Paestum

Paestum is an ancient Greco-Roman city in the Campania region of southern Italy, 40 km south of Salerno, not far from the beautiful Amalfi Coast. Paestum is the Roman name of the city. The original Greek name was Poseidonia.

The modern town of Paestum, directly to the north of the archaeological site, is a popular seaside resort. In the region of Paestum there are long, sandy beaches and some of the best food in Italy. 

The main reason to come to Paestum is to see the most complete Doric temples in Italy. Paestum has three: the Basilica of Hera, the Temple of Ceres, and, on the southern end of the site, the Temple of Neptune, built in 450 BC, the oldest and best-preserved of the Greek temples in Italy.

There are also ruins of ancient houses and the National Archeological Museum of Paestum which contains the painted tombs, and artifacts and statues from the temples.

Paestum makes an excellent complement to the later, and more crowded, Roman ruins at Pompeii and Herculaneum and a unique Greek experience in Italy