Porto Ercole: the Spanish fortified village where Caravaggio died, quieter than Porto Santo Stefano

After Siena's defeat in the 16th century, Porto Ercole became part of the new Spanish State of the Presidi, and it was the Spanish who built much of the fortifications that still shape the village's profile today: Forte Filippo, Forte Stella and Forte Santa Caterina, along with an expansion of the existing Sienese fortress. The walls and the Gothic gateway into the old town still speak of that era.

According to the sources, it was here that the painter Michelangelo Merisi, known as Caravaggio, died on 18 July 1610: found dying on Feniglia beach, he was carried to the church of Sant'Erasmo, where he received care before he died. Other churches in the village include San Rocco and San Paolo della Croce, while the Orto Botanico Corsini, founded in 1868, offers a green pause among the military architecture.

Porto Ercole is today a sailing landmark: it hosts Italy's oldest offshore sailing championship, and has served as a filming location for movies including The Talented Mr. Ripley. Compared to Porto Santo Stefano, Argentario's main port, it remains a more intimate village, with Blue Flag beaches nearby.

Summer is the busiest period, thanks to its proximity to beaches and seaside life; spring and early autumn stay quieter for exploring the old town at a slower pace.

Getting there

Porto Ercole lies about 7 km south-west of Orbetello and is served by the Orbetello-Monte Argentario railway station, on the Tyrrhenian line.