Planning a stay or day trip to Pizzo in Calabria? Get started with our short guide!

Home to Calabria’s most famous dessert, a cave church hewn into the rock, and a castle that bore witness to the execution of Napoleon’s brother-in-law, there’s plenty to attract the average visitor to Pizzo.

Throw in a coastal location, easy access to some of the region’s most beautiful beaches and a charming little old town, and it’s clear why Pizzo is an increasingly popular place to base for travellers keen to explore the stunning Costa degli Dei.

In this guide we cover the best things to do in Pizzo - including where to find our favourite tartufo - plus tips for places to stay, parking, a few nearby spots you can’t miss.

This is our short guide to Pizzo, Calabria.

The Pizzo Essentials

Indulge / In the town’s famous tartufo dessert - we loved Il Gelateria Morino’s version
Wander / The pretty historic centre (or take a guided tour)
Enjoy / The views from La Balconata
Step / Back in time at Castello Murat (and learn all about the execution of Napoleon’s brother-in-law)
Marvel / At the incredible cave church, Chiesa di Piedigrotta
Visit / The paradise beaches of the Costa degli Dei
Stay / Splurge at Palazzo Paladini or opt for something more mid-range like Il Marchesino B&B. Alternatively, consider one of Pizzo’s excellent Airbnbs like this one with a rooftop terrace or this historic property with killer views

Our Favourite Things to Do in Pizzo

Eat Tartufo

What a joy to grow up with a sweet tooth here, the town where the decadent tartufo dessert was born.

Invented in Pizzo by a skilled local gelataio called Giuseppe De Maria (known as Don Pippo) back in 1952 - supposedly a fluke after running out of gelato moulds and resorting to his hands to roll balls - and named for it truffle-like shape, this fist-sized ball of layered gelato filled with heavenly molten chocolate is known across Italy.

You simply cannot leave Calabria without polishing off at least one in Pizzo’s Piazza della Repubblica.

There are several longstanding rival tartufo institutions on both sides of the piazza - including Ercole and Dante, two gelaterias owned by Don Pippo’s nephews - but our allegiance lies with Il Gelateria Morino (maps).

Family-run since 1973, it was absolutely delicious, but the real highlight for us was the son telling us to come back an hour later so that we could see his father - the namesake founder - showcasing his tartufo-making skills live and in living-colour.

Know // You’ll see tartufo on menus across Calabria, but its IGP status means that unless it’s made in Pizzo, it’s not the real deal.

We’re not huge dessert people so only tried a couple of other tartufi on the trip. They really didn’t come close to what we shared at Il Gelateria Morino, so don’t write them off entirely if you the first one you try is more akin to overly frozen ice-cream.

Find out more of the foods you need to try in the region in 13 Wonderful Things To Do in Calabria

Wander The Historic Centre

With a palette of pale yellows, pinks and oranges, Pizzo’s centro storico is as pretty as any we’ve visited in Calabria, with the pockmarked facades and faded grandeur of some buildings only adding to the town’s charm.

Home to just a few thousand permanent residents, it’s really quite small, so won’t take long to explore on two feet even without a plan or route (and if you avoid heading down towards the water, it’s fairly difficult to get lost).

We’d recommend entering the historic centre by Via San Franceso, before continuing to the very pretty Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi that opens up on to the main square, Piazza della Republica.

This is where you’ll find the bulk of Pizzo’s restaurants, bars and tartufo stops alongside the town’s castle (more on that later) and some excellent people watching opportunities.

Be sure to make some time to explore the various small streets and alleyways that lead off towards the coast for incredible views over the sea, peaceful moments and the prettiest little corners.

Other places to inlcude in your wanderings are:

· Santuario San Francesco Di Paola (maps). The 16th century church itself is fairly standard for Italy, but there’s a balcony opposite - Belvedere Monumento ai Caduti in Mare - offering views over the sea.

· The two tiny streets of Vico Bene (maps) and Vicolo dei Baci (maps). The steps of the former have been decorated with colourful paint, and the latter - the alley of kisses - is adorned with romantic poems and photos of lovers kissing. They’re both relatively small tourist attractions, but make a popular photo stop.

· Chiesa di Santa Maria Immacolata (maps). Built in the 17th century, this is the prettiest church in Pizzo, but unfortunately has rather limited opening hours. If you see the doors open (and there’s no mass going on), definitely pop your head inside to take a look at the colourful interiors.

· Mugat (maps). Cat lovers absolutely must stop by this little garden area set up to provide a safe space for the homeless cats of Pizzo!

