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Individual daily car tours in Tuscany from Rome
PORTO SANTO STEFANO – ARGENTARIO – TUSCANY
PRIVATE TOUR AROUND ROME WITH ADEL KARANOV ROME GUIDE WITH CAR AND COMPOSER
PORTO SANTO STEFANO is the more developed of the Argentario resorts, and also the more fashionable – which in Italy is a lot worse than just being popular. Something of the charm which first brought people here still shines through, however, despite the hotels and villas that have all but obliterated the original village.
A few fishing boats still cluster in the town’s smaller harbour, having relinquished the main port to the marina and its mega-yachts. If you’re on a budget, you’ll probably stay only as long as it takes to get a ferry to the island of Giglio (see opposite). Information and sailing times are available from the quayside TO.RE.MAR office (•0564.810.803), or the neighbouring Maregiglio (.0564.812.920), or the tourist office at Corso Umberto 55a (daily: summer 8am-2pin & 4-6.30pm; winter Sam-2pm). Boats make the one-hour trip three times daily year-round, five times daily in summer (one-way tickets LI0,000 for foot passengers, L50,000-75,000 for cars). Buses run to the port from the train station at Orbetello Scalp, so you can avoid almost any contact with the place at all.
Affordable accommodation does exist, though mainly in private rooms, for which the tourist office supplies lists. You’ll need to book well ahead to secure a place at either of the town’s cheaper hotels: the central Da Alfiero, Via Cuniberti 14 (•0564.814.067, fax 0564.813.094; C)), and less convenient Week End, Via Martiri d’Ungheria 3 (• & fax 0564.812.580; 03). If money is no object, try Porto Santo Stefano’s finest, the three-star Belvedere (•0564.812.634; (i), near the beaches at Poggio Calvella, a short may west. The nearest campsites are those listed in the Orbetello entry, on previous page. Restaurants are generally swanky and overpriced; back-street piaerie and bar snacks are the best options. If you’re going for a blowout, Da Siro, Corso Umberto I 102 (.0564.812.538; closed Mon & Nov), has quite a reputation. La Bussola, Piazzale Facchinetti (.0564.814.225; closed Mon) is good for fish, or try La Formica, one of the more popular and reasonable fish restaurants, at Pozzerella, 1500m east of the village (•05(14.814.205).