Porto Ercole Travel Guide

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Walking along the seaside on the Lungomare of Porto Ercole supposes that the visitor has found a parking place. When arriving by the main road from Orbetello turn left in the centre at the Piazza Roma, there is a rather small parking (1 €/hour) at the square formed by the Via San Sebastiano.
From there you can walk within a short distance to the Lungomare Andrea Doria where the restaurants and bars of Porto Ercole are.
Like mentioned in my intro page this picturesque and authentic port, a quarter century ago, has now been invaded by a marina leaving not much room for the water. From the Lungomare one sees mainly a huge parking for all types of boats.
I presume that all these boats mooring in the harbour and their owners bring more money to the Porto Ercole authorities and the local business than occasional tourists.
At the end of the Lungomare Andrea Doria the sea promenade turns left to the fish harbour. This is the Lungomare Marinai d'Italia starting with an ugly ruin of a shipyard and further fishing and boat equipments stored in the open along the pier. Authentic fishing harbour but rather messy. There are some parking possibilities here.
The promenade ends at the 300 m long Molo Santa Barbara which protects the harbour.
It is possible to walk on this wall with great views on the open sea, the coast of Ansedonia and the harbour and hills of Porto Ercole.

The fortress called "Stella" is located outside Porto Ercole; she faces the small island called Isolotto and is reached by the Strada Panoramica.
The construction started in 1557. The elegant fortress has the form of a star (stella in Italian) with six points located inside a quadrangular construction surrounded by a ditch and has only one entry.
After restoration Forte Stella became a museum in 1999 for temporary exhibitions on 200 m2.
What is most impressive is the panoramic view.

Open from mid June to mid September every day in the evening from 18 - 24 h. In other periods only on week ends 11 - 17 h.
Better to check TEL. 0564 811925.
Price 2 €.

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The Spanish fortress Filippo dominates the hill on the left of the Porto Ercole harbour. It was build in 1558 under the Spanish rule, from there its name after the King of Spain. The military architect was Giovanni Camerini. The fortress has a quadrangular form lengthened with imposing bastions to the angles and is surrounded by a deep ditch. The only point of access is a drawbridge.

The artillery power of the fortress is completed by the battery of Santa Caterina located somewhat lower on the hill slope. The canons of this battery could fire at low angle.

The fortress Filippo is a private property and can not be visited.

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The Spanish fortress called La Rocca is located at the top of the hill on the right side of the harbour.
From this hill the fortress guards as well the harbour as the open sea. The construction started in the 14th. c and was developed, modified, completed during the 15th and 16th centuries. It is the largest fortress of the Argentario.

The form is an irregular star adapted to the relief of the promontory with a series of bastions preceded by a ditch with a draw bridge conducting to the door topped by a coat of arms.

A wall goes down to the sea and connects La Rocca with the remains of a polygonal bastion which was the battery of Santa Barbara covering the harbour in conjunction with the battery of Santa Caterina, part of the Forte Filippo on the other side of the port of Ercole.
Do I need to say that the views from the Rocca are overwhelming.

Visits from 10 to 13 h and from 16 till dusk. Free entry.

The history of Porto Ercole is similar to that of Porto Santo Stefano on the other side of the Argentario peninsula. After belonging to the republic of Sienna, Porto Ercole was annexed to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany by Cosimo I of Medici.
In 1557 the cities of Porto Ercole, Orbetello, Porto Santo Stefano, Talamone, Ansedonia and Porto Longone (on the Island of Elba), were assembled by King Philip II of Spain under the name of Stato dei Presidi (The State of the Garrisons) governed directly by Spain, as part of the Kingdom of Naples. It followed the history of the latter and was never a souverreign state.
In 1800, Napoleon disbanded the Stato dei Presidi and annexed the region to the newly-formed Kingdom of Etruria. Later the Congress of Vienna (1815) gave these territories to Tuscany, to which they belonged until the Unification of Italy.
The Spanish fortifications at Porto Ercole are much more important that those of Porto Santo Stefano. There are 3 fortresses on the hills above the bay of Porto Ercole. Two can be visited.