Chiesetta di Piedigrotta
A small chapel carved into sandstone caves by the sea, filled with stone sculptures, originating from a votive offering by sailors who survived a 17th-century shipwreck.
The Piedigrotta cave church lies on the beach north of Pizzo. According to legend, a Neapolitan sailing ship was wrecked here in the 17th century, and the surviving sailors enshrined a statue of the Madonna from the ship in the cave as a votive offering. In the 19th and 20th centuries, a local father-and-son pair of sculptors carved altars, saints, and Nativity scenes into the sandstone cave walls. The church even has statues of Kennedy and the Pope, creating a unique cave chapel. Entry is about 3 to 4 euros. It is about a 5-minute walk or drive from the old town of Pizzo, and there is a sandy beach below.
Opening hours
Approx. 09:00–13:00 and 15:00–19:30
Nearby sights
- Pizzo Old Town & Tartufo
- Castello Murat
- Vibo Valentia Norman-Swabian Castle
- Briatico & Torre La Rocchetta
- Zambrone & Paradiso del Sub
- Certosa di Serra San Bruno
- Michelino Beach
- Tropea Beach (Spiaggia della Rotonda)