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Argentario in Italy has more to it than meets the eye. Monte Argentario was the home of Etruscans and wartime money-lenders a couple of millennia ago.
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Today, Costa d’Argento, ‘the Silver Coast’, has refocused on tourists who are into culture, nature, golf, food and wine. It’s one of the most laid-back parts of the Maremma region.
Monte Argentario, Italy: from island to promontory
Monte Argentario, Italy lies in southern Tuscany’s strikingly beautiful Maremma region. Roughly 150 kilometers from Rome and 200 km from Florence, on the Tuscan coast in the province of Grosseto, you’ll find the promontory of Monte Argentario. Monte Argentario was previously an island, but a couple of hundred years ago coastal sands rose up, and the island is now adjoined to mainland Italy over a three-pronged sandbar that creates a brackish lagoon, a haven for birds.
“Most people come to this lesser known part of Tuscany for a quiet getaway, including beautiful coastal scenery, hikes, rocky cliffs, picturesque towns and villages with mouth-watering cuisine.”
Monte Argentario is, as its name signifies, a mountainous promontory. Maremma is a part of Italy that’s less touristy than you would think, given its rugged beauty and proximity to Rome. At Monte Argentario are some stunning views from the top of the rocky cliffs that give shelter for quiet coves below. There is no place in Italy quite like it. Beach lovers can choose between long and sandy or stony beaches.
There’s some dispute how the peninsula got the name Argentario. One theory is based on the fact that the Romans used the name Argentarii for money lenders. A prominent family of the area lent money (silver) to the Romans in the Punic Wars 22 centuries ago. Another theory behind the name Argentario is that Italy’s sailors could see many silver-leaved olive trees in the landscape when they approached the island.
“Maremma is the historical region of Etruscans, where red Sangiovese wine, ‘the blood of Jupiter’, rules supreme.”
This interpretation gives a very peaceful and bountiful feel to the Argentario area in Maremma. But the poet Dante had another idea in the late middle ages. He described the Maremma region in southern Tuscany in his Divine Comedy as home of the harpies, birds of prey with a woman’s face.
Maremma is the historical region of Etruscans, where red Sangiovese wine, ‘the blood of Jupiter’, rules supreme. Most people come to this lesser known part of Tuscany for a quiet getaway, including beautiful coastal scenery, hikes, rocky cliffs, picturesque towns and villages with mouth-watering cuisine. Its sea is clear and blue, but can be dangerous – this is where the cruise ship Costa Concordia sank off the eastern coast of Isola del Giglio in 2012.
What is there to do in Monte Argentario, Italy?
Monte Argentario is the perfect escape from the bustle of Rome. It’s all about natural beauty, enjoyment and relaxation. Here are some tips of things to do at Monte Argentario:
- Porto Ercole is where you can visit the 500-year-old Forte Stella, built by Spanish invaders who ruled Monte Argentario for 150 years. Have a gelato as you walk around the old town and the marina and visit local shops and restaurants. There are also some nice beaches, such as Riva del Marchese
- The town of Porto Santo Stefano is known for its seafood restaurants and fish market. It also has a 17th century Spanish fortress
- Via Panoramica offers a beautiful road trip around the Monte Argentario promontory
- Golf and a massage at Argentario Golf Resort & Spa
- Val delle Rose vineyard tour, learn about local wines with traditions that go back many centuries
- Take a ferry from Porto Santo Stefano to Isola del Giglio for a day trip, beaches and opportunities for scuba diving and snorkeling
- Duna Feniglia Nature Reserve has a pristine beach that is 10 km long
- Rent a kayak or canoe and paddle along the rocky shores between Porto Santo Stefano and Porto Ercole
- Rent a ‘gozzo’ with a skipper. A gozzo is a traditional small fishing boat with room for up to 8 people. It’s about 8 meters long and has enough room for a group to spend the day
- Go mountain biking through the Feniglia pine forest
- Have a meal with locally sourced food and rich and fruity Sangiovese red wine or crisp and refreshing Vermentino white wine at the Dama Dama restaurant at Argentario Golf Resort & Spa. The chef leans heavily on local traditions, even bringing in recipes that go back in his family for generations
What’s the best time to visit Monte Argentario, Italy?
Monte Argentario has a beautiful coastal climate where the sea breeze will cool you down in the middle of the summer. In July, the average temperature is 26°C, but the season of pleasant temperatures is really from the end of April through October. We visited Argentario Golf Resort & Spa during the last week of October, and the weather was beautiful, in the high teens with a warming Mediterranean sun.
Argentario, Maremma: five star golf & spa resort
In Italy, do as the Romans. Isn’t that the way it goes? Maybe not, but it’s still sound advice for golfers. In fact, Roman golfers are known to drive north to Tuscany on the weekends, and one of the most popular destinations is Argentario Golf Resort & Spa overlooking the Orbetello lagoon.
Maremma’s top golf course is an 18-hole layout, opened in 2006, with some panoramic sea views, a couple of surprising golf challenges and a warm personal touch from the Argentario staff.
“Roman golfers are known to drive north to Tuscany on the weekends”
It’s in an environmentally protected area and has a sheltered microclimate, five minutes’ drive from the Natural Reserve Duna Feniglia. The first nine on the course (par 71, 6218m from the back) have some elevated views of the Argentario coast, some great tee shots and a sea breeze. The second nine are more sheltered, winding through gentle terrain and groves of olive trees. The course is set up for golfers of all abilities.
Are you interested in golf travel in Europe? Click to read more about Swiss Alps golf in Engadine.
