Paestum
Very different to Pompeii, Paestum’s ruins are smaller, older, more Greek and – crucially – a lot less overrun. Consequently, it is possible to steal some…
Must-see attractions in Salerno & the Cilento
Salerno
One of Campania's strangely under-the-radar sights, Salerno’s impressive cathedral is considered by aficionados to be the most beautiful medieval church…
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Salerno & the Cilento
The grottoes are fascinating, otherworldly caves that date from prehistoric times: excavations have revealed that they were inhabited 42,000 years ago,…
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Salerno & the Cilento
The ancient coil of streets that makes up Teggiano (population 8,100) comprise what is arguably the most dashing of park’s 80 villages. Grafted onto a…
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Salerno & the Cilento
A giant among monasteries, even by Italian standards, the Certosa di San Lorenzo dates from 1306 and covers 250,000 sq metres. Numerologists can get a…
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Paestum
Facing the east side of the ruins, the Museo di Paestum houses a collection of much-weathered metopes (bas-relief friezes). Among these are originals from…
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Paestum
Dating from about 450 BC, the limestone Tempio di Nettuno is the largest and best preserved of Paestum's trio of temples; only parts of its inside walls…
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Cilento Coast
Santa Maria’s golden sandy beach stretches for around 4km, which equals plenty of towel space on the sand, even in midsummer.
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Paestum
The so-called basilica (a temple to the goddess Hera) is Paestum’s oldest surviving monument. Dating from the middle of the 6th century BC, it’s a…
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Cilento Coast
The town’s main beach stretches for around 4km north of the centre. There is another more sheltered curve of sand abutting Palinuro’s postcard-pretty…
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Cilento Coast
Another Cilento stunner, Acciaroli’s main beach has sand, space, a Blue Flag rating and easy access to the historic town at its southern end. Water and…
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Paestum
Tempio di Cerere (6th century BC) was originally dedicated to Athena and served as a Christian church in medieval times.
Salerno
Hop on bus 19 from Piazza XXIV Maggio to visit Salerno’s most famous landmark, the forbidding Castello di Arechi, dramatically positioned 263m above the…
Cilento Coast
Although it doesn’t have the hype of its Capri counterpart, Palinuro’s Grotta Azzurra is similarly spectacular, with a brilliant play of light and hue.
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Paestum
The first organic producer of bufala (water-buffalo) milk, Tenuta Vannulo is a 10-minute drive from Paestum. It makes its mozzarella exclusively from…
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Agropoli
Those frustrated by the dearth of well-marked hiking trails in the Parco Nazionale del Cilento, Vallo di Diano e Alburni should pay a visit to this mini…
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Museo Archeologico Provinciale
Salerno
The province’s restored and revitalised main archaeological museum is an excellent showcase for the excavated history of the surrounding area, dating back…
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Salerno & the Cilento
One understated element of Italy is its abandoned villages, little visited places, covered in weeds and heavy with an atmosphere that is both ghostly and…
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Salerno & the Cilento
(Re)discovered in 1932, the Grotte di Pertosa-Auletta date back 35 million years. Used by the Greeks and Romans as places of worship, the caves burrow for…
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Cilento Coast
For a slightly quieter scene than you might find in Palinuro, head southeast of town to Spiaggia Marinella, surrounded by lush banks of greenery. The…
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Parco Archeologico di Elea Velia
Cilento Coast
Founded by the Greeks in the mid-6th century BC, Velia subsequently became a popular resort with wealthy Romans. You can wander around the evocative ruins…
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Agropoli
Built by the Byzantines in the 5th century, the castle was strengthened during the Angevin period, the time of the War of the Vespers, which was initially…
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Salerno
Spread throughout six small galleries, Salerno's multi-era art museum houses a collection dating from the Renaissance right up to the first half of the…
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Cilento Coast
Approached from its coastal sidekick, Santa Maria di Castellabate, the summit of Castellabate is marked by the broad Belvedere di San Costabile, from…
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Museo Virtuale della Scuola Medica Salernitana
Salerno
In Salerno’s historic centre, this small, slightly forlorn museum deploys videos and touch-screen technology to explore the teachings and wince-inducing…
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Museo Archeologico Provinciale della Lucania Occidentale
Salerno & the Cilento
A modest collection of ancient artefacts, housed within the Certosa di San Lorenzo monastery.
