One doesn't have to travel far into the interior of Capo Vaticano to reach a realm far different from that of "privileged Tropea". In fact, during the low tourist season, in winter months, even villages near the sea appear caught in another era.
Take the hamlet of Coccorino, not far above the tip of the promontory. In the summer the Coccorino marina fills with renters, though certainly it is much less hectic than Tropea and environs. Certainly some of these vacationers must venture up to the Coccorino historic center, a two-minute drive from the sea and some 359 meters above it.
Nevertheless, this author arrived in mid-winter and felt like the first foreigner to have ever set foot in the place. A poor, crumbling hamlet, Coccorino is now mostly made up of older folk, the younger ones still escaping to pursue opportunity elsewhere (many town folk have relatives in America or northern Italy).
Coccorino houses often have wooden terraces, from which residents can dry their fichi d'India (prickly pears) in the sun. The peasant culture here seems to come right out of the 17th (or 12th) century, as residents still make many of their own necessities -- bread, for example, is still baked at home in traditional pyramid ovens. Nor do residents appear all that reliant on an outside world, one that has done little but take advantage of them since time immemorial.

With the rise in responsible tourism, the influx of vacationers who no longer want to sit on the beach for the month but truly want to explore and get to know the land, there has been a marked appreciation of traditional local products throughout Italy. And as with the pizza (a southern Italian invention), today many diverse Italian products ranging from food to crafts are receiving accolades throughout the world.
Hopefully the rage for things Italian will eventually have a positive effect for Calabrian farmers as well. In the Capo Vaticano area, for example, the typical hill town of Spilinga has become famous as the home of the great 'Nduja, a hot sauce/condiment made from pork meat and spicy red peppers.
Also rightfully recognized are the zone's red onions, renowned for their extraordinary sweetness.
The oil from the area is excellent, ranging widely in taste depending on the month the olives are picked.
The local wine is quite good and powerful depending on the producer (all that sun can really up the alcoholic content) - visit the towns of Ciaramiti, Brattirò and Drapia for tastings.
The town of Poro is known for its cheeses and milk products, all produced in traditional manner. Meanwhile back along the sea some of the best tuna and seafood can be found from Pizzo to Bivona, including the bottarga, obtained from tuna fish ovaries and a wonderful addition to spaghetti sauces.
Finally, Pizzo is known as the originator of the chocolate ice cream tartufo; no trip to town would be complete without indulging in at least three.