We enjoyed a wonderful stay at Palazzo Pizzo. The location of the apartment is perfect—easy walking distance to the main square, restaurants and marina, but very quiet and private-- it feels a world away. Unlike many vacation rentals, this apartment is actually lovelier in reality than in the photos. There are world class views from the private terrace, the kitchen and even the bathroom. Angelo was the perfect host and guide, showing us all the highlights (including the very important tips on where to park!), pointing out the best restaurants, shops and cafes. After we unloaded the luggage, Angelo hopped in the car with us and guided us through the narrowest streets we have yet seen in Italy, which while still a bit hair-raising was far better than us trying to sort it out on our own. (By the end of our stay, we had mastered the routes in and out of town—as Angelo calmly assured us we would.) Both he and Tonino went out of their way to be sure everything was just right for our stay.
Pizzo was a great introduction for us to the Calabrian coast. As Californians, we are spoiled for beautiful sandy beaches, but Pizzo and environs did not disappoint. Unfortunately, as we were there in March, the weather was not quite warm enough for us to take full advantage and we hope to come back again in early summer or fall. In the three days we spent in Pizzo, we had the best seafood ever. We highly recommend La Lampara, where Joseph and his brother Paolo prepared delicious fresh dishes, including the local pasta, fileja, with clams and mussels in a light tomato broth and a mixed seafood grill. Both speak excellent English, and were happy to guide our choices and prepare things to our taste. After visiting the Monday market in Tropea (we were told it would be pretty quiet there in the off season—if so, I’d hate to see it in summer—it was a huge market with just about everything imaginable—and filled with shoppers) we wanted to get away from the crowds so we headed to Vibo Marina for lunch. From the moment we were greeted by the maitre de Franco until the complimentary glass of sweet wine, lunch at Lapprodo was an amazing experience—highly recommended. We can easily understand why it has a Michelin star; the surprise was how warm and friendly the welcome.