Lesser-known Italian beach town just a few hours from the UK with ancient temples but without the crowds
WHILE holidays to Rome, Florence and Venice remain popular, there’s another destination in Italy that seems to have flown under the radar.
One of those places is Paestum — a beach town in the south of Italy that’s just a short journey from other major attractions like Pompeii and Mt Vesuvius.
Popular towns and cities in Italy can get very crowded, but there are still some secluded spots where holidaymakers can relax in peace.
But located in the often-overlooked Campania, Paestum is home to a vast archaeological site that shares the same name.
The Archaeological Park of Paestum, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998, has been described as a “refreshing alternative” compared to the likes of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Home to three very well-preserved, Paestum was once an ancient Greek city called Magna Grecia.
Nowadays, it’s a sprawling archaeological park with 5km of ancient walls as well as other features like altars and historic squares.
The site’s oldest temple was dedicated to the goddess Hera, and it dates all the way back to 560 BC.
The ancient site has proved popular with holidaymakers with a 4.5/5 star rating from more than 5,000 reviews on TripAdvisor.
One person wrote: “A great day trip from Salerno. It’s a gorgeous Greco-Roman ruin with three beautiful temples and a wonderful museum. I highly recommend.”
Another added: “This is a must-see, with a guided tour making it even more incredible.”
Entry to the Archaeological Park of Paestum costs €15 (£12.83), with the price dipping ever so slightly in the off season.
Away from the ancient temples, the coastline surrounding Paestum is home to several beaches.
The beachfront is said to stretch for 15km, with plenty of private beaches dotted along the shoreline.
At the private beaches, which are very common in Italy, visitors will need to pay to use sun loungers and parasols.
Holidaymakers can chose from well-established spots like Lido Mediterraneo Beach, Lido Mec, Lido Paestum.
Paestum is just a one hour and 20 minute drive away from Naples, and it’s even closer to neighbouring Salerno, which has just opened a brand-new airport.
Flights departed from Salerno Airport, which is right on the Amalfi Coast, for the first time earlier this year.
EasyJet is the only UK airline to offer routes to the new Salerno Airport in Italy.
The new easyJet flights will now operate twice a week from London Gatwick on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Flights start from £46.99 each way, while easyJet has also launched a number of package holidays including flights to the new airport.
And there are plenty of other secluded spots in Italy only locals seem to know about, including Ponza.
Ponza
Ponza is part of the Pontine archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea, and it is home to beaches that rival Capri — but for a fraction of the price.
One of the more rustic Italian islands, with its untouched natural landscapes, hidden coves and sea caves.
To get there, you can hop on a train from Rome‘s main station, Termini, to the port city of Anzio. The journey takes just over an hour and costs around £5.
Here's what it's like to visit an Archaeological Park in Italy
TRAVEL reporter Ryan Gray recently visited Herculaneum on a trip to Naples - here's what he thought of the ancient site.
Herculaneum gets somewhat overshadowed by its neighbour Pompeii, which is a far larger site, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t still well worth a visit.
On the contrary, Herculaneum offers an altogether clearer glimpse into how a town might’ve looked and operated in the days before the volcanic eruption caught everyone by surprise in 79AD, with better preserved homes and businesses.
The frescoes on the walls are also better maintained, with more vivid colours on display than those at its more famous counterpart.
What’s more, Herculaneum tends to get fewer visitors because it’s lesser-known, making it a more relaxing tourist experience.
While the bus-loads can be found swarming around Pompeii, only a handful of people tend to take the time to head to Herculaneum, meaning it can be explored at a more leisurely pace.
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