Bike&Boat Argentario Hotel
Porto Santo Stefano - Via Panoramica 239
Situated in Porto Santo Stefano, 2.
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Leave behind the stress of everyday life and set off for a relaxing holiday to Porto Santo Stefano, situated on the Argentario promontory, of which it is also the largest town. Popular since the immediate post-war period, even among celebrities and the wealthy, it is a major tourist destination for Tuscany, thanks to the magnificent natural setting in which it is located, the beautiful beaches and coves that surround it, and also thanks to its tourist marina, always full of motor yachts and yachts from all over the world.
But it’s not just leisure boating: tourists also arrive at Porto Santo Stefano to embark for the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, such as the island of Giglio or the small Giannutri. Over the years, numerous diving centres, scuba schools and shops for selling and renting water sports equipment have been established. Moreover, its sea enjoys the prestigious recognition of the Blue Flag, to which has recently been added the Green Flag, which rewards beaches and marine environments dedicated to children.
To cut to the chase, it is primarily the beaches that draw tourists to Porto Santo Stefano. There are plenty of them, and they are all beautiful. Most of them are coves of various sizes, accessible from the main road via a downhill path, with a few exceptions. All are united by the beauty of the sea and the surrounding nature.
Let’s begin our review of Porto Santo Stefano’s best beaches with Bagni di Domiziano, or Spiaggia Gerini, so named because the villa of the Gerini marquises is located here. It’s a small sandy beach and is completely free, so you won’t find the option to rent loungers or parasols. You reach the beach by following a path that passes between olive trees, not very visible from the road. The beach itself is also not visible from the road.
The curious name of the beach derives from the fact that opposite it are the remains of the ancient villa of the Domitii Ahenobarbi, a family of ancient Rome from which Nero also descended, still visible today.
Spiaggia della Soda is located along the road connecting Orbetello to Porto Santo Stefano. It’s a medium-sized inlet, partly equipped with the option to rent loungers and parasols, and partly free. At the extremities, the sand, mainly shingle, gives way to rocks. The beach is also divided by a small pier.
The water is beautiful, as is the natural setting in which the beach is immersed, despite being directly on the main road. However, especially in high season, it can become very crowded, and finding a car park is certainly not easy.
The next cove after Spiaggia della Soda is Cala Pozzarello. Here the shoreline is made up of sand and small pebbles, and it is also located along the road. There is a beach establishment, a bar and a restaurant. It’s a beautiful beach, also suitable for people with disabilities as access is very straightforward. Moreover, given its sheltered position from the wind, the sea is often very calm and flat.
From Cala Pozzarello in the direction of Porto Santo Stefano, you’ll reach Spiaggia della Bionda. You can also get there from the town centre by walking on foot first along the seafront, then entering the old galleries where the train used to pass until 1944. The walk is not short, but it’s not tiring as it’s all on the level.
Spiaggia della Bionda, protected by an artificial barrier of rocks so that the water is always calm, is completely free, so bring water and food with you if you intend to spend the whole day there.
The beautiful Cala del Gesso is reached via the scenic road that departs from Porto Santo Stefano, and then, at kilometre 5.9, turn onto a small road on the right that descends to the sea. You’ll need to pass through a gate with pedestrian access, and finish your walk by descending a flight of stairs.
Of course, the downside is that on the way back you’ll have to walk uphill the entire way, and we advise against it during the hottest hours of the day. But the beauty of the landscape awaiting you and the clarity of the water will make you forget all the effort.
Cala del Gesso, one of Porto Santo Stefano’s most beautiful beaches, is completely free and is made up of small pebbles, with the seabed sloping gently. In summer, despite the difficulty in reaching it, it becomes very crowded, so we recommend arriving early in the morning.
