Located right in the centre of the Gulf of Sant’Eufemia, it is one of the most picturesque and famous towns in the Vibonese area. It also boasts one of the most charming coastal villages which perches on the slope of an enchanting promontory overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. Pizzo has become a modern town and holiday resort renowned for its wide sandy beaches, clear sea, enchanting old town, and rock-filled coves.
View of Pizzo
The origins of Pizzo date back to the times of ancient Greece. The town was important for many historical figures: Cicero often stayed there and it was also the resting place of Saint Peter on his journey to Rome as well as of Ulysses, as reported by Pliny.
With no less than 14 ice-cream shops, Pizzo is recognised as the “Tartufo Paradise” thanks to the Tartufo di Pizzo, which was created in the town. This traditional, artisan ice-cream is now enjoyed throughout Calabria and in various other areas of Italy.
Pizzo is also known as a city of love on account of the steep staircase in the historic centre named “vicolo del bacio” (kissing alley). The staircase is decorated with photos and images of the most famous kisses in film, literature, and music to attract young and old couples alike. The charming narrow streets of Pizzo’s old town, especially during balmy summer evenings, are packed with residents and tourists who are enticed by the many clubs concentrated in the lower part of the town right by the sea.
Charming Streets of Pizzo
Murat Castle
The Aragonese Castle of Pizzo is dedicated to Joachim Murat, who spent his last days here until his execution on 13 October 1815. Inside the Castle, the rooms have been set up to portray the last moments of the King of Naples’ life.
One of the Castle’s many highlights is the Bust of Joachim Murat, made in 1812 by French sculptor Jean Jacques Castex. In the same room you can admire the marble helmet and the remains of the statue of Ferdinand IV of Bourbon which was sculpted by Canova and De Vivo and destroyed in 1860 by Garibaldi’s brigade. Inside the castle, a historical reconstruction tells the story of the last few days of Murat's life, portraying the different moments of his imprisonment in the various areas of the Castle. The prison has been recreated within the cells of the dungeons and the first floor portrays the scene of the trial. The second floor of the castle portrays the cell in which the King spent the last few moments of his life, where he wrote his farewell letter to his wife and four children.
Murat Castle
Santa Maria di Piedigrotta
The church of Piedigrotta is the highest rating monument in Calabria in terms of consistency and visitor numbers. Through a combination of history and legend, it introduces visitors to art, religion, anthropology, and culture.
The church's access route gives visitors a taste of the unique scenery that awaits them. It starts down a staircase that leads to both sides of the Gulf and to the cliff which is lapped by a sea marked with rippling reflections of the sun. The area is so magical that you wouldn't be surprised to see a mythological creature appear right before your very eyes. You will finally arrive at a cave that offers a perfect mixture of art, religion, anthropology, and culture: it is a true gem that will enchant just about anyone. Divided into three rooms, it displays a series of statues whose reflections and contrasting colours can be seen peeping out from behind the water springs. At the end of the 19th-century, Angelo Barone, an artist from Pizzo, started work on this Carthusian monastery. He worked on it day after day and year after year until, slowly but surely, it became the church we see today. He sculpted the statues directly into blocks of tufa stone using a mattock and a pickaxe. The result is an extraordinary group of statues depicting the life of Jesus and the Saints. Barone was helped by his son Alfonso who, on the death of his father, further embellished the interior with frescoes.
The cave has three entrances which lead, respectively, into each of the two side vaults and the main, central vault. The tufa rock is supported by arches and pillars and its religious subjects include the Madonna of Pompeii, the life of Jesus, and a beautiful nativity scene that perfectly conjures up images of the traditions of southern Italy.
The vault on the right hand side is more diverse and its main protagonists are Saint John and the Angel of Death. Many people have declared the church of Piedigrotta to be the most outstanding expression of popular religious art in Southern Italy. It’s certainly no surprise that with its unique yet down-to-earth character it attracts visitors from all over the world.
Santa Maria di Piedigrotta
Gastronomy
The local cuisine typically contains fish, large quantities of which are caught from the sea just in front of the city. A variety of seafood including cod, grouper, shrimps, swordfish, sardines, cuttlefish, tuna, and roe, to name but a few, are all widely used in the traditional dishes of Pizzo.
However, Pizzo’s world-famous specialty is undoubtedly the renowned Tartufo di Pizzo, an artisan ice-cream with a rounded shape and an irresistible heart of melted chocolate. For years, this traditional artisanal specialty, to which Pizzo owes much of its fame, has enticed and delighted even the most discerning palates. Very popular in the summer months among the tourists who flock to the Coast of the Gods, for many years this treat has been enjoyed well beyond the borders of Pizzo and various other areas of Italy.