+39 347 086 2436
Archaeological park of Paestum is a unique place in the world due to its well-preserved Doric temples and surrounding historical landscape. Here you can feel an atmosphere full of history: from arrival of Greeks and Romans until the rediscovery by Grand Tour travelers, and landing of the Allies in 1943 occurred on nearby beaches.
On 600 BC, Greeks coming from Sibari founded Poseidonia city, conquered first by Lucanians and then by Romans in 273 BC, when a Latin colony was founded and named Paestum. Then took place invasions, swamping and ultimately abandonment. Normans used city’s marble and sculptures to build Cathedral of Salerno. Ancient ruins re-emerged in eighteenth century and then attracted scholars and visitors enchanted by unique mixture of monumental ruins and wilderness.
Starting from ancient city, we’ll visit three splendid temples, agora, main square with heroon (tomb of founding hero) and ekklesiasterion (circular structure for gatherings), forum and amphitheater.
Temple of Neptune, built in the middle of the 5th century BC, is the largest and best-preserved temple of the site, and features typical optical corrections of most sophisticated Greek buildings. Further, we find Basilica, oldest temple of all: according to materials and inscriptions discovered, it was a temple consecrated to Hera, protector of Achaeans and wife of Zeus. Finally, temple of Athena, built on highest point of the city and dedicated to goddess of crafts and war.
Tour ends (but it can also start) with a visit to Archaeological Museum, which hosts findings taken from excavations, metopes of Heraion sanctuary at mouth of Sele river, funeral paintings of Samnite tombs and, last but not least, murals of the Tomba del Tuffatore (490 BC), the only example of archaic Greek painting in all Magna Graecia.
In the Sele river countryside, surrounding the archaeological park, are bred buffaloes which feed production of Campana PDO mozzarella, an ancient specialty of local gastronomy which you can taste visiting one of many dairies in the area.
Don’t hesitate to ask for information about possible changes due to time available and remember to book now.
