The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

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Cairo to Campania: A Travel Guide to Southern Italy

Cairo to Campania: A Travel Guide to Southern Italy
written by
Sallie Pisch

A short hop across
the Mediterranean Sea are some of the most fascinating ancient ruins of the Roman
Empire. Nestled among Campania’s picturesque landscape are Pompeii, famous for
its exceptionally complete ruins, and Paestum, which boasts the most complete
Doric temples in Italy.

How to Get There: Fights from Cairo to any major Italian city range between 2100LE and 3000LE via Alitalia. Italy has an excellent railway network, and you can reach Pompeii and Paestum via rail.

Pompeii holds the best-preserved Roman ruins in existence.
Buried under four to six metres of volcanic ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted in
79AD, the ancient city has provided extraordinary insight into city life at the
height of the Roman Empire. In fact, Pompeii was singular in allowing experts
to date and classify Roman wall paintings.

Entrance to the site
costs €11 (93LE)
per person. Be sure to pick up a guide book and an audio guide at the ticket
booth. You can buy books and audio guides from various vendors along the short
walk from the train station to the entrance, but the official guide is usually
a better deal.

What To See Pompeii is massive and can be overwhelming. If you don’t
have the energy to spend an entire day exploring the city, hit some of the
major sites and take a stroll through the ancient streets.

Be sure to visit the
House of the Faun, an incredible example of a Roman house, and the Forum, where
governing took place. Pay attention to the wall paintings and you will notice
the different styles. The necropolis, the baths and the amphitheatre are also
worth a look.

Paestum is smaller and less known but incredible nonetheless.
Paestum was originally a Greek city founded at the end of the 7th century BCE and known as Poseidonia after Poseidon, Greek god of the sea.
Abandoned during the Middle Ages, Paestum came into notice again in the 18th century.

In Paestum, the ruins
of three Greek temples – the best-preserved Doric temples in Italy – can be
found. Dedicated to Hera and Athena, the temples date to the 6th century BCE. The archaeological site allows the curious to explore the Roman
ruins near the temples, where intricate floor mosaics, low walls, and stairs
leading to nowhere give a glimpse into life two millennia ago. There are also
the remains of a Roman bath and an athletic training area.

Be Sure To Visit The
Museum
as well. It offers a
small collection of statues and the Tomb of the Diver, most famous of the
painted tombs discovered at Paestum. For a mere €6 (51LE), you can visit both the
archaeological site and the museum.

Paestum can easily be
visited in half a day, so take the time to enjoy a relaxed lunch. Ristorante
Nettuno
, situated near the main entrance, is a great choice. The insalata caprese is a must, but it
isn’t on the menu: you have to ask your waiter about this dish of sliced
tomatoes and fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese. Paestum’s location in the middle
of Campania means that it offers some of the freshest and most delicious buffalo
mozzarella that you will ever find.

Paestum’s proximity
to the sea means that you will also find an array of traditional Italian dishes
with fresh seafood, ranging from clams and shrimp to various types of fish.

Where To Stay Italian public transportation can get you everywhere
you want to go. That being said, anywhere is accessible with a train station.
To spend a weekend exploring Campania’s remarkable ruins and beautiful countryside,
consider staying in Salerno. Equidistant from Pompeii and Paestum, Salerno is a
cheaper alternative to the tourist trap of Pompeii and a safer alternative to
the nearest large city, Naples. A quaint town on the coast, Salerno has a few
treasures of its own.

Salerno If you have time, take a jaunt up the mountain to see
Salerno’s Castello di Arechi.
Enlarged in the mid-8th century over an existing Roman-Byzantine construction,
the fortification was never militarily conquered. It fell into a long period of
neglect following the Italian unification, and restoration was begun in 1954.

Salerno, like every
Italian town, boasts an impressive Cathedral and a number of smaller churches. For
a bite to eat, follow your nose through Salerno’s winding streets to any one of
a few dozen restaurants. If you have access to a car, a drive through the
narrow, twisting roads above Salerno is a great way to while away an afternoon.

The Koine’ Hostel is a
mere 10-minute walk from Salerno’s train station, and a cheap and convenient
place to stay at. A bed in a mixed dorm will set you back € 13 (109LE) per
night. Looking for something nicer? Take a quick look through hostelworld.com
for other options.

In the morning you
can grab a quick Italian breakfast – un
cornetto (a pastry) and a cappuccino – at any café and be on your
way in minutes.

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