I heard from many friends that Naples is too congested and aggressive for your typical American driver… but I’m wondering if I pick up a rental car in Salerno to visit Paestum and nearby agriturism sites. Is the driving between Salerno and Paestum and Capaccio more “normal”?
We are always interested in dairies so if anyone has advice on farms or cheese and wine shops/ stops in that area, we’re thinking to spend 2 nights there.
Salerno to Paestum is straightforward. You will wind up on a dusty 2 lane road with plenty of heavy trucks, but the road is straight and easy.
Yep you'll have no trouble with that.
The most famous place is Vannulo, which you would need the car for: https://uncorkedinitaly.com/vannulo-pioneering-organic-mozzarella-in-paestum/
We walked to Barlotti from Paestum, more about that one here: https://www.deliciousitaly.com/campania-naples-food/buffalo-mozzarella-production-near-paestum
It's not a difficult drive, at all.
I'e done the tour at Vannulo and recommend; check to see times for the English=language tour. They have a nice cafe where you can have bufala-milk yogurt, ice cream, etc--and you can also buy cheeses.
But there are also other cheese makers that you can visit without a fee, if you have a car. To watch the process of cheese making, it's usually better to go early in the morning. If you have more than a day there, just stop by any cheese maker you come across and ask if you can watch them making the cheeses the following day, and ask what time you should be there. IF they allow this, It's good to buy some cheeses from them.
In addition to Vannulo, I watched the process at this shop, and bought cheeses to keep in the mini bar.
Masseria Lupata, via Porta Marina, Paestum. Phone: 0828.722.002.
We have picked up from Salerno our past 2 trips (most recent - last month); very easy and if you are arriving at the Salerno train station all the car rental companies are right there at the station or within a couple of walkable blocks. We have picked up in Naples once and there is no comparison -Salerno is much easier.
While Paestum was not our destination, the route we took out of Salerno is the same route you would take to Paestum. We did this just a few weeks ago and I cannot recall if we paid a toll on the autostrada or not but it was easy- just make sure you are not in the electronic toll lane. The lanes are clearly signed with pictograms so it is easy to figure out. You can pay with card or cash—both paper and coin euros.
Would I want to drive around Naples (or Rome or Bologna)? Nope! But two years ago I rented a car near the railroad station in Naples at about 9am. No problems driving out of the city as rush hour was over and most traffic was heading into the city, not out. Saved a lot of time by not taking the train to Salerno to pick up a car.
Great B&B at reasonable price in Paestum is B&B La Chora Di Paestum. Wonderful rooms, great breakfast, minutes away from the museum and archaeological site. And beware - there’s a ZTL near the museum and another one at the south end of the site. Ristorante Bistrot 73 is a great little restaurant on Via Tavernelle.
We've driven in both Naples and Salerno. It is an easy drive from Salerno to Paestum as mentioned. Just outside of Salerno is a fabulous museum in Pontecagnano. Lots of Etruscan relics there and worth visiting. We also visited the farm and caseificio here....https://www.tavernapenta.it/en/dairy/. A great experience and its been in the family for hundreds of years - saw land purchase deed from 1600s and pictures of his grandfather with the King of Italy.