Cala Grande is one of the most famous beaches of Porto Santo Stefano and the entire Argentario. As the name suggests, it is one of the largest on the promontory, but it is nevertheless very distinctive. You can see it from the road, making it one of the must-stop points during a drive around the Argentario; as you continue, you’ll find the access to the path, about 500 metres long, which passes through Mediterranean scrub and dense trees. It’s not difficult, but it can prove very inconvenient for families with small children or elderly people.
Once you arrive, you’ll find crystal-clear water and unspoilt nature. Actually, Cala Grande comprises three small beaches, all with pebbles. You’ll be able to enjoy a beautiful seabed, and the area is also suitable for diving and snorkelling enthusiasts. Finally, remember that Cala Grande is completely free, so there are no beach establishments, let alone bars or restaurants.
In the following map you can see the location of the main places of interest mentioned in this article.
Porto Santo Stefano has a pleasant town centre to visit, with a lovely pedestrian seafront that ends at the tourist marina where you can walk among the yachts, but in terms of monuments there isn’t much to see. We’d highlight the Church of Santo Stefano, rebuilt after the Second World War following its destruction in 1944, and the imposing Spanish Fortress, dating from the late 16th century.
Also evocative is the war memorial, located right on the seafront, from which you can also photograph a splendid sunset.
For the rest, enjoy the town’s lovely beaches, and of course explore as much as possible the Argentario and its magnificent coves, often reachable on foot or by boat.
Although it’s a peaceful and relaxing resort, Porto Santo Stefano has no shortage of opportunities to have fun in the evening. A stroll along the seafront is essential, from the commercial port to the tourist marina, to watch the yachts and eat an ice cream. In town there are restaurants and bars open until late, plus numerous aperitif venues of all kinds and for all budgets.
The town has numerous places to stay: many are excellent quality hotels, with several 4-star properties, but there are also apartments, run by private owners and rented to tourists for a few days or entire weeks. You can choose to stay in the town centre to have all services at your fingertips, or in the surrounding area, perhaps near the beaches, for a completely relaxing holiday.
We offer a selection of hotels at Porto Santo Stefano to suit all categories of travellers. The most booked by tourists are the sea-facing hotels, often right on the beach. If you want to play it safe, choose one of the following: they are among the most booked hotels in Porto Santo Stefano, sorted by number of reviews.
If you prefer space, privacy and the ability to prepare your own meals to a hotel holiday, book a holiday home at Porto Santo Stefano. We recommend a few below, but in this case we advise you to book early because houses and apartments for rent at Porto Santo Stefano are in high demand.
Porto Santo Stefano is reachable by car by first arriving at Orbetello, and then continuing along the road that runs around the Argentario heading west. From Orbetello to Porto Santo Stefano is approximately 15-20 minutes by car, a distance of 11 kilometres, but beware that in summer, especially during weekends, traffic queues can be very long, and the journey time can increase exponentially.
Under normal conditions, from Florence to Porto Santo Stefano takes just under three hours, using the Florence-Siena motorway junction and then continuing to Grosseto. From there you take the SS1 Aurelia state road to Orbetello, and follow the signs for Porto Santo Stefano.
From Rome the distance is about an hour less: it takes approximately two hours from the capital, arriving first at Civitavecchia, then taking the Aurelia heading north to Orbetello, and then continuing on the Argentario coastal road to Porto Santo Stefano.
The resort, like all those located on the Argentario promontory, is not served by railway. Those travelling by train will need to get off at Orbetello-Monte Argentario railway station, located in the Orbetello Scalo area, where regional trains of the Grosseto-Rome Tyrrhenian railway stop. From here you’ll need to proceed on local public transport buses; the distance to cover by bus is approximately 20 kilometres, which without traffic takes around 20-25 minutes.
What's the weather at Porto Santo Stefano? Below are the temperatures and the weather forecast at Porto Santo Stefano for the next few days.
Porto Santo Stefano is located in the province of Grosseto and forms part of the municipality of Monte Argentario. It sits on the northern coast of the promontory, on the opposite side from Porto Ercole, and close to Orbetello.
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