A pathway from one of the many private villas in Ansedonia looking down towards the Feniglia tombola that stretches across to the Argentario peninsula. Modern Ansedonia itself is not really a town, more an exclusive community of gated villas and hidden complexes owned by celebrities, politicians, and rich businessmen. There’s nothing to do here except drive through it out of curiosity on your way to the beach.

The tower overlooking the sea is the Torre della Tagliata. It was built in the 16th century as a defensive fortification for the State of the Presidi, later converted into a private home, and was used frequently by the composer Giacomo Puccini and where he worked on many of his famous operas and wrote Turandot. You can’t visit it, but there it is.