Porto Ercole and Porto Santo Stefano are two beautiful seaport towns on opposite sides of Argentario, across the peninsula from Orbetello. They were established by the ruling Aldobrandeschi family in the 13th Century, and fortified by the Spanish in the 16th to protect the area from frequent pirate raids. Porto Ercole is where the famous Italian Baroque painter Caravaggio died and was buried in a local church.

The drive around the island feature spendid views of the rocky coastline below, though parts of the road require care following extensive landslides about 10 years ago that haven’t been fully repaired. The imposing Mount Argenario itself has beautiful roads through mountain forests, and a number of beautiful churches, monuments, and monasteries.