It is the coastal hamlet, but up until the mid-19th century, it was a small rural village, located a few kilometers further inland compared to its current position.

Of the ancient village, a small church remains, known as Chiesulla, dedicated to the Madonna della Pietà, though it is deconsecrated today.

The toponym Fondachello is a diminutive of fóndaco (‘tavern, inn’), which derives from the Arabic funduq (‘warehouse’): in fact, there was a small fondaco in the area where travelers would stop to rest.