a beach umbrella and sunbed rental service. The bay is dominated by the Forte Stella
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The Views
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Le Viste is reached from Porto Ercole, just leave the village along the scenic road, on the left you will find a small bar along the road, leave the car in the appropriate parking lots and descend along a path of about 200 meters. The beach is both free and equipped with bars and bathing facilities. Opposite the bay is the islet.
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Cala Galera Beach
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Cala Galera beach is located just before arriving at Porto Ercole, between the marina of Cala Galera and Poggio Pertuso. It is very easy to reach: by car, from the provincial road that leads to Porto Ercole you have to turn in the direction of Cala Galera, go about 200 meters and turn left, proceed until you reach the large free parking and walk the last 100 meters. to get to the beach. It is a sandy beach with shallow water, particularly suitable for younger children. Both the free beach and an equipped bathing establishment are present.
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Feniglia
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The Feniglia is the southernmost tombolo and meets before arriving at Porto Ercole. Also here are some bathing establishments, bars, restaurants on the shore and a lot of free beach. Behind the beach is a lush pine forest which is the Forest Reserve of Protection Duna Feniglia, passable on foot or by bike is not difficult to meet many fallow deer. It is a pleasant walk.
