Porte Ercole was maybe founded by the Phoenicians, was settled by the Etruscans, conquered by the Romans, donated to the Papal States by emperor Constantine, assimilated by the Republic of Siena, merged into the State of the Presdi by the Spanish, invaded by the French, and finally annexed to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.

So it’s got a lot of forts. The sixteenth-century Forte Filippo is the most majestic, open to visitors during summer from 5pm till 9pm, and with a great view of the port and coastline. The small medieval old town centered around the Torre di Terra built by the Aldobrandeschi in 1296 is very pretty, and the bars and seafood restaurants on the harbour promenade are an excellent place to stop after a day on the Argentario.