Our next stop was probably the most magnificent and magical of our trip to southern Italy.
We left Sorrento in our rental tin can with Anna, our guide, under beautiful blue skies. We headed back towards the mainland to turn south to Paestum. Founded in the 7th century BC, this city was originally Greek, but after many years was assimilated into the Roman empire. Today, the ruins of the three Greek temples at Paestum rival those found anywhere in the world.
We toured the archaeological site, marveling at the remnants of this ancient city, abandonded in th 6th or 7th century AD, and rediscovered in the 18th century about the time the ruins of Pompei were discovered.
We broke for a delicious lunch at a restaurant recommended by Libby Lubin, our tour planner extrordinaire, and we were delighted at the meal. Paestum is in the area that mozzarella is from. To eat it correctly it needs to be consumed the same day it is made. We did it justice, along with the ravioli, and other fresh regional dishes, and of course local wine. This was our best meal in Italy, thank you Libby.
We finished up our time at Paestum at the museum. It is full of statues, tools, frescoes, and mosaics from the digs which are still in process. We watched several teams carefully sifting through the dirt on location. It is a fascinating look at life as lived at Paestum.
Our time at Paestum was a mystical experience. The weather, Anna's knowledge, and the fact that we almost had the site to ourselves allowed us to revel in a perfect day, and marvel at such a rich life lived so very long ago on this spot. Words really cannot describe the beauty we found at this remote location. Very few tourists visit Paestum but we feel it is a spot that should not be missed. It was extraordinary for us all.
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