What to do in Paestum

Initially I had opted for Parma, but partly because of very high train tickets which at the time seemed excessive to me, partly due to the distance and hours of travel which imply additional thoughts and worries and perhaps too close to the departure for the “trip ” it was perhaps not ideal so I decided to return to the south and not go too far from Rome.

Sun, sea and good food seasoned with a dialect and an accent that has always amused me a lot. I couldn’t go wrong, it had to be Campania, and my choice fell on Poor.
My traveling companion was my mother. A cultural trip with a former teacher mother seemed like the right choice to me and in fact I wasn’t wrong.
The first doubt was how to get. Car or train? Honestly, after so many years on public transport, the choice of train didn’t bother me so we opted for this method. In reality, from Rome there is no direct train to Paestum but instead you have to go to Naples and then change trains and take the one directed to Caserta and get off at the Paestum stop.
The Rome-Paestum train with the red arrow, from Rome to Naples, and with the regional train from Naples and Paestum, cost 45 euros per person one way for 3 hours of travel (while the return journey cost 27 euros). I had never been on a red arrow since I lived outside for many years, but I must say that I really liked it. Too bad they don’t have free wifi, they give it on some buses in Mexico, I don’t see why they shouldn’t give it in Italy.

Things change on the regional train but it’s also nice to take the less technological and fast trains and let your eyes slide over the view of the sea and beaches that slowly take you away from the city. I love the land of buffalo mozzarella and limoncello!
But perhaps the novelty lies in the overnight accommodation method. This time for the first time in months I will be staying in a hotel, I will have a bed all to myself, a private bathroom and apparently a 4 star service… luxury! It is clear that there is very little low cost.
After all, I deserve it before I get back on the road and start being part of the large community of backpackers around the world and regulars in hostels again.
The hotel I stayed in is the Savoy Beach Hotel which if it weren’t for the fact that it’s October and it’s on the sea side it would be perfect. In fact, to get to the archaeological area you have to walk 4 kilometres, be careful the hoteliers will tell you that it is 2 but in reality it is double. I got a tip from a person who confirmed my doubts, despite this, before making this empirical discovery today I walked for 8 kilometers believing they were half that. I highly recommend renting a bicycle if you stay overnight in this area. Perhaps due to the period and the fact that summer is over, perhaps due to the fact that there are simply no organized shuttle services or small buses between the sea and the station if you arrive by train , as I did, and you have luggage, which I didn’t have this time, or you call a taxi, or rather you have it sent from the hotel or you prepare for the 2 and a half kilometer walk (I repeat that the kilometers are 4 and not 2).
I personally didn’t have any problems walking during the day but in the evening I had to call a taxi otherwise I would have lost my life since the streets don’t have any light and some cars go fast and there are no sidewalks. Taxi cost 10 euros.

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What to do in Paestum

Aside from the visit to the archaeological site which you absolutely must visit (entry 6 euros), if you go in summer you can lounge on the beach and get a tan or gorge on ice cream.
The area is also full of dairies where you can taste and buy organic and typical Salerno products. Now that it’s mid-October, although it’s still hot, excluding swimming in the sea since the water is freezing, but I don’t rule out lounging on the beach, I read a book, there are things to do, you just need to keep in mind that it’s particularly quiet as an area these months. No Party People.
Furthermore, I didn’t see any in the water today but I believe that in this sea you can windsurf or kitesurf and if it’s windy with a wetsuit they will be sports for 12 months of the year.

What to eat in Paestum

Perhaps it goes without saying: the mozzarella which apparently and what Mrs. Alfonsina said is the best in Campania and the healthiest, unfortunately also the most expensive.
In fact the buffaloes are left free in the fields and you can not only see it but you can hear it (I mean you can smell it) and then the pizza. Good and cheap (5 euros for a margherita) and not too thin like the Roman one but not too thick like the Neapolitan one. The Oasi restaurant was recommended to us by some traders in the area and we trusted them. Excellent pizzas and friendly, helpful staff.
I paid a whopping 15 euros for 2 people. A satisfaction!
I liked Paestum, small and cute, a delightful place for a quiet weekend from September onwards and I imagine full of life and movement in the summer, the high number of campsites and tourist facilities in the surrounding area make me think so.