Must-see attractions in Salerno & the Cilento

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…

One of Campania's strangely under-the-radar sights, Salerno’s impressive cathedral is considered by aficionados to be the most beautiful medieval church…

The grottoes are fascinating, otherworldly caves that date from prehistoric times: excavations have revealed that they were inhabited 42,000 years ago,…

The ancient coil of streets that makes up Teggiano (population 8,100) comprise what is arguably the most dashing of park’s 80 villages. Grafted onto a…

A giant among monasteries, even by Italian standards, the Certosa di San Lorenzo dates from 1306 and covers 250,000 sq metres. Numerologists can get a…

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…

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…

Santa Maria’s golden sandy beach stretches for around 4km, which equals plenty of towel space on the sand, even in midsummer.

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…

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…

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 (6th century BC) was originally dedicated to Athena and served as a Christian church in medieval times.

Hop on bus 19 from Piazza XXIV Maggio to visit Salerno’s most famous landmark, the forbidding Castello di Arechi, dramatically positioned 263m above the…

Although it doesn’t have the hype of its Capri counterpart, Palinuro’s Grotta Azzurra is similarly spectacular, with a brilliant play of light and hue.

The first organic producer of bufala (water-buffalo) milk, Tenuta Vannulo is a 10-minute drive from Paestum. It makes its mozzarella exclusively from…

Those frustrated by the dearth of well-marked hiking trails in the Parco Nazionale del Cilento, Vallo di Diano e Alburni should pay a visit to this mini…

The province’s restored and revitalised main archaeological museum is an excellent showcase for the excavated history of the surrounding area, dating back…

One understated element of Italy is its abandoned villages, little visited places, covered in weeds and heavy with an atmosphere that is both ghostly and…

(Re)discovered in 1932, the Grotte di Pertosa-Auletta date back 35 million years. Used by the Greeks and Romans as places of worship, the caves burrow for…

For a slightly quieter scene than you might find in Palinuro, head southeast of town to Spiaggia Marinella, surrounded by lush banks of greenery. The…