It is difficult and painful to say that the Argentario, today a quiet seafaring village, has in its past the total destruction.

The promontory does not spare anyone and tells, to those who want to listen to it or better to observe it, their own story, with no hair on the tongue and with its wounds in the sunlight.

The Second World War bent Porto Santo Stefano and put an end to the railway line that connected the port to the mainland.

The story in short

Inaugurated in 1913, it started from Orbetello Scalo, passed through the dam, bordered the lagoon and reached Porto Ercole. Then, after a series of tunnels, the so-called holes, arrived in Porto Santo Stefano, flowing from under the main road to enter the village and reaching the station not far away.

It was part of the life of the inhabitants of the Silver Coast and contributed to the development of trade and industry of the promontory until 1944 when, after the bombing of the allied aircraft, the beloved railway remained very little. At that point, steam locomotives could not help but stop.

What about today?

Today the Argentario railway no longer exists, indeed, over time its memory risks fading. However you do not have to look too much to see what’s left of this infrastructure.

The galleries are still there, but are used as steps to reach the beaches that are located at the entrance of Porto Santo Stefano, either on foot or with a shuttle.

If you went to the Cantoniera or to the Bionda you have definitely passed under one or more holes built for the Railway Orbetello – Porto Santo Stefano.

Probably the train will no longer pass through Monte Argentario, it is too little the number of people who would use it, but certainly the countries will allow us once again to enjoy their history and their beautiful sea.