Monte Argentario is one of Tuscany’s best-kept secrets. It possesses the charm of many other famous Italian beach destinations such as the Amalfi Coast or Cinque Terre, with an added Spanish flare from its Spanish occupancy which influenced the area from 1577 until 1801 (with a short period of Austrian rule in between). Its untouchedness by the heaps of tourists that frequent these other places is what makes it particularly special. The heart of Porto Ercole is its marina where the beautiful sailboats, fishing boats, and yachts all rock in the clear blue water.
The first time I went to Porto Ercole was in the summer of 2023 by pure luck. I was living in Siena at the time and decided I needed a day at the beach. After speaking to some friends in Siena, I was recommended the beach of Grosseto. However, after looking closer to the map I saw a small island just south of Grosseto, Monte Argenatrio. I figured Porto Santo Stefano, the largest port on the Island, would be the place to go.
After taking the train from Siena to Grosseto I stopped to have lunch and walk around before getting on a bus to Porto Santo Stefano. This was an old bus, and while driving along the highway it pulled over and we, along with the 4 school kids on the bus, were told to get off and directed to another bus. To our surprise, once we reached the island, the bus turned left instead of right and took us to Porto Ercole. Once we arrived in Porto Ercole we found out we wouldn’t be able to get to Porto Santo Stefano for 2 hours. So we decided to spend some time in the port until then. To our surprise, everything in Porto Ercole was closed. We took the only option left, going to the beach.
We headed to the closest beach which led us to the charming beach club Riva del Marchese. At first, we weren’t sure how much it would have cost or what was reserved so we hung out on the other side of the beach where it was public and had the best time hanging out and swimming. After a while, we got hungry and went to the beach club for some ice cream and pasta, and to hang out there for a bit before returning to the town. Luckily, by the time we returned to Porto Ercole, the town had woken up. It was buzzing with young families, people shopping, going out, and enjoying an early aperitivo. We decided to sit down at one of the bars before returning to Obetello and catch the bus to Siena.
How to Get to Porto Ercole
I have gone via bus from Siena, here is the bus company where you can buy tickets that drop you off at the Orbetello station. There are also buses from many nearby towns that can drop you off in the city of Orbetello, or the station is easily connected by train to other nearby cities.
If you have a car that is the best way to get around as the buses in Porto Ercole and Orbetello are often delayed, and from other cities like Siena there are only two buses headed there a day.
When is the Best Time to Visit Porto Ercole?
I have gone to Porto Ercole both in May and at the beginning of June, while I didn’t see too much of a difference in the number of tourists in June the beach clubs had opened which makes spending the day at the beach a lot more fun as you have constant access to ice cream and drinks.
Where to Stay in Porto Ercole
Porto Ercole is home to some amazing upscale luxury stays from the iconic Il Pelicano an exclusive resort located 10 minutes from the center or the brand new hotel La Roqqa that looks over the port to some of the more affordable small hotels and Airbnbs located throughout the island. Last time I was in Porto Ercole I stayed at this Airbnb. It was a great price and the host was fantastic. I would recommend staying there if you are looking for a more affordable option or planning on cooking during your stay. Here is the host’s website where you can find all of his properties in the area.
Best Place to Swim in Porto Ercole
Porto Ercole is home to some of the clearest water I have seen in Italy. You can enjoy swimming with little fish and have no problem seeing them even without goggles on. Spending the day at the beach in Porto Ercole is the quintessential part of the Italian summer dream that everyone chases.
The main beach in Porto Ercole is Bagno le Viste, it is accessible by both a road or a short trail. I love taking the trail but if you are bringing lots of stuff the road path might be easier. Depending on the tide once you get to the beach you may be able to continue to walk south where the beach stretches into little coves and a longer rocky area. I love hanging out in the main area of Bagno le Viste, especially off to the right (facing the water) where there are some flat rocks that you can set up on. I recommend bringing some fruit and snacks and spending time at the beach during the town’s siesta. There are also incredible views here at sunset with the backdrop of L’isolotto.
Where to Eat in Porto Ercole
Porto Ercole is home to an amazing food scene being surrounded by water the best thing to order is fish. Most restaurants serve extremely fresh fish often caught that day. On menus look at for mackerel (sgombro), anchovies (alici), sea bass (spigola), anguilla (eel), sea bream (orata), and octopus (polpo). I also frequently saw bottarga on menus. If you are unfamiliar with it, it is the pouch of roe that has been cured and often grated on top of a dish.
I Pescatori di Orbetello
If you are looking for a fun local spot to get fresh fish at a low price, I Pescatori di Orbetello is the place for you. It sits in a converted horse stable on the lagoon. It is the perfect place to enjoy lunch or dinner with the family. When you arrive you can sit in or outside and get handed a paper menu/ordering sheet where you can select the local specialties. We ordered two pastas and the orata alla griglia. The orata alla griglia was the star and couldn’t have been cooked more perfectly. It was accompanied by lemon and a bottle of olive oil in which we soaked the fresh meat.
