Secondo Giorno/Day 2
Pizzo
Breakfast
Late-morning departure for Cantine Benvenuto. We'll tour award-winning Giovanni Benvenuto's winery and learn about the distinct character of indigenous Calabrian wines like Zibibbo, Malvasia, Greco Nero, and Magliocco. In 2020, Giovanni's Zibibbo was named the New York Times' best white wine in Italy. Thanks to vintners like Giovanni, dedicated to quality, sustainability, and true expression of Calabrian terroir, Calabria is carving out its place on the international stage alongside other prominent southern Italian DOC wines — and this rise has proven to be not a fleeting trend, but a sustained trajectory of quality and consistency.
Lunch at the vineyard, with local delicacies prepared on site by the proprietors — and of course, a tasting of Giovanni's beautiful wines!
After lunch, we'll take a walking tour of Pizzo, a charming fishing town perched above the sea. Its historic center is anchored by Murat's Castle, a 15th-century fortress where Gioacchino Murat, Napoleon's brother-in-law, was imprisoned after his failed attempt to reclaim the throne of Naples. Wander narrow streets lined with artisanal shops, take in stunning sea views, and of course savor the town's famous "tartufo," a rich chocolate-hazelnut gelato dessert.
After Pizzo, we'll stop in Vibo Valentia. The region's capital has changed names several times: Hipponion in Greek, then Monteleone until 1928. Here we'll visit the impressive Norman-Swabian Castle, a favorite nesting spot for falcons and now home to the "Vito Capialbi" National Archaeological Museum. Among its prized artifacts is an exceptionally rare Laminetta of Hipponion — a thin gold sheet dating to the 4th century, inscribed with 16 lines of ancient Greek detailing instructions for the soul's journey through the afterlife, guiding it past the perils of Hades, such as bypassing one spring to drink instead from the "Lake of Memory" (Mnemosyne).
Back to Popilia… for a workshop and tasting of regional specialties, followed by dinner.
