Porto Ercole - Porto Ercole

Porto Ercole is a small town located in a natural gulf in the southern part of the promontory of Monte Argentario, the latter site south of the Tuscany in the province of Grosseto. It is part of the most beautiful villages in Italy.

To know

The town is 45 km from the Maremma capital, Grosseto, while 6 km from Orbetello and 12 km from Porto Santo Stefano, another and only country larger than the promontory.

When to go

The mild climate favors tourism almost all year round, with the exception of the rainy months, November and December.

Of course, for sea lovers, the recommended months are from April May to September October depending on the more or less mild vintage.

Background

Portus Herculis during the Etruscan phase it is elusive, while a historiographic reconstruction seems to be reliable starting from the 1st century BC and now part of the Domizi Enobarbi family, it then passed to the emperor Domitian and was donated to Vibia Matidia da Traiano in the 2nd century AD. In 312 A.D. when the Roman Empire was dying and rotten by corruption Portus Herculis passed to the Emperor Constantine, who donated it to the Basilica of SS. Peter and after the fall of the Western Roman Empire it became dominion before the Byzantines and later in the early Middle Ages it passed to the Lombards.

In the middle and late Middle Ages Portus Herculis was at the center of disputes between the Tre Fontane abbey and the Aldobra-ndeschi family.It passed to the Orsini counts in the 14th century and from 1410 to 14 it became the domain of the King of Naples, only after his death del Re passed under the Sienese domination.

In the 16th century it was the scene of a deadly and long resistance of the French allies of Siena, besieged by the Spaniards. It fell in June and with the Treaty of Brussels, together with Porto Santo Stefano, Orbetello, Ansedonia is Talamone formed the state of the Presidi, governed by the viceroy of Naples. In this period the forts Filippo, Stella, S. Caterina were built in strategic points while the Rocca was only enlarged as it was built in the 13th century. In 1707 the Austrians conquered the Kingdom of Naples and after a long siege, on March 22, 1712, Porto Ercole was forced to surrender. In 1802 with the Napoleonic conquests, the State of the Presidi ceased to exist and its territories were absorbed by the Kingdom of Etruria.

In 1815 Porto Ercole was annexed to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and finally in 1860 it was united to the Kingdom of Italy.

On 25 January 2014, the authorities formally included Porto Ercole, among the most beautiful villages in Italy

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  Independence square

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  High up on the hill, Forte Filippo

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  One of the secondary entrances to the Spanish Fortress

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  Door of the Rocca

How to orient yourself

How to get

By plane

The nearest airport is the Leonardo da Vinci's Fiumicino, about 145 km away; take the highway towards the port of Civitavecchia/Fregene (partial toll road) continue on the SS1, finally exit at Orbetello towards Porto Santo Stefano/ Porto Ercole.

On the train

Get off at the Orbetello Scalo train station, 2 km from Orbetello center and 8 km from Porto Ercole, there are buses every twenty minutes, however these vary according to the season.

By car

It is 160 km from Rome, 180 km from Florence, for those coming from the south, the highway is up to Tarquinia while those coming from the north, the motorway can arrive in Florence or in Rosignano Solvay, whoever exits in Florence passes through Siena where there are expansion works to 4 lanes, while exit at Rosignano it is convenient as the SS1 is a beautiful freeway with a limit of 110 km / h up to Grosseto, and 90 km / h until the exit for Orbetello. From here continue for Porto Santo Stefano/ Porto Ercole.

How to get around

The best way to get around Porto Ercole is on foot, as the town is made up of many climbs, so given the small extension the best way is to walk, the only flat point is the promenade that extends from one point to the other. another for about 500 meters.

For bicycle lovers, do not miss the cycle path that from Porto Ercole reaches Ansedonia a stretch of about 15 km, mainly in the plains with the exception of a very short stretch, just outside Porto Ercole that there is a steep climb.

By public transport

Getting around by public transport, given the small town, obviously means going to another country, so frequently there are public transport that lead to Porto Santo Stefano, Orbetello and Orbetello stop at the station.

By car

In winter, people can travel well within the country even by car.

It is important to make a distinction, spring-summer and autumn-winter, these two distinct periods as well as the climate are distinguished by the concentration of tourism, and while in winter it turns very well by car, in summer it is practically impossible, not only because it takes a badge that is issued only to residents or tourists who have a home, and since the latter are so many, so turning by car becomes impossible and it is equally impossible to find a parking space, then the best choice is the scooter.

