Hotel Cerere

Campania Arte Card

by Jetgirly

The Campania Arte Card is a great way to explore Campania's many attractions and archaeological sites. Here's what you need to know in order to take advantage of this deal:

Anyone can use the full-price Arte Card. The reduced-rate card for those 18-25 can only be purchased by people residing in EU countries or countries with a reciprocal agreement with Italy. This does not include American and Canadian citizens. For childen, it is less expensive to simply pay the reduced children's rate at the site entrance.

The three-day card includes free admission to the first two sites and half price admission to any others, plus transportation. You can travel on the local transportation system (Circumvesuviana train, local busses, one return trip on the Metro del Mare's Line 1 and one trip on the airport bus). The three-day card costs EUR 25 for adults or EUR 18 for those 18-25 (see above).

The seven-day card includes free admission to all the sites for a week, but no transportation. It costs EUR 28 for adults and EUR 21 for those 18-25 (see above). If you're moving to the area, a year-round card is also available.

The card is available for purchase at the entrance to the sites, usually in the bookstore or information center. Once you buy the card, write your name and the date on the back and go to the ticket window, where they will activate your card.

You can enter each site only once using the card. No repeat vists are allowed.

Popular sites include Pompeii, Herculaneum, Paestum and it's museum, and the Naples Archaeological Museum. Included are also a variety of discounts on local services and tourist attractions.

In Paestum, you will receive access to the site and museum, as well as discounts at the bookshop. The card also offers holders a discount on guided night tours of the site.

Building it's own temple?

by sim1

It was a beautiful day when I was here, sun shining brightly, and I wanted to take a break and sat down on the pavement. It's lovely to sit down and look around and see those amazing temples. Hahaha, but I got a little bit distracted by this little ant. Amazing how they can lift those little straws, that are 3 times as big as themselves. Quite fascinating to look at. Mmmmm, maybe it is inspired to build it's own little temple? ;-)

Agora

by sandysmith

The main square of a Greek city was the agora, and the agora of Poseidonia has been identified about halfway along the Via Sacra - the main road. Close to the agora the bouleuterion, the circular meeting place of the city council, has been found. This one was built 480-470 BC. It had a similar function during the Lucian takeover but was no longer in use by the time of the latin settlement and a sanctuary was built in its place.

Underground Shrine Jars

by sandysmith

This shrine contained very rich offerings - all now in the museum. On the floor of the shrine were placed eight large bronze vessels and an Athenian ceramic amphora.
6 of the bronze jars are water jars with three handles, and two are amphorae with two handles. Some of the jars have handles shaped as hands or decorated with female heads. One in particular has the vertical handle shaped as a lion.

Paestum

by paulapes

"Temple of Ceres"

Paestum is located south of Salerno. It was originally Poseidonia, founded by greek colonists around 600 BC. It became the Roman colony of Paestum in 273 BC. Paestum is surrounded by walls, almost completely preserved.

I just found out why there is a "modern" road through the middle of Paestum...the site was first unearthed in the 18th century during the building of the road, but most of it remained undiscovered until the 1950s.
Unfortunately, the road cuts right through the center of the ancient city of Paestum, destroying parts of the walls in the process, and the modern town is built right in the center also---oh well, this is progress, I guess!

Above is the Temple of Ceres, which was actually dedicated to Athena and was built around 500 BC.

"Temple of Neptune"

The Temple of Neptune's columns are made of limestone.

"The street- Via Sacra"

The street (the Roman Road) was built of large paving stones and called the Via Sacra. Ruts made by ancient carts are still visible! That's the Temple of Neptune behind me.

"The Via Sacra"

A close up view of the Via Sacra in which you can see the ruts made by ancient carts.

"Amphitheater"

This is a portion of the Amphitheater, the other side was destroyed when they built the road through Paestum! The Amphitheater was built in the 1st century B.C., before Caesar. It is built of limestone blocks. This picture is of the western gate, from the inside of the Amphitheater, but the vault is not original..it was built during an attempt to restore the monument in the 1960s.