January 03, 2026

Remembering Tonino

January 03, 2026/ Susan

With heavy hearts and still in disbelief, we share the sad news that Tonino passed away. He will be deeply missed.

We read the sad news in the early hours of October 22, 2025 when his wife Carmela had texted us at 5:26 am ‘Tonino non c'è piu’. He had passed away peacefully at home after a short but severe illness.

We still cannot imagine the alleys and the piazza in Pizzo without him. We had spent a lovely apericena together with family, friends and neighbours that he and Carmela attended just end of August and he seemd so fit and taned by the Calabrian sun and in good mood as always, looking positively forward to some upcoming treatment. - He became 84 years old.

Tonino was 100% Calabrian, a real Pizzitano. He grew up in Via Paladini and knew the rione Carmine like his own pocket. He spent his days around the centro storico taking care of several churches and giving a "mano" to renovation and maintenance in the quarter. He was always in a good mood and always had a smile on his face and some friendly words for everyone. And when he appeared grumpy, it was kind of funny too. We were extremely lucky that he was not only our lovely house keeper but he also enjoyed taking care of our guests in case Angelo or I were not around.

Between 2006 to 2011 Tonino and Angelo rebuilt our house in via Paladini and later the house in via delle Grazie. They were a great team, with sometimes loud arguments (just Italian style and of brief duration), but with mutual respect and laughters, bringing things forward, and always loyal and reliable.

Our family, our friends and our guests who have met Tonino will remember him as a caring neighbour, who quickly becomes a friend. Crossing paths daily, showing up around the corner, with a joyful ciao!, driving by on his red Vespa or in his blue Panda. Stopping for a chat. Occasionally been seen with a paper hat at work, or the bench in our street with his brother, and often at the corner table at the Gatto, people watching and greeting. Always there for you with a solution, an advise, a helping hand. Dropping by the church, watering plants, ringing the bell for something. He enjoyed ‘pranzo’ at home and his homemade wine - and most of all he enjoyed the company of his large beloved family.

Our hearts and thoughts are with Tonino’s family - which continues to be part of our family and the Palazzo Pizzo team.

Grazie Tonino!

Tonino and francesco boating with angelo

Mimmo and Tonino at work in via delle Grazie (June 2015)

December 03, 2023

Our 10th Year of hosting

December 03, 2023/ Susan

We are always excited to welcome guests who have chosen to stay with us in Pizzo. We host guests from near and far. First time guests and returning guests. Our guests enjoy living among locals in our picturesque village. They love the turquoise sea along the Coast of Gods and the breathtaking sunsets. Some guests are curious to discover different angles of Calabria with a home base in Pizzo. Others just want to relax at a hidden gem between Amalfi and Sicily.

Our mission is to make our guests happy and probably return.

When our guests are happy - we are happy.

And just like this, we have accomplished 10 years in the hospitality business !

We started our 10th year with lots of rain. It still rained in May, when our lovely returning guests from Canada - with Calabrian roots and a love for Pizzo - taught me how to fix the best Negroni(s). We had some moistly and cheerful nights.

More lovely guests followed. Singles, couples, families, and group of friends. From Switzerland, New Zealand, United States, Slovakia, Austria, Germany, France, England, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Spain, then more Canadians and of course lots of Italians! Among them pilots and painters, musicians and photographers, writers and journalists, actors of stage and screen, a director, a minister of state, birthday girls ‘n boys, honeymooners and ‘marriage applicants’. It never gets boring!

With great pleasure we learnt that Palazzo Pizzo’s terrace at sunset is the ideal spot to pop the question! So far all proposals we heard of got a “YES!”. Congratulations!

In mid July, we had the hottest day ever in Pizzo’s weather history with 41 °C (105,8 °F). I had to interrupt a welcome walk around the piazza and rescue myself with our very sweet guests from London with an almond granita inside(!) an air-conditioned gelateria. Luckily all our apartments feature aircon for a refreshing night.

And last but not least, late November early December, our 10th year of hosting was ‘crowned’ with a well known guest from California and an award winning Italian film director and screenwriter .…. We can now say, hosting a Hollywood star during a shoot in Pizzo with his entourage and daily instructions for our team was taking our hosting experience to the next level. A little earlier and more quietly, la regista, the film director of “la troupe” had checked-in at Palazzo Pizzo Residence, choosing this apartment for its private garden terrace. Our long due ‘railing painting project’ was finally rushed to an end and the blue paint wasn’t even dry when he arrived. The filming crew stood about a week to shoot at La Seggiola, the little bay below Palazzo Pizzo. (The movie is scheduled to be out in 2024).

Yes, this was a fun year! Of course every single year of hosting is special. And of course there are some more stories we remember along the way … But I think, this year, our 10th anniversary, the year of 2023 was among the best !