Top Tip // If you’d like to learn more about Pizzo - or just ensure you don’t miss its most picturesque corners on a day trip - consider joining this walking tour

Visit Chiesetta di Piedigrotta

Perhaps the most unique things to do in Pizzo is visit the enchanting little Chiesetta di Piedigrotta, a small chapel carved into the tufa cliffs a kilometre or so from the historic centre.

As with many centuries old religious sites along the coast of Italy, its exact origins stem from mythology and faith. In this case, answered prayers to a painting of the Virgin of Piedigrotta in 17th century stormy seas, with the legend saying that the shipwrecked sailors then placed the painting in a small cave along the shore in honour of the Virgin who saved them, thereby creating a church.

Little more is known about the cave church until the early 19th century when local shopkeeper Angelo Barone took it upon himself to develop the site, visiting daily to to single-handedly expand the cave and adding intricately carved stone figures of Christ and saints - a calling that was taken on by his son, Alfonso when Angelo died.

Unfortunately, after Alfonso passed on, the cave fell to the elements and lay abandoned and defaced for many years until descendants of the Barones restored the church to its former glory; a project that was completed in 1968 (with the addition of a few more sculptures inlcuding Pope John XXIII, and oddly, Fidel Castro and John F Kennedy).

When & Where | You can find Chiesa di Piedigrotta here on Google Maps. It’s open from 9am - 1pm and then 3pm - 6pm during the summer months (7.30pm in August), and 11am - 1pm and 3pm - 5pm in winter.

Cost | Entrance costs €5 per person (concessions €3.50) but you can also buy a combo ticket for the church and castle for €8.

Parking | To reach the church, you can either walk along the road from Pizzo, or drive the short distance (definitely the preferable option in during the hot summer). The official car park (maps) is on the roadside, but charges the extortionate amount of €5. However, if you go slow on the approach or after the car park, you can find a few spaces at the roadside to park for free. The guys aren’t happy if you do this, but the parameters of their car park start/end are clear. From the car park, it’s a couple of minutes down a paved walkway.

Top Tip // Whilst most people just arrive for a quick look at the little church, the sandy crescent beach of Spiaggia di Pietra Grotta in front of it is a delight, with calm waters and fewer crowds than many others.

Castello Murat

At the edge of Pizzo’s Piazza della Republica, the stout fortress of Castello Murat di Pizzo. stands overlooking the coastline and the blues of Tyrrhenian Sea beyond.

Dating back to the 15th century, when it was originally constructed by the Aragonese to defend the coastline from pirate invasions, it is the castle’s relatively more recent history that gave it the name ‘Murato’.

Joachim Murat, King of Naples from 1808 and brother-in-law to Napoleon Bonaparte, returned to southern Italy after a brief sojourn in France in an attempt to reclaim his throne.

For one reason or another, he and his followers landed in the little Calabrian hamlet of Pizzo - and it didn’t turn out quite as well as he’d hoped.

Facing a hostile crowd and those loyal to the Bourbon King, he was captured and tried for treason, his final days and moments spent within the castle walls before execution by firing squad on 13th October1815.

Today, the castle plays host to a number of small scale exhibitions depicting the last days of Joachim Murat's life, alongside the region’s history (some but not all translated from Italian).

The main reason to visit however are the views from the castle’s ramparts.

Where & When | You can find Castello Murat here on Google Maps. Opening times vary depending on the month of the year so we recommend checking out the official website first.

Cost | Entry is €5 with concessions available for €3.50.

Seek Out The Viewpoints

The good news for those that don’t have the time, interest or cash to enter the Castle, is that a very similar view can be found from the nearby, La Balconata - find it here. The views out over the sea are gorgeous at any time of day, but it’s a particularly popular spot at sunset.

An alternative viewpoint that we discovered on our wanderings is that located in front of Chiesa del Purgatorio (maps)

Tip // f you follow the steps to the left of the panoramic terrace and you will find the wire mesh sculpture, Il Collezionista di Venti” (The Wind Collector), by Italian artist Eduardo Tresoldi.

You can find another of his works - the 46 pillars known as ‘Opera’ - in the city of Reggio Calabria.

Head Down to Marina di Pizzo

Whilst Pizzo’s small town beach is a far cry from the beautiful stretches of sand you’ll find elsewhere in Calabria, it’s still worth taking on an hour or so to have a wee wander down to the shore to enjoy its charming, quintessentially southern atmosphere. This is particularly true if you can time that wander to early evening, when the promenade comes alive with locals enjoying the passeggiata, and the bars and cafes lining the seafront fill with those seeking a golden hour aperitivo.

