L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2017 www.italoamericano.org 16 L'Italo-Americano MARIELLA RADAELLI I c a m e a c r o s s M o n t e Argentario few years ago and was mesmerized.  It amazed me with its beauty and variety -- in some places rugged and oth- ers manicured, chic but discreet. Ninety kilometers south of t h e P i s a a i r p o r t , M o n t e A r g e n t a r i o i s a p r o m o n t o r y anchored to the Tuscan main- land by two narrow sandy isth- m u s e s c a l l e d I l t o m b o l o d i Giannella and la Feniglia, that flank the Orbetello Lagoon, the most important nature reserve on the Tyrrhenian sea and a primary winter home for birds in Europe. T h o u g h i t i s i n s o u t h e r n Tuscany's Maremma region and G r o s s e t o p r o v i n c e , M o n t e A r g e n t a r i o f e e l s m o r e l i k e Southern Italy and also has a Spanish ambiance throughout. In fact, this sliver of land with a perimeter of 39 kilometers once b e l o n g e d t o b o t h S p a i n a n d Naples. Monte Argentario's distinc- tiveness lies in its abiding and diverse sense of place. No other area of Tuscany offers such a range of dramatic landscapes. It is renowned for wildlife ranging from birds to flowers. The seas around the nearby islands of Giglio and Giannutri are the most pristine you can find. It was named by the Romans " A r g e n t a r i o r u m M o n s , " t h e mount of the bankers, because t h e D o m i t i i A h e n o b a r b i , a n important local family, were "argentarii," moneylenders to t h e R o m a n R e p u b l i c , w h o helped finance the Second Punic War. The emperor Nero was a direct descendant of this family - - his name at birth was Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus. Time s e e m s t o p a s s a t a d i f f e r e n t speeds here. T o d a y ' s e q u i v a l e n t o f moneylenders – bankers – still appear to own most of Monte Argentario. Down through the centuries, this beautiful peninsula blessed w i t h b r e a t h t a k i n g v i e w s belonged to the Aldrobandeschi and Orsini families, then to the Ladislao King of Naples. In the 16th century, ownership was t r a n s f e r r e d t o t h e S p a n i s h c r o w n , w h i c h b u i l t s e v e r a l fortresses along the Silver Coast t o p r o t e c t i t f r o m T u r k i s h attacks. Today it has two well-formed little towns that are also ports and sea resorts: Porto Santo Stefano and Porto Ercole. Porto Ercole is a stunningly p i c t u r e s q u e o l d t o w n w i t h a modern harbor. Above the town i s a n i m p o s i n g f o r t r e s s , a Spanish Rocca, that can be visit- ed. There is also a large military fort. Up the hill from the harbor, the Chiesa di Sant'Erasmo has a marble altar and tombstones of the Spanish governors. The village was called Porto Ercole by the Etruscans. Not many years ago an Etruscan necropolis was discovered near the Cala Galera marina, said to be located in the 13th sector of the Etruscan zodiac correspond- i n g t o t h e c o n s t e l l a t i o n o f Hercules. Strabo, a Greek geographer, philosopher and historian who lived in Asia Minor during the transitional period of the Roman R e p u b l i c i n t o t h e R o m a n Empire, was the first to give written accounts of Porto Ercole in his work Geographica. The h i s t o r i a n c a l l e d i t P o r t o Cosarius, which refers to the Etruscan city of Cosa whose r u i n s a r e v i s i b l e a t o p t h e A n s e d o n i a p r o m o n t o r y n e a r Porto Ercole. The port was and still is a magnet for the Italian and inter- national yachting set. Beginning in the mid-1960s, Jacqueline Kennedy, Charlie C h a p l i n , H e n r y F o n d a a n d Gianni Agnelli were loyal guests of Il Pellicano, a cluster of luxu- r y v i l l a s e s t a b l i s h e d b y American socialite Patsy Daszel and former British Army pilot Michael Graham. P o r t o E r c o l e a b o u n d s i n beaches that can compete with S a r d i n i a ' s m a r i n e p a r a d i s e , while the interior is a rural idyll c o v e r e d b y a d e n s e M e d i t e r r a n e a n s h r u b , p i n e s , oaks, marshes called "tomboli," rock pools and castles with fabu- lous views. It is well worth hav- ing a peek – the cliff-hanging castles are spectacular. Porto Ercole also captures my imagination because it is where Caravaggio fell ill in July, 1610. He was found in an agonized condition, due to malaria, on La Feniglia beach bordering the lagoon, which at the time was backed by pine groves inhabited by wild pigs. Others believe Caravaggio died in Santa Maria Ausiliatrice hospital, the current deconsecrated church of Santa Croce. The turbulent genius of I t a l i a n b a r o q u e h a d f l e d t h e Eternal City four years earlier after killing a man in a brawl. He was on his way back to Rome after a long sojourn in Malta, Sicily and Naples. The pope had just pardoned him. Porto Santo Stefano is a fasci- nating place to chill out for a weekend or longer. It was heavi- ly bombed during World War II and now features pastel colored houses along its harbor. A 16th century Spanish fort overlooks the town. It also has museums c a l l e d M a s t e r s o f t h e Axe and Submerged Memories, and permanent exhibits with archaeological finds from the s e a . F e r r i e s c a n b e u s e d t o explore the islands of the Tuscan archipelago. The majority of the Porto Santo Stefano population are descendants of Ligurian and Neapolitan fishermen who have settled since the 18th century. This unique land also has a culinary reputation that attracts seafood-lovers. Try the soup Caldaro dell'Argentario, grilled sea bass and Ansonica white wine, a typical local vintage. Don't forget to savor the fiche maschie a stocchetto, filets of salted and dried melù, a sea fish that has a long history within the Porto Ercole fishing community. End the dinner with Liquore Argentarium, an herbal digestif p r o d u c e d b y t h e P a d r i Passionisti in their monastery atop Monte Argentario.  Wooden small old boats in Porto Santo Stefano seafront,. Monte Argentario, Tuscany ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES Tuscany's Monte Argentar io: ancient, azure and alluring Fishing boats moored at the dock at Porto Ercole

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