It’s amazing how two port that are so close to one another can be so different. Porto Ercole may be smaller than Porto Santo Stefano,  but it’s far more vibrant, shunning the relaxed, homely atmosphere of its brother port for high class restaurants and expensive boutiques.

As well as being recognised as the Maremma’s fashion capital, Porto Ercole is also the centre of its nightlife.

Most of the time, but especially in the summer months, the town is more alive after dark as its chic restaurants, packed pubs and glitzy nightclubs buzz with activity long into the early hours of the morning.

To be honest, Porto Ercole’s locals are nothing like your typical and humble Maremman country folk.

These are people who know the fast life and the joys of good food, stylish clothes and big, luxurious yachts. If you’re looking for glamour and swagger, as well as the odd celebrity, then you need look no further than Porto Ercole.

But the town is also marked by a intriguing and macabre mystery that dates back centuries.

In the early 17th century, July 18, 1610 to be precise, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, the extremely famous Italian painter, took his last breath in Monte Argentario.

Decades passed and no one managed to figure out why the renowned painter was in Monte Argentario and how or where he died. Some said he was murdered, others said he died on a beach in Feniglia.

It was only a few years ago that historians finally solved the mystery.

Someone had left a note in the Chiesa di Sant’Erasmo in Porto Ercole. It said Caravaggio died of a mystery illness in hospital and was buried in the nearby cemetery in an unmarked grave. He was in Porto Ercole awaiting papal pardon for a murder he committed during a duel. Now isn’t that something?

SIGHTS:

Chiesa di Sant’Erasmo Dedicated to the patron saint of sailors, this church is perhaps the only one in the Maremma to be adorned with the exquisite tombstones of Spanish officials.

Palazzo dei Governanti Built in the second half of the 16th century as a home for the Spanish governors of the Stato dei Presidi, this palazzo has the most intricate and elegant facade.

Forte Stella Forte Stella may just be one of many watchtowers built here by the Spanish, but it’s the most unique and boasts unbelievable seaside views.

Forte Filippo Built around the same time as Forte Stella and designed by the same architect, this fort embodies the best of Spanish military architecture

Forte Santa Caterina The least preserved fort, Forte Santa Caterina is the last of Porto Ercole’s forts and is privately owned. It’s still worth the walk through the countryside though.

Rocca Aldobrandesca Despite its name, the Rocca Aldobrandesca was not built by the Aldobrandeschi family, but that doesn’t make it any less splendid or impressive.