Thank you dear guests, thank you for choosing to stay with us! It is always exciting meeting you in person or being in contact from afar. Thank you for making hosting fun. We are looking forward to welcome you back and to many new guests to visit la bella Calabria in the future!

The biggest thank you must go to my team for being so very reliable, supportive, hard working, attentive, creative, always in good mood, always available and willing to go the extra mile.

Grazie mille! Without you “Palazzo Pizzo” wouldn’t be possible.

The blue railing of Palazzo pizzo Residence

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April 18, 2022

Torta Meringata di Nonna Lidia

April 18, 2022/ Susan

It’s my son’s favourite cake - and my favourite recipe from nonna Lidia. It’s super fast, and no oven needed.

Ingredients:

200 gr dark chocolate

200 gr meringue

500 ml cream (panna)

Some dark chocolate powder for the top

The amount of the ingredients may vary a bit up to your stock, the packaging or taste. Use a large round plate or round cake form. Crumble by hand half of the meringue for the base layer. Chop the chocolate with a knife to very small pieces. Whip the cream until firm and add the chocolate. This mix will be the second layer. If you use only a plate and not a cake form, shape the torta with your hands. Loose meringue can make the border. The third and last layer is made of the remaining meringue which can be crumbled, some can be left in shape as it suits. At the end sieve dark chocolate powder on top for decoration. Store the cake in the fridge before serving. The cake tastes even better the next day when the merengue has soaked up the cream… enjoy!

crumbled meringue make the first layer - chocolate and cream the second - finish with crumbled mernegue and some chocolate powder on top

And if you replace the chocolate with strawberries you get a fresh and fruity ‘Meringata alle Fragole’ :-)

May 26, 2021

Torta Barozzi

May 26, 2021/ Susan

La torta Barozzi was introduced to me by our friend Mauro from Modena. He had made the torta by himself and brought it over for dinner. We all loved it, even my son although the torta Barozzi contains coffee!

I learnt the recipe and made it one day for my mother-in-law and her friend from Southern Italy. They immediately stated that it's very similar to another cake - to the Torta Caprese - an almond-chocolate cake from Capri. Both cakes, la torta Barozzi and la torta Caprese contain no flour, and are therefore are both gluten-free. Both cakes contain chocolate (which determines the dark brown color and moist texture) and roasted peeled almonds. The quantities of the ingredients are slightly different and the Torta Caprese contains no coffee which is the main difference.

And here comes the recipe for the Torta Barozzi a la Mauro:

ingredients;

4 eggs

250 gr dark chocolate

80 gr butter

150 gr sugar

30-60 gr Italian coffee powder (1 table spoon = 30 gr)

120 gr Almonds (peeled, roasted)

1 small glass of rum (20 ml, 2 table spoon)

How to:

Melt butter and chocolate in a bain-marie, let it cool down and add rum

In the meantime, toast peeled almonds in oven (160 degree 15 min)

- preheat oven to 180 degree -

Whisk egg whites until firm (add bit of salt) and store in fridge

Crush almonds (Mulinex mill) finely

Beat egg yolk with sugar, add finely crushed almonds, mix, then add coffee and melted chocolate mix;

Add stiff egg white by stirring gently by hand;

Use round baking form (diameter about 23-26 cm)

Bake about 30 min baking in the oven at 180 degree. Do not exceed 35 min as the cake should remain moist.

Top with icing sugar after cake cooled down.

For larger forms - of diameter of 27 cm - or for extra muffins adjust the ingredients:

5 eggs, 300 gr chocolate, 150 gr almonds, 80-100 gr butter, 150-160 gr sugar, rum and coffee can remain the same.

Coffee can be added or avoided up to your taste. Our friend Mauro adds generously 50-60 gr of dried used coffee powder.

September 08, 2020

Ristorante Lido La Rada

September 08, 2020/ Susan

Pizzo has so many dining options around the piazza, in its alleys and along the Marina that dining out of town is rarely something that comes to our mind. But if you are up for a change and are looking for some more quiet yet stylish atmosphere, sun set views, sea breeze and a good chef all in one, than we recommend to check out “La Rada” in Vibo Marina. If you have your own car, it is just a 5 min drive (4 km) from Pizzo. Or ask an Ape taxi in the piazza to take you (and pick you up). You could even go for a beach walk before dinner.

La Rada is a “Lido” meaning they have a serviced beach where you can rent sunbeds and umbrellas, and have lunch and dinner. They have a small bar area and lunch tables where you can casually sit with your swimwear coming from the beach, and a restaurant for the evenings with an indoor area and outdoor terrace overlooking the beach and the sea. La Rada is located behind the industrial port of Vibo Marina and you would not think to find such a hidden gem in this area.

We recently went for a family dinner at 8 pm, sunset time, and we were very pleased with the dining experience. The photos below show what I loved: the food, the wine and the atmosphere! Linen table cloths and napkins, a good choice of wine and friendly staff accompanied by a light sea breeze and romantic lights. The perfect place in Corona times….