The picturesque village of Tropea was previously called Portoercole. It is surrounded by green hills, the last ramifications of the plateau of Poro; the houses in its farthest suburbs looking to the sea seem as if  they had miraculously stopped their imaginary run on the brink of the precipice, on the high rocky promontory where the town is located. It is considered an undisputed and shining pearl by calabrian coast tourists and it justly aspired to a greater renown abroad; its history seems to be very ancient. Some people say that it was founded by Scipio the African on his return from Rome  after his victory over Carthage. There are also others who think that it has more ancient origins referring to the Ausoni, Brezii, Aprustini, Enotri, Osci..... But Mythology has its say..... It is Ercole on his return from Spain who stops in this garden and decides to found a new town to which he can link his name. For half a century  it was dominated by the Saracens  and then it passed under Niceforo Foca’s domination after he had defeated the Saracens. In the Norman period, that started when the title of duke of Calabria  and  Apulia was conferred on Ruggiero il Guiscardo, and then in the Aragonese period, Tropea played a very important role in the seafaring activity and tumed its trade to the most important centres in the mediterranean.
The town presents several traces of different historical ages in its urban area that, as concerns the historical centre, is one of the most characteristic in Calabria and has a unique, singular and very alluring identity. All this attracts tens of thousands of tourists coming from all over the world who stop to admire the severe noble homes, the graceful small mansions (XXVI-XXVIIth century) with large artistic granite or tufa-stone portals, and wrought iron balconies. Tropea is one of the most praised seaside resort and it can justly boast to be considered “ The  capital of the holidays” as its sea and its white beaches can worthily compete with those of the most famous tourist centres. Therefore it has been suitably provided with tourist villages, bathing establishements and hotels sufficient for receving the great mass of tourists. Beyond the beach below there is a high rock linked to the dry land. It is Santa Maria dell’Isola, a peculiarity  that enriches Tropea.
Very interesting are the walks in the roads of Tropea, exploring the art and the local handicraft. Everywhere there are shops windows where stand out the handmade necklaces, bracelets and jewels in red coral and even the summer fashion.
The typical products shops where there are the red and fragrant onions and the hot peppers. The pottery manufacturing process has no equal here. In Summer, Tropea is luxuriant even in the atmosphere you breath, in this place where all want to be, even just for an evening; because Tropea is sunny, coquettish and it loves to be watched.