The temples of Paestum were built by Greek colonists when they invaded the South Italian mainland and established a city called Poseidonia, dedicated to the god of the sea. The temples have never fallen in the past 3,000 years, though they were lost for centuries beneath the once swampy ground and overgrown plants and trees.

One of the most important stops on The Grand Tour, Paestum today, is one of the world's most awe-inspiring archaeological parks and is never crowded. A guided tour of Paestum includes the Greek and Roman history as well as Paestum's importance during World War II when this was the site of Operation Avalanche and the Allies' first point ashore in South Italy.

You will also see the famous Tomb of the Diver, only found in the 1960s.