Southern Campania

To See‎ > ‎

Contents

1 Paestum
1. 1.1 Restaurants
2. 1.2 Getting There/Parking
2 Mozzarella
1. 2.1 Tenuta Vannulo
3 Other Attractions

Campania south of the Amalfi Coast is less touristy but still offers a host of interesting things to see and do, such as the following:

Paestum

This amazing site features three ancient Greek temples (each of which look like the Parthenon in Athens). The museum and surrounding area also have ancient Roman ruins, statues, and art. Also interesting is a paleochristian church, right next to the tourist information office (which is to the left of the museum, as you face it). Ruins open from 8:45 AM until 1 hour before sunset (last admission 1 hour before that). For more information, check out the official website, Wikipedia entry, Stars & Stripes article, and an excellent Sacred Destinations website. T-Sat 9-1 and 4-7, Sun 9-1, €4 for archeological park, €6.50 for combination with museum, free with Artecard, Via Magna Grecia 919, 082-881-1023, 40°25.4'N 15°0.4'E

Restaurants

The following restaurants are listed in guidebooks (also listed under Capaccio, the name of the town that includes Paestum):

Ristorante Nettuno - In the archeological area, just S of the ruins, 082-881-1028, They seem to have raised their prices since Rick Steves wrote about them, as their €12 fixed price lunch is now €22, but it's still a fairly nice place; also rec'd by Frommer's, Michelin and TCI.
#Agriturismo Seliano - situated about 2 km north of the Paestum ruins; offers lunch as well as rooms. via Seliano 11, 40°26.8'N 14°59.66'E, 082-872-4534, 082-872-3634, closed off season (Nov-Feb). Arthur Schwartz (no relation to Wikinapoli's founder!) runs weeklong foodie tours and cooking classes based here. Recommended by Rick Steves, Fodor's, Alice and Time Out.
Gelso d'Oro da Nonna Sceppa - About 4 km north of the ruins, Via Laura 53, 40°26.78'N 14°58.73'E, 082-885-1064, closed Thurs during off season, a big, popular restaurant, rec'd by Time Out, Gambero Rosso, Espresso, Michelin, TCI, and Frommer's.
#La Pergola - Via Magna Grecia 1, 40°27.41'N 15°0.71'E, 082-872-3377, closed Mon, great regional dishes, as the name suggests they have a nice garden with a pergola, €30-40, rec'd by Slow Food Osterie d'Italia, Gambero Rosso, and Espresso.
Tenuta Capodifiume / Le Trabe - Via Capodifiume 4, 082-872-4165, closed Mon, Sun evening, supposed to be good for families, also rents rooms, rec'd by Espresso, Michelin, TCI, and Frommer's.
Il Granaio dei Casabella - Va Tavernelle 4, rec'd by Frommer's
Lo Vottaro - in Trentinara, a medieval hill town overlooking Paestum (~30 min east of Paestum); Via Paolillo, 328-863-5664, 329-779-3347, rec'd by Slow Food Osterie d'Italia, ~€25; reserve ahead. Food blog (in English) and Luciano Pignataro review (in Italian)

Getting There/Parking

Driving from Naples takes around 2 hours. Follow signs for A3-Salerno, and then take the Battipaglia exit (SS18), which leads you almost straight to Paestum (there are brown signs that direct you once you get close). There is free parking on the southern end of the ruins, but you can only buy tickets at the north end (so the best plan is to park in the south, walk past the touristy souvenier shops to the ticket window, see the museum/church, and then check out the ruins walking south, exiting at the parking lot)
An alternative is to take a bus or train. Regular trains run from Naples 11 times a day, taking between 1.5-2 hours. You'll want a Unicocampania "Fascia 7," which costs €5.30 one way. Alternatively (say, if you're coming to or from the Amalfi coast) you can take a train or bus from Salerno. When you get out of the Paestum station, walk west for about half a kilometer to reach the ruins (go straight out of the station - you'll see the old city wall directly in front of you). Get your return tickets before you get to Paestum - there is no ticket office there.

Lodging Nearby

Apart from Agrigurismo Seliano, listed above, here are some nearby hotels, etc:

Domus Laeta - 300-year old agriturismo not far from Paestum
La Cioccia d'Oro - see listing below (~45 min drive South)

Mozzarella

This area is saturated with some of the best fresh mozzarella (which has a slightly sweeter taste than the Caserta-style mozzarella). Travelling down SS18 from A3, you'll see dozens of creameries, farms, and other mozzarella dealers.

Tenuta Vannulo

One of the most popular mozzarella farms is Tenuta Vannulo, which is entirely organic and features an estate (tenuta) serving delicious buffalo yogurt, budino (pudding), gelato, and ricotta as well, at Via Galileo Galileo 10, 84040 Capaccio Scalo, 40°26.7'N 15°1.3'E, 082-872-4765 (or 082-872-7894). Especially on the weekends, you have to go early (or at least reserve over the phone--reservations are required for certain specialty items, like the beautiful knotted trecce mozzarella) to ensure that there is enough cheese left! Also, if you get there before about 11:00 or 11:30, you can watch their staff make mozzarella through a viewing window. Email them (or call and ask for tour group director Andrea Wolf) if you're interested in reserving a tour and tasting (for groups of 10 or more) for €4 each. Our tour, led by lead buffalo farmer Noemi, was especially informative (albiet in Italian--ask for English when you reserve if your group doesn't speak Italian). Among the highlights was seeing the automatic milking machine, which uses computer chips to allow the buffalo to get milked whenever they want! You can also reserve group lunches for about €25 a person.

