When speaking of Pizzo Calabro what immediately comes to mind is the famous, artisanale ice cream called “tartufo” and the imposing castle that overlooks the sea. Pizzo Calabro is above all one of the most picturesque villages on the coast of the province of Vibo Valentia, perched on the slope of a dramatic headland overlooking the Gulf of St. 'Eufemia. According to tradition, it was built on the ruins of Napitia, a colony founded by the Phoenicians. It is said hat the city also welcomed Cicero and St. Peter, who made a stop there during his trip to Rome. Destroyed during the fourth century A. D. from an attack by Saracen invaders, Pizzo Calabro was rebuilt by the survivors in the early tenth century. In 1363, Byzantine monks built a monastery in the area, while coral collectors from Amalfi, built the Church of “Le Grazie, which later became the Church of our Lady of Carmelo. Fortified by towers and surrounded by walls, the town quickly grew, and soon became a thriving fishing and commercial center. In 1486, Ferdinand I of Aragon had the castle built. In 1815, the King of Naples, Joachim Murat was imprisoned and later executed in the castle of Pizzo Calabro and later he was buried in the church of St. George, the Martyr. Now a famous tourist resort, known for its beautiful coastline and its mild climate, Pizzo retains evidence of its past: the castle Murat, declared a national monument, attractive, elegant residences, and several old churches, including that of Piedigrotta, excavated in tuff, a sedimentary rock formed by volcanic activity, and the church of St. George, the Martyr. The town of Pizzo Calabro, a flourishing marine center where there is an active initiative to conserve tuna, is also renowned for producing high-quality grapes called "zibibbo"and for delicious artisanale ice creams.
