Very few tourists visiting Naples, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast ever venture further south than the tourist town of Amalfi and therefore miss some of the best preserved Greek ruins in the world. Paestum, pronounced PASTE-uhm, is located approximately 22 miles south of Salerno and just over 60 miles south of Naples. It takes only two to three hours to see the ruins and the adjacent archaeological museum, and Paestum is an easy day trip from the other tourist destinations. On a lucky day, you may even have the place virtually to yourself!
Set on a grassy plain close to the sea, Paestum has an eerie, yet romantic ambiance that is captivating to anyone who is intrigued by the ancient past. It boasts one of the best collection of Greek temples in the world, and unlike the Roman ruins of Pompeii, it is much less crowded and much more walkable.
History
Originally founded by the Greeks in the 7th century B.C., the town was christened Poseidonia (after the Greek god of the sea). Although Paestum was once a seaport, over time, the ocean receded and the ruins are now about a mile away from the beach. The town was part of a popular and heavily used trade route and grew to a population of approximately 13,000 inhabitants. Poseidonia was conquered by a rambunctious, warring inland Italic tribe called the Lucani a few hundred years later, and eventually it was acquired by the Romans in the 3rd century B.C., who gave it the name of Paestum. Paestum thrived as a Roman town and gained some fame for its enormous fragrant roses, which continue to bloom twice a year in gardens around the site.
Paestum was eventually abandoned due to two continual nuisances: mosquitoes that brought deadly malaria, and marauding pirates, both of which drove the citizens into the hills for good in the 9th century A.D. Paestum remained deserted for nearly 1,000 years until it was discovered again in the 1700's when a road crew came upon its remarkably well-preserved temples hidden among the weeds and wildflowers.
Three hundred years later in 1943, Paestum's Temple of Hera served as a makeshift Allied military hospital during the invasion of Southern Italy that included the landing at the nearby Salerno beach.
According to American travel writer Rick Steves, the main reason we can see these Greek ruins today is because the Romans were superstitious. They considered the Greek temples sacred spots and didn't choose to alter them. No Roman temples are built upon earlier Greek ones.
What To See
The archaeological area is open daily from 8:45 a.m. until around sunset (the last entry is an hour before closing). Only approximately 20% of the site has been excavated. There are three main ruins and the archeological museum to see while at Paestum.
The main three Greek ruins are the Temple of Ceres (inaccurately named by early archeologists, it was later discovered that these ruins are actually a temple dedicated to the Goddess Athena), the Temple of Neptune (may historians believe this was the inspiration for the Parthenon in Athens, built just a few decades later), and the Temple of Hera, which is the oldest of the three Greek Temples.
You will want to bask in the beauty of these monuments. They are made of exquisite yellow-orange limestone that has been standing in this same spot, among the wildflowers for over 2,500 years.
The Paestum National Archaeological Museum is open daily 8:30 a.m. to 6:45 p.m., but closed the first and third Monday of every month. The Museum explores the archaeological history of Poseidonia through Paestum (from the 6th century B.C. to the end of the Roman period. Highlights include the Tomb of the Diver, one of the few surviving examples of Greek painting, as well as sculptures, ancient jewelry and pottery.
One More Treat
These plains of the Cliento Coast are the heart of Italy's mozzarella production, so be sure to stop for lunch to indulge in the freshest mozzarella you will ever taste. To visit some of the mozzarella farms in the area, travel towards the beach. Along the way you will pass mozzarella farms where signs indicate that cheese is made fresh daily. You may also see some bufale grazing before being milked for the next batch of cheese.
Sources:
- M. Cipriani, The Lucanians in Paestum, Fondazione Paestum, 1966, Paestum, Italy, Print
- Rick Steves, Rick Steves' Snapshot Naples & The Amalfi, Avalon Travel, 2009, Berkley, CA, Print
Becca Rader - Becca is a freelance writer focusing on travel, wine, music, spirituality, pets, holistic health and human interest.
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