Paestum--things to do
 

We will be staying in this area for about 5 days with our four children. Other than the "biggies"--Amalfi, Pompeii, Herculaneum--what other adventures can we make?

Restaurant recommendations here or a little further south?

What about beaches good for children away from Amalfi?

Mcmomx4

Hi mom.

Another poster sent in this info:

Paestum is the site of the Greek colony city of Lucania. It flourished through the 6th Century (B.C.E) and was taken by the Romans in the Republican era, early in the third century. The ruins of the city contain some of the most well-preserved Doric-style temples remaining, anywhere.

To visit Paestum
After going through a long mountain tunnel you stop at Salerno, (sit on right side of train) After Salerno the 4th stop is the small Paestum station (w.c. far end of platform).
Exit the station (map & hotel info/phone #s to the left), and directly in front of you (at 50m) is an ancient gate. Walk through it and in 10min at the end of the road is the site. Turn right; walk 150M to the museum (w.c.) on the right, and buy your ticket for the site & museum. However, don't visit the museum now, but head back out the same way you were heading and enter the site 100m on the left. (Hold on to your ticket for the museum later (w.c./water-also you might want to pick-up drinks/snacks along here - also 30m past the entrance is an ATM).
Spend about 2hrs on the site, return to the museum (easier this way, you won't rush through to get to the site and can budget your remaining time in the museum). Just before you leave, grab a bite to eat. There are Italian fast food tourist places (pizza, ice cream, sandwiches, etc).

We have visited both Pompeii and Herculaneum (absolutely loved both). When we got off the circumvesuviana train at Ercolano (to visit Herculaneum) several cab drivers were in the station, yelling at us to go with them to visit Mt. Vesuvius. We didn't do it (time didn't allow), but imagine it would be very interesting and exciting for the kids.

I would also visit Positano, Ravello, and, time permitting, other smaller towns along the Amalfi Coast such as Cetara, Minori and Praiano. The seacost south of Paestum is very pretty and could be visited as a daytrip, particularly if you have a rental car. You could go as far south as Maratea, at the extreme southern end of the Campania Region (where it borders on Calabria).