Private Day Trip from Sorrento to Paestum Ancient Temples

Several Doric temples, among the finest in the world, standing much as they did millennia ago.

A private day trip from Sorrento to Paestum, an ancient Greek city in Campania, where you explore three remarkably preserved Doric temples and an archaeological museum with Greek funerary art. Hotel pickup in Sorrento is included; a professional guide meets you at the site for a 2-hour walk through the temples. The tour runs 6 hours total. Temple entrance fees are optional at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Private day trip to Paestum temples

• Hotel pickup in Sorrento
• Travel to Paestum
• Explore Hera Temple
• Visit Neptune Temple
• See Athena Temple
• Tour archaeological area and museum

The Experience

Paestum sits about an hour south of Sorrento, and the drive itself moves through the Campania landscape in a private car or minivan. You're picked up from your hotel or a meeting point in Sorrento, and the journey handles the motorway tolls and parking—nothing to arrange on your end. The site itself was founded by Greek colonists around the 7th century BC as Poseidonia, then became a Roman colony while keeping its Greek bones intact. What you find there now are three temples that have survived better than almost any Greek structures outside Greece itself.

The Neptune Temple, built around 460 BC, is the best-preserved of the three and stands as a masterpiece of Doric architecture—massive, symmetrical, its columns still carrying the weight they've carried for twenty-five centuries. The Hera Temple (also called the Basilica) is older, dating to around 550 BC, and shows a slightly different style. The Athena Temple, constructed around 500 BC, mixes Doric and Ionic elements in a way that marks a shift in how Greek builders were thinking. A professional guide meets you at Paestum and walks you through all three for 2 hours, explaining the history and the architecture without rushing. Beyond the temples, the archaeological area holds city walls, a Roman forum, and a museum that houses pottery, frescoes, and the Tomb of the Diver—the only known example of Greek funerary painting showing a figurative scene, which alone is worth the time inside.

The whole day is built around not having to drive yourself or navigate between sites. You arrive rested, the guide is waiting, and the route through the temples and museum is already planned. Fuel, tolls, parking, and the driver are all included. If you want to enter the temples and museum, you choose that option when you book.

What’s included

• Hotel or meeting point pickup in Sorrento.
• private car or minivan with professional driver.
• motorway tolls and parking.
• 2-hour guided tour of the three temples with a live English-speaking guide at Paestum.
• access to the archaeological site and museum (entrance fees optional at checkout).

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Buyourtour di Amo Italy Travel

Is this one for you?This is a private tour, so you travel without a group and the driver adjusts to your pace—ideal if you want to linger at a temple or spend extra time in the museum without keeping others waiting. The guide meets you at the site rather than traveling with you, which keeps the morning drive relaxed and lets you arrive fresh for the walking portion.

Top questions

What are the three temples at Paestum, and how old are they?

The Neptune Temple, built around 460 BC, is the best-preserved and considered a masterpiece of Doric architecture. The Hera Temple dates to around 550 BC and is the oldest of the three, dedicated to the goddess of marriage and family. The Athena Temple was constructed around 500 BC and blends Doric and Ionic architectural styles.

Does the tour include entrance fees to the temples and museum?

Temple entrance fees are optional—you choose whether to add them when you book. The guide, transportation, and the 2-hour walk through the site are included in the tour price.

How long is the entire day trip from Sorrento?

The full tour runs 6 hours, including hotel pickup in Sorrento, the drive to Paestum, the 2-hour guided walk through the temples, and the return journey.

What is the Tomb of the Diver, and why is it significant?

The Tomb of the Diver is housed in the Paestum museum and is the only known example of Greek funerary painting that depicts a figurative scene. It is a rare surviving example of Greek burial art and a highlight of the archaeological collection.

Will I need to arrange my own transportation to Paestum from Sorrento?

No. Hotel pickup in Sorrento is included, and you travel in a private car or minivan with a professional driver. Motorway tolls and parking are covered, so you have nothing to arrange yourself.