Be sure to walk to the end of pier for gorgeous views back on Pizzo.

We chose to drive down to the Marina (you can find free parking here) but it’s also easy enough to follow the road down there from the elevated historic centre.

Tip // If you’re basing yourself in Pizzo, rather than just visiting on a day trip and would like to discover its beautiful coastline, consider joining this small-group boat tour that includes the chance to try fishing, snorkelling in the blues and - if you’re lucky - spot dolphins.

Explore The Costa degli Dei

As we mentioned in 13 Wonderful Things To Do In Calabria, the stretch of coast known as the Costa degli Dei (Coast of the Gods) is simply divine.

It encompasses the pick of the region’s beaches and has waters that rivals anything you’ll find in the Caribbean or Maldives.

And it starts in Pizzo!

You can access several paradise beaches in 15-30 minutes, whist the stunning Capo Vaticano is just under an hour’s drive away, so you better make sure you bring enough suncream.

Plan // We have shared all our favourite beaches on the Costa degli Dei in this post, and you can find out everything else you need to know in our Capo Vaticano explainer.

Where To Stay in Pizzo

Hotels

Piccolo Grand Hotel | Bright, modern rooms decorated with pops of colour, this new hotel is in a fantastic location and offers a variety of different rooms, suites and apartments - some even come with incredible balconies overlooking the sea.

Palazzo Paladini | What was once a grand palazzo has been converted into Pizzo’s most luxurious hotel. Very modern in its design whilst maintaining various period features (like the tile floors and exposed wood ceilings). It has really excellent reviews.

Guest Houses And B&Bs

Pizzo Central House | Clean, comfortable, cosy and light-filled rooms in the heart of the old town. A long term favourite in Pizzo.

Il Marchesino B&B | Located in Piazza della Republica, they offer large and modern rooms with gorgeous views out over the town.

Casa Angelieri is another really popular option.

Apartments & Airbnbs

There are also quite a large number of really excellent apartments and airbnbs in Pizzo, but we recommend taking a look at this one with a rooftop terrace, this historic property with killer views, and Studio Sant'Antonio first.

How To Get To Pizzo

By Car

Whilst public transport certainly exists in Calabria, and it has a surprisingly good train network, the easiest way to get around is with your own car rental. Indeed, taking a road trip in this region is, in our minds, one of the best things to do in Calabria.

From Tropea (one of the most popular bases in the region), it’s an easy 30-minute drive to Pizzo.

For parking, you have a few options and which you choose will depend somewhat upon the time of year that you visit and your confidence with driving through small Italian towns!

· Public Parking Papa Inferiore (maps). This is the best car park with a few free spaces, the remainder charging €1/hour

· Parcheggio Gratuito Centro Storico Pizzo (maps). This is free parking along the main road into Pizzo. If you’re arriving early in the day or visiting off-season this is a great option, but the spaces fill up very quickly.

A little further along the road, you’ll also find paid parking here.

· Parcheggio Pitaro (maps). This is a good option for those that wish to avoid driving into the historic centre completely. Paid parking costing €1/hour.

Top Tip // We always look + book our rental cars via Rentalcars.com or AutoEurope, with both usually offering better deals and options than going direct. We’ll also be sharing our Calabria itinerary soon to help you plan ahead.

By Train

There are two train stations in Pizzo:

· Pizzo Station is located just outside the historic centre and serviced by the local train network. This is where you will arrive on trains from Tropea or elsewhere on the western Calabrian coastline. From here it’s around a 20-minute walk.

· Stazione Vibo-Pizzo is served by regional and inter-city trains from outside of Calabria. It’s located around 4 kilometres from the centre of the town so you will need to jump in a waiting to cab to reach Pizzo.

Getting Around Pizzo

As we mentioned above, Pizzo is really quite small therefore very walkable for those of good mobility (although walking up and down any hills in the summer heat is pretty tiring).

As with many Calabria towns and villages, it’s set across two levels, with the historic centre on the clifftops and the rest down at sea-level.

If you want to get down to the sea or over to Chiesetta di Piedigrotta however you can also hire a tuk tuk mototaxi - you can flag them down as they’re zipping around but we also saw them waiting for a fare near La Balconata viewpoint.

We’ve read about a summer tourist train that takes visitors on a small tour between Pizzo and the Chiesetta di Piedigrotta but we can’t find any definitive information online, and didn’t see it when we visited - if you use it or learn more from your time in Pizzo, we’d love to hear from you in the comments.

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