Tour Description

PAESTUM GREEK TEMPLES

"It is as if a god, here, had built his house with huge blocks of stone"

Friedrich Nietzsche thus described the magnificence of Paestum during his visit. Located in the province of Salerno, within the Piana del Sele, this town boasts a thousand-year history. Baptized Poseidonia in honor of the God of the sea, it was founded in the 6th century by the Greeks as a maritime trading center. At the end of the 5th century it passed to the Lucanians who gave it its current name, and then to the Romans in 273 BC. The archaeological excavations of the twentieth century, which lasted until the 1970s, allowed the recovery of unique works, restoring Paestum to its ancient splendor and transforming it into a tourist resort of great interest.

Paestum was at one point a great ancient Greek city until the Romans conquered it. It was eventually abandoned due to the high volume of malaria in the area but the city has since regained a very historical importance for the archeological site and temple, which is still standing there today.

The three Dorcic temples are central to this spectacular scene and they are widely known to be the best preserved of any temple outside of Greece itself. Aside from these magnificent buildings there is also a large Forum, an Amphitheatre and several remains of housing from the period.

However, one of the best things about taking a trip to Paestum with a private driver is in the fact that the town is located far away from the usual tourist trail which allows you to explore this fascinating place without the crowds you often find in Florence, Rome or another popular destinations.

BUFFALO MOZZARELLA CHEESE FACTORY EXPERIENCE

A great way to spend the rest of a day following the temples of course is to visit a farm in Paestrum. The surrounding areas have long been known for producing the buffalo mozzarella, which is obviously the delightful milky ingredient, found at the base of the famous Italian pizza. With the assistance of your private guide, it is possible to take a short cheese tour in one of the farms and this insight into the local life in Paestrum is sure to create a highly memorable day tour of temples and mozzarella cheese.

Paestum and Mozzarella experience Tour in brief:

* Alcaexcursions English speaking private driver will meet/pick you up at your Hotel/Accommodation and after a brief presentation, you will be accompanied to your luxury and licensed Mercedes vehicle for to start this lovely tour.

*We’ll drive half an hour south to Sorrento, once arrived there you will have 2 hours to visit the Temples and Ruins.

*After exploring this amazing archaeological site our journey continues to one of the area’s largest and most famous Buffalo Mozzarella dairy Farms of the area. A private visit to the farm allows you to learn about the very special process involved in this cheese production. The visit however would not be complete without several very fresh tastings of the world famous, delicious mozzarella cheese, originating in Italy, and specific to this southern area.

*At the end of the tour Alca driver will drive you back in your accommodation in a relaxing and comfortable style.

*Total duration 9 hours.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

Please kindly note that your driver will be at your complete disposal for the entire time, personalizing your sightseeing tour in order to offer you the best possible experience; in our tour descriptions you can read the highlights of each location, but of course you can discuss the itinerary with your driver and the timing between each place which might be subject to change (traffic - weather conditions).

*Informative and fun, you'll learn about the life of the wealthy in Roman and Greeks antiquity as you stroll through the intriguing ruins. Don’t forget to dress appropriately for this excursion, as walks tend to be cobbled and the summer temperature can be extreme. Quality walking shoes and a hat or umbrella should suffice.

Highlights