small picturesque coastal towns of Italy- Pallinuro

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Cilento Coast

The Cilento stretch of coastline may lack the sophistication of the Amalfi Coast, but it too has a string of craggy, sun-bleached towns, among them popular Agropoli, gleaming white Palinuro, charming Castellabate and the evocative ruined temples of Paestum. The Cilento can even afford to have a slight air of superiority when it comes to its beaches: a combination of secluded coves and long stretches of golden sand with fewer overpriced ice creams and sunbeds. Yet Campania's southern bookend is about more than its waterside appeal. It's here that you'll find the ancient Greek temples of Paestum and a large coastal tract of the Parco Nazionale del Cilento, Vallo di Diano e Alburni, also a Unesco World Heritage site.

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Attractions

Must-see attractions

Paestum's Temples
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…
Museo di Paestum
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…
Tempio di Nettuno
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…
Castellabate Beach
Cilento Coast
Santa Maria’s golden sandy beach stretches for around 4km, which equals plenty of towel space on the sand, even in midsummer.
Basilica
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…
Spiaggia Palinuro
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…
Spiaggia Grande di Acciaroli
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…
Tempio di Cerere
Paestum
Tempio di Cerere (6th century BC) was originally dedicated to Athena and served as a Christian church in medieval times.