Frequently asked questions

Skip-the-line entry to the Paestum archaeological park — all three Doric temples and the Greek-Roman city — plus the National Archaeological Museum with the Tomb of the Diver, and the Velia (ancient Elea) archaeological area. It is a single 3-day open ticket.

No. Paestum's ticket is open admission, valid for three days from first use, with no fixed entry time slot. You arrive during opening hours on whichever day you choose and walk straight in.

Three Doric temples: the Temple of Hera I (c. 550 BC, once called 'the Basilica'), the Temple of Athena (c. 500 BC), and the Temple of Hera II (c. 450 BC). The Temple of Hera II is the largest and best-preserved — one of the most complete Greek temples anywhere — and the highlight of the site.

A painted tomb from around 470 BC, displayed in the on-site museum. Its lid shows a single male figure diving into water, and it is the only complete example of Greek figurative wall painting to survive from the Archaic and Classical periods — Paestum's single most precious object.

Allow about 2.5 to 3 hours for the temples, the Greek-Roman city and the museum together. With the 3-day ticket you can also visit Velia on a separate day, which adds roughly another half-day.

Yes. The standard ticket covers both Paestum and Velia (ancient Greek Elea), a second archaeological site further south on the Cilento coast, as well as the Paestum museum — all valid for three days. Velia is quieter and right by the sea.

Early morning, soon after opening, or late afternoon. The archaeological site is open and largely unshaded, so the midday summer sun is intense; the light is also best for the temples early and late, when the limestone glows gold.

The ticket is open and valid for three days, so for most visits you simply arrive on the day you choose during opening hours. If your plans change, reply to your confirmation email and our concierge team will help.

By car it's about 40 minutes from Salerno and 1h15 from Naples via the motorway. By train, regional services run from Salerno (35–45 min) and Naples (about 1h30) to Paestum station, a short walk from the temples.

Yes — the temples are open-air and dramatic, there is space to roam, and the museum is compact enough to hold attention. Children under 18 enter free; our family pass bundles the paperwork so you skip the queue together. Bring sun protection and water in summer.

Yes. Paestum was inscribed by UNESCO in 1998 as part of the 'Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park with the Archaeological Sites of Paestum and Velia, and the Certosa di Padula' World Heritage Site.

They tell different stories. Pompeii is a whole Roman town frozen by Vesuvius; Paestum is about monumental Greek architecture — three of the best-preserved Doric temples in the world — plus a unique painted tomb. Paestum is far smaller, far quieter, and stands almost complete where Pompeii is ruins.