On boat

Porto Ercole ships do not dock, although it has two extraordinary ports used only for pleasure craft. What you can find instead is a boat rental and nautical services (for more information visit argentarioranger.it).

The ferries leading to theLily island depart from the nearby village of Porto Santo Stefano.

What see

The interesting points of the town which, first for strategic defensive reasons, today instead for cultural and historical reasons, are the extraordinary four fortresses and three sighting points

• Forte Filippo. 
• Forte Stella. 
• Fort Santa Caterina. 
• Rocca Aldobrandesca. 
• Torre dell'Avvoltore. 
• Torre del Mulinaccio. 
• Walls of old Porto Ercole. 
• Caravaggio Square (50 meters from Piazza Roma, in the center of Porto Ercole). Piazza del Caravaggio was completed on 19 July 2014, in honor of the painter of the same name who in 1610, now hunted by soldiers and on the run for some time, died there. The square is of cultural interest, the bones of Michelangelo Merisi are locked in an ossuary placed on a small altar. The DNA analysis has established with a minimal possibility of error, that the remains are actually the painter's. 

Events and parties

• Porto Ercole, has as patron saint Sant'Erasmo (Sant'Elmo) the legend tells that a bishop performed the famous miracle, calming the storm and saving the fishermen at the mercy of the rough sea.
  The anniversary is the patron saint of the town on 2 June. The celebrations: characteristic is the procession to the sea that takes place every year with a different fishing boat, which carries the statue with the relic of the saint.
• Since 1978 the palio has been held between the four districts of the country. The districts take their name from the Spanish fortresses that surround the town (Forte Filippo, la Rocca, Forte Santa Caterina and Forte Stella). The palio consists of a rowing regatta that takes place inside the port, between the first and third week of June. The boats are gozzi with four rowers and helmsman.
• The Night of the Pirates is a well-known and awaited event born in 2007, it takes place between March and May. The participants, dressed as pirates looking for the treasure, can participate with teams of ten people, called "crews". Participation is open to all, just sign up. The treasure hunt takes place on Saturday including the night, and ends on Sunday with the awards ceremony.
• Pirate party info.
• Throughout the summer, the Proloco supported by the municipality of Monte Argentario organizes both cultural and leisure events.

What to do

It is necessary to always consider the seasons, spring-summer and autumn-winter. Porto Ercole enjoys its beautiful Mediterranean climate, hot and dry in spring, hot and humid in summer, these characteristics only entice you to go to the sea. There are various bathing establishments, the feniglia, a 6 km long beach bobbin, with a low, uniform and sandy coast, enriched with all kinds of services, bars, restaurants, rent bicycles, water scooters and much more.

Interesting, perhaps decisive for those who choose a holiday in Porto Ercole, are the characteristic beaches that take shape at the foot of Monte Argentario, they are made up of both gravel and rocks, they extend along the rugged coast and, in some points even sheer.

Even these beaches, albeit a minority, enjoy some services.

Engaging and definitely worth doing is a nice one bike ride, in the feniglia pine forest. A flat and easily walkable path, it extends into a pine forest for 6 km, the park is protected and you will almost always meet docile fawns and fallow deer. Parallel to 200 meters, the homonymous beach extends.

For mountain lovers and mushroom hunters, Monte Argentario is the ideal place in autumn, both to breathe some pure air and collect porcini mushrooms and chestnuts.

Shopping

• 42.3947111.203851 ^{[link not working]}ceramic, Via Italia, 5, ☎ 39 347 495 85 58, @[email protected]. Mon - Sun h 09: 30-13: 00 16: 30-20: 00 Wed 09: 30-13: 00. cerAmica, the art that is your friend, tends to conquer the customer with souvenirs and artifacts, giving the freshness of Porto Ercole in a room of your wonderful home. 

How to have fun

There is certainly no shortage of nightlife, from April to September, the promenade Andrea Doria offers a variety of clubs, which extend all along the seafront, then in cala galera, where there is the second tourist port of Porto Ercole , there are discos.

Where to eat

Average prices

• Gambero Rosso restaurant, Along the sea Andrea Doria. 

Where stay

Safety

How to keep in touch

Around

Other projects

• Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Porto Ercole
• Commons contains images or other files on Porto Ercole

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