Pizzo: Coast, history and local cuisine

When looking for a hotel in Pizzo, you can start by considering which aspect of the town you want to shape your stay: the coast, history, sacred architecture or local cuisine. There are concrete landmarks to help you find your way: the tuff-stone promontory above the beaches of the Tyrrhenian Sea, the route of the Cammino Kalabria Coast to Coast, the history of Murat and Tartufo di Pizzo.

Coast and public beach

Pizzo sits on a tuff-stone promontory above the golden beaches of the Tyrrhenian Sea on the Costa degli Dei. The town and the beach are therefore distinct parts of the coastal landscape: Pizzo lies above, while the beaches are below the promontory. The Cammino Kalabria Coast to Coast leads to Pizzo, giving the town another point of interest linked to a route. Pizzo’s public beach has facilities, parking and refreshments. If you are mainly interested in a seaside stay, you can distinguish these beach-related features from the historic and cultural sites in the townscape.

Churches and sea views

The Church of Piedigrotta is carved into the rock along Pizzo’s coast and overlooks the Costa degli Dei Regional Marine Park. Its distinctive feature is the combination of rock-cut architecture and its coastal setting. In the heart of Pizzo is the Chiesa Matrice di S. Giorgio Martire. It was built in the second half of the 16th century on the remains of an earlier chapel. A small square in the historic centre offers a viewpoint over the sea. The three places each have a different focus: Piedigrotta is carved into the coastal rock, the Matrice has a specific architectural history, and the square looks out to sea from the historic centre.

Murat Castle and its history

Murat Castle is an Aragonese castle associated with Joachim Murat’s imprisonment and execution in Pizzo. The Museo provinciale Murattiano is located inside the castle. It reconstructs the setting of the events that led to Murat’s death. The building and the museum’s contents thus offer two related but distinct ways to explore the history: the castle itself is associated with Murat’s imprisonment and execution, while the museum illustrates the events surrounding them.

Local cuisine and shell collection

Tartufo di Pizzo is an artisan-made, hemispherical ice cream with a centre of melted dark chocolate. Its shape and filling describe it more precisely than a general term such as ice cream: both the hemispherical form and the centre are part of this speciality. It offers a culinary way to experience Pizzo, distinct from its churches and the history of Murat.

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