Other Attractions

Cilento National Park - beautiful park which includes a great deal of unspoiled coastline; supposedly some of the cleanest beaches in Italy (you wouldn't believe Naples is just up the coast!)

Cantine Barone's Pietralena Aglianico was named one of the three best red "everyday" (<€10) wines in Campania by Slow Food, in Rutino (small town in the Cilento) Via Giardino 2, 097-483-0463
Cicerale - hill town inland from Agropoli; Osteria Arco Vecchio - Via roma, 097-483-4187, rec'd by Slow Food Osterie d'Italia
Valle dell'Angelo - hill town well inland from Paestum/Agropoli; Slow Food Osterie d'Italia rec'd Osteria La Piazzetta - Piazza Canonica Iannuzzi 2, 097-494-2008, 097-494-2747.
Vallo della Lucania - hill town in the Cilento, SE of Castellabate...much further inland than Montecorice/San Mauro Cilento (~45 min S on SP430 from Paestum)

#la Chioccia d'Oro - Bivio di Novi Velia, 097-470-004, closed Fri, Alice says it may be "the most loved restaurant in this area", rec'd by Gambro Rosso, Slow Food Osterie d'Ialia, Espresso, Michelin, and TCI, ~€22-25, lunch special €15. Also has rooms for rent.
U' Parlatorio - Via San Pietro Celestinio 66, Località Massa, 097-476-210, closed Mon, rec'd by Slow Food Osterie d'Italia, Espresso, ~€22-25.

Castellabate - hill town near the coast in the Cilento, S of Agropoli

Giacardandia - Località Cenito San Marco, 097-496-6130, restaurant/hotel, rec'd by Alice
I Due Fratelli - Località Santa Maria, Via Sant'Andrea, 097-496-8004, rec'd by Espresso and Michelin
La Taverna del Pescatore - Località Santa Maria, Via Lamia 1, 097-496-8293, rec'd by Slow Food Osterie d'Italia and Michelin.

Montecorice - seaside town just S of Castellabate; has Paisà, Via Marina Nuova 12, 347-102-8926, rec'd by Gambero Rosso
San Mauro Cilento - further inland from Montecorice, has Al Frantoio, Località ortale, 097-490-3243, a "laboratory" trattoria with great, innovative food, rec'd by Slow Food Osterie d'Italia and Espresso, ~€20.
Caselle in Pittari - hill town deep in the Cilento; Slow Food Osterie d'Italia rec'd Ristorante Zi' Filomena on Viale Roma 11
Casal Velino - seaside hill town in southern part of Cilento, Slow Food Osterie d'Italia rec'd I Moresani Agriturismo (which has horses)
Pisciotta - seaside town just N of Palinuro

Angiolina
Perbacco dal 1987
Principe di Vallescura
Villa Mare Luna

Palinuro - seaside town with good beaches an sea caves

Da Carmelo
Da Isidoro
Lido Ficocella
Sant'Agata

San Giovanni a Piro - just down the coast from Palinuro; Gambero Rosso rec's Incontro, on Lungomare Marconi, Località Scario, 097-437-1009.
Camerota - town in Cilento, E of Palinuro

La Cantina del Marchese - Via Marchese 13, 097-493-2570, rustic restaurant serving typical Cilento food, <€25/person including wine, rec'd by Slow Food Osterie d'Italia
Rianata 'a Vasulata - via San Vito 25, 097-493-5427, another rustic, cheap restaurant rec'd by Slow Food Osterie d'Italia

Padula - town deep inland, near A3 on the way to Calabria

Fattoria Alvaneta - Corsa da Alvaneta, Località Pantagnoni, 097-577-139, closed Tues, family restaurant, rec'd by Slow Food Osterie d'Italia, ~€18-22.
Taverna del Lupo - Luogo Municipio 8, closed Mon, Sun evening (except summer), near San Lorenzo monestary, great ingredients, rec'd by Gambero Rosso and Slow Food Osterie d'Italia, 097-577-8376.

Torre Orsaia - hill town in S of Cilento, Slow Food Osterie d'Italia rec's Da Addolorata - Via Pulsaria 15, 097-498-5669, ~€15.

Agropoli - old town founded by Greeks, has market, just S of Paestum

Il Ceppo - restaurant/hotel, via Madonna del Carmine 31, 097-484-3036, closed Tues, sea view, rec'd by Gambero Rosso, Espresso, Michelin, and TCI, ~€40-50 or lunch ~€18-26.

Casa Vinicolo Cuomo (Winery) - in Capaccio, a little ways north of Paestum, not far from Tenuta Vannulo, and was rated one of the best "everyday wines" by Slow Food: Via Feudo La Pila 12, 082-872-5376
On A3 between Salerno and Matera/Paestum:

Battipaglia - between Salerno and Paestum

La Fabbrica dei Sapori - restaurant, via Spinetta 84, 082-863-0021, closed Mon, has WiFi and a play area for small children, €25 fixed price not including drinks, rec'd by Gambero Rosso, Espresso, and TCI.