Pizzo

Pizzo, a seaside village in the province of Vibo Valentia, the pearl of the Costa degli Dei on the Tyrrhenian Sea, offers a small harbour from which to sail to the Aeolian Islands and the beauty of Pizzo's beaches.

This delightful seaside village is world-famous for its Tartufo di Pizzo ice cream, a Calabrian pastry speciality born from the genius of a local ice-cream maker. The secret? A heart of melted chocolate.

Which are the most beautiful beaches in Pizzo and which are the best equipped? Find out by strolling along the seafront promenade, without giving up a visit to the old town centre, linked to the figure of King Joachim Murat and the marvellous Aragonese Castle, in a panoramic position like the typical terraces overlooking the sea.

The Aragonese Castle in Pizzo is one of the landmarks of the medieval town, around which, on 13 October 1815, the tragic execution of the King of Naples Joachim Murat, brother-in-law of Napoleon Bonaparte, took place. The castle, now a National Monument, houses the Murattiano Museum and is home to the evocative historical re-enactment held every four years.

The king's tomb is instead kept inside the Cathedral of San Giorgio, a Baroque church from 1632 embellished with a marble portal by sculptor Fontana and a Christ by Bernini. Musolino Palace is the most important civil building in Pizzo (17th century).

Dreaming of a stay in Pizzo, sea and relaxation? Pizzo's beaches and lidos are perfect for the needs of the whole family: from the famous Marinella Beach to the Nautico, where you can snorkel and dive, to Piedigrotta, where the little church of the same name stands.

The Church of Piedigrotta is a real 19th-century gem not to be missed: legend has it that it was dug entirely by hand in the tuff, out of devotion, by some fishermen who escaped a shipwreck. Inside, there are extraordinary groups of handmade statues representing the life of Jesus and the Saints.