MONTE ARGENTARIO: MOUNTAIN MEETS SPARKLING SEA
One of the most beautiful parts of the Tuscan coast, the rocky promontory of Monte Argentario still looks like an island, as it once was, until sand drifts silted the channel and formed two isthmuses connecting with the mainland at Orbetello. The Tombola di Feniglia has a long sandy beach lined with pines. Nearby are located the headquarters of the WWF, and the promontory is home to some rare and lovely flora and fauna. The name Argentario either derives from the Roman banking family who once owned the area, or from the silver mines at nearby Massa Marittima.
The Argentario, culminating in Mount Telegrafo (635 m), rises steeply from the sea to the west, but slopes away more gently to the north. It is covered almost everywhere by Mediterranean scrub, particularly in the less accessible zones. The coastline of Mount Argentario is extremely irregular, notched by high cliffs and bays that follow one another in quick succession. The Argentario is rich in grottoes; some of them along the coast formed by the erosive action of the sea but others, inland, are due to the Karst phenomenon.
Besides the abundance of fish in the waters off the Argentario, red coral can still be found and the sea yields up the occasional amphora encrusted with molluscs. All of which makes the depths here a favourite haunt of enthusiasts of underwater fishing and photography. But, as a whole, Monte Argentario is also ideal for those attracted by the beauty of the landscape, its mild climate, monuments of past ages, and fine accommodation. Little wonder, then, that the backbone of the territory’s economy today is tourism. The Argentario is, in fact, the showpiece of the Maremma and its bathing resorts attract visitors both domestic and international.
The seat of public administration is Porto Santo Stefano, the centre of Monte Argentario. Situated in a picturesque bay, Porto Santo Stefano is not only an important centre for fishing and a bathing resort, but it also acts as a base for tourists who visit the island of Giglio. Its Spanish history is evident in the Aragonese stronghold, which towers above the small town.
Porto Ercole, resplendent in natural beauty and in the vestiges of over a thousand years of history, is the most beautiful jewel on the Argentario promontory. Its name comes from the mythical Greek hero Hercules. This small town, like Porto Santo Stefano, also shows traces of Spanish influence, testified by the numerous towers and also some tombstones in the church. From here, a short flight takes you to Cala Galera, a modern tourist harbour, where you can hire boats with or without a helmsman.
Asedonia is a popular tourist resort, near the ruins of the Roman town of Cosa, where you can visit a museum of Roman finds and a part of the Etruscan walls. Very beautiful houses rise on the Asedonia hill, some of them summer residences of celebrities. A little more to the south, on the way towards the Capalbio station, is the Tagliata Etrusca, a milestone of hydraulic engineering.
Accommodation in Monte Argentario is excellent and abundant. For a choice list, please refer to our selection.
TOWN HOUSE SUITES IN TUSCANY: STAY IN ONE!
Imagine living in a 14th-century home that looks stuck in time, yet offers every comfort that the modern age has invented. The Palazzo Torriani is a town house suite in Tuscany that is actually a historic home dating back to the end of the 14th century. It has always been owned and lived in by the ancestors of the present-day proprietors. The current owners have recently completed a thorough and careful restoration of the building, returning the mansion to all its former glory.
As a result of the restoration, the town house suite has three apartments furnished with antique furniture but endowed with every modern convenience, meant for guests who are keen on spending their holidays in an old world atmosphere, in the tranquillity of a small, charming village in the Tuscan-Romagnolo Apennines. And for the lovers of motor sports, the Imola racetrack, home of the San Marino Formula 1 Grand Prix, is close at hand. Can you think of a greater contrast?
This is just one example of the Tuscany town houses that await guests who find these beautiful accommodations through our site. Our comprehensive and all-encompassing list of Tuscany town house suites would, we are confident, put all other choices in the shade, so why don’t you check them out? We put you in touch with the owners of all our properties, of which the Palazzo Torriani is only an example.
Our properties boast such amenities as air-conditioning, swimming pools, barbecues, and truly spectacular natural surroundings. The "Azienda Agrituristica" Lucignanello Bandini is an example. Situated on the southernmost tip of Tuscany, in the tiny village of Lucignano d’Asso, it is a half-hour drive from Siena. The hamlet consists of two stony roads, two churches, a castle, a quaint little store and a number of smaller houses that look out across rolling fields and patches of woodland towards the reassuring outline of Mount Amiata, a visual point of reference for many miles around. The muted pinks, beiges and pale ochers of Lucignano’s ancient walls perfectly harmonize with the palette of the Crete Senesi, the Sienese Claylands whose rich, pliant soil forms the body of those warm-hued terracotta pots and urns that are a feature of the area.
As you can see, therefore, wherever you go in Tuscany, you will come across one of our town house suites. So without delay, see them for yourself here.
