Introduction to Paestum

35km (22 miles) S of Salerno; 100km (62 miles) SE of Naples

A short distance south of Salerno, the fabled ruins of Paestum are everything they are reported to be. Enormously evocative, the three Greek temples (in an excellent state of conservation) occupy a grassy plain that really gives off the sense of a vanished, ancient city. Most of the town walls are intact as well. The temples are a magical sight, especially at sunset, and in spring and fall when Paestum's roses -- praised since antiquity -- are in bloom. The archaeological area can be reached as a day trip in Campania; plan on spending a couple of hours exploring the temples and an hour for the museum, but count on a whole day for a more in-depth exploration.