Gelato
The worst part about Porto Ercole is that there are two amazing gelato places on the same street. While this might not seem like a major issue it seriously is. Unfortunately, you cannot calculate convince into the equation when deciding which gelato place to go to.
While both places are fantastic, I would have to say my favorite is Botania. The owner is the kindest person and you can taste the high-quality ingredients and well-thought flavors in every bite. My favorite flavors from here have to be mint chocolate, which is so fresh and perfect after a day at the beach as well as chocolate grezzo. It is the richest chocolate flavor with chocolato di modica mixed in satisfying any sort of chocolate cravings for the day.
The other gelato shop Creola is great if you want some more creative and fun flavors. They have a flavor that is vanilla with choco krispies which is so good. We spent every day getting at least one cup from each and sharing.
Cafe Piazzetta
The perfect treat for a warm morning in Porto Ercole is a cafe salentino from Cafe Piazzetta. The bar is located right on the port with tables facing the water. A cafe salentino is an espresso poured over ice with sweet almond syrup (sounds delicious I know). Everything from Cafe Piazzetta is quite sweet. Normally I usually do not enjoy sweet croissants but for whatever reason I could not get enough of these.
Bar del Porto
Getting a drink at Bar del Porto is a dream. They have seating right along the water where they serve amazing cocktails and people fill the deck at night. The inside is decorated perfectly with a yacht club-esc style that is adorned throughout Porto Ercole. The price is great, usually around 12 euros for a drink. It might not be the cheapest in Italy, but a great price when sitting on the water. The staff is always so friendly and their margaritas are some of the best. Drinks from here come with an aperitivo of the classic snacks (chips, olives, nuts) as well as some rotating things such as croissant sandwiches, focaccia, and fish balls. I come here almost every night when staying in Porto Ercole.
Bar del Porto is also a friendly place to take kids at night as they can get a ginger beer or soda and enjoy the aperitivo with you.
La Roqqa
La Roqqa is one of Porto Ercole’s newest hotels. It sits above the port and has a beautiful bar and restaurant with views of the water. The drinks here are great, definitely, a pricer option in Porto Ercole as they were around 16-24 (euros) each. We came for drinks but we couldn’t help ourselves and stayed for a fantastic dinner. The menu offers a contemporary take on typical Tuscan seaside cuisine. You can expect fresh seafood with incredible pastas and great hospitality. The meal started off with a bright amuse-bouche featuring beets, and fresh bread. Then we enjoyed some fantastic appetizers. I got the octopus, and then the ravioli. These two dishes were heavily contrasting as the octopus while being cooked perfectly with a bright sauce and then the ravioli that married Italian simplicity and comforting French flavors into each bite.
Grano
If you are looking for something quick to eat or great food on a budget, Grano is the place for you. It is located right on the port on Villa Lubgomare Andrea Doria. They sell pizza al trancio for prices between 2-3.50. You can either take your slices to go or eat at the tables they have set up outside. The favorites from Grano were the spicy tomato, as well as the potato.
Shopping in Porto Ercole
Walking around Porto Ercole it is impossible not to notice the locals all dressed in their Italian summer linens. If you want to emulate their cool summer style, Good Harbor is the place for you. While they have locations as well in Ortobello, Porto Santo Stefano, and even Rome, they have two fantastic shops in Porto Ercole located a few doors down from each other on Villa Lungomare Strozzi.
One is filled with the most precious children’s clothes as well as some home stuff. The other shop two doors down stocks clothes and swims for both men and women. Their pieces are extremely high quality and have a variety of brands. I recommend mostly looking at their own brand Good Harbor, as they are pieces that you won’t be able to purchase elsewhere. After their own brand, they also carry some swimwear from other small Italian designers. My two favorite swimwear labels that they carry there are Pesciolino Rosso and From Bikini which are both small swimwear brands that are made in Italy.
Aside from Good Harbor, there are many other small boutiques in Porto Ercole. They all carry varieties of light summer pieces and swim. My favorite place to go shopping in this area is Corso Italia, Orbetello. This street is filled with lots of charming boutiques. All of them make the perfect place to pick up gifts for family and friends back home or for yourself.
Food Shopping
If you are more into food shops there are amazing markets in most of the towns. I went to the Orbetello market which takes place on Saturdays. It was what you can expect from a weekly Italian market, some clothes, trinkets, fruit, vegetables, and fish. Here is where you can find the Orbetello market.
There is also an incredible butcher in town, Macelleria Navoni G (Via Italia 13, Porto Ercole). He sells a variety of meat and dairy products as well as a huge selection of wine and other Italian specialties. The owner is so nice and very helpful in making sure you get what you need. If you want to bring any gifts back home or pick up a nice bottle of wine I can’t recommend stopping by here enough.
Have the best time in Porto Ercole! If you are looking for more Tuscany guides read my other blog posts here!
