Tropea

Tropea (Italian pronunciation: [troˈpɛːa]; ancient Trapeia; Τράπεια in Ancient Greek) is a municipality located within the province of Vibo Valentia, in Calabria (southern Italy).

The town is a famous bathing place, situated on a reef, in the gulf of St. Euphemia connected with the mainland by a narrow strip in the Tyrrhenian Sea, toward the south with respect to Vibo Valentia and northward with respect to Ricadi and Capo Vaticano.

History

The history of Tropea begins in Roman times, when along its coast, Sextus Pompey defeated Octavius. In the south of Tropea, the Romans had built a commercial port, in the locality of Formicoli (from the name Forum of Hercules), mentioned by Pliny and Strabo.

The legend says that it was Hercules who, returning from Spain (Pillars of Hercules) stood on the Coast of Gods and made Tropea one of his ports.

Due to its peculiar position as terrace on the sea, Tropea played an important role during Roman, Norman and Aragonese times. In the surrounding areas have been found tombs dating back to the Magna Graecia period.