Cilento and Vallo di Diano The Cilento is a cultural landscape
that has blossomed in prehistoric times and the Middle Ages.
Because of its geographical location, it played an important
role in Mediterranean trade, culture and politics. Colonization
by the Greeks started here in the 7th century BC, as part of the
development of Magna Graecia (the towns founded by Greeks along
the coast of South Italy and Sicily). Agropoli and Poseidonia
were among these new colonies, later followed by Elea. Most of
the towns and trading routes fell into decline after the region
became part of the jurisdiction of Rome (3rd century BC). Only
in the Middle Ages these revived, and castles and religious
buildings were added to the landscape that is characterized by
its east-west mountain ranges and favourable climate. Visit
January 2005 From my hotel in Paestum, I explored this rather
large area in two stages. On the first day I visited the
archaeological remains in Paestum itself. The ancient Greek
buildings are in an unbelievable