Visiting Paestum

As you surely know, Paestum and the whole Campania region offer a huge range of marvellous touristic points of great interest. So, if you fancy going for a lovely excursion, rather than idling on the beach under the hot sun of summer, here you will find one of our favourite itineraries within this area.

The visit to the ancient town is a must, even though to clear up your ideas you might enjoy a nice sightseeing tour of the walls. A beautiful walk loved by thousands of tourists. About 5 Km to be run all around one of the most enchanting antique boundary wall in Southern Italy, with four main doors (Aurea, looking north; Sirena, on the east-side; Giustizia, facing south; Marina, west), many minor doors and a good 28 towers.

If you have rented one of our beautiful villas nearby, you will find dozens of local farms producing buffalo mozzarella to be tasted right there, all along the road towards Paestum city... they are all good, but we recommend Vannulo, Barlotti and Rivabianca above the others.  As you are visiting the excavations of Paestum you can easily stop at Barlotti's. Just take the road that circles around the ancient walls and you will find their shops on the side that is opposite to the main entrance.

Once arrived in Paestum, if you like walking, just carry on visiting the fortified part of the town and take your time. Reading about the thousands of findings that belong to different epochs might not be for all, but the atmosphere is just magic, especially at sunset.

The museum is another unmissable stop: the world's biggest tomb painting collection is waiting for you all, along with rich finding collections of all kinds. The fantastic "Heraion del Sele" definitely worth a visit, too. It is located 9 Km northwards and offers the possibility of a great walk, thanks to the frontier position and the wonderful didactic museum built up recently.

If you have had enough of antiquities and is not evening yet, pop over to the sea. Close to the dune has been newly recovered a stunning Legambiente (non-profit organization for environmental protection) oasis. This Tyrrhenian coast's stretch is always incredibly beautiful: fine sandy beaches, where you can enjoy an unforgettable walk any time of the year. There is a mesmerising view of Capri on the horizon, just rightwards at the end of the Amalfi Coast.

If you are planning to come in autumn, you will find some fine specimen of pancratium maritimum or sea lily, a rare floral species that contributes keeping the dunes firm.

The great hill of Capaccio and Trentinara rises just behind Paestum: from there you will be able to admire a fantastic panorama over the plain and the lovely promontory of Agropoli. Going back downhill, you will pleasantly notice the Madonna of Granato, delightful catholic sanctuary in which has survived the image of the Virgin with a pomegranate, like the Goddess Demetra, venerated in Poseidonia.