14) Archaeological Park of Cumae

14. Cumae Archaeological Park

The first mainland Greek colony. It includes the lower city and the Acropolis. Here, myth and history merge.

Cumae is the place where the history of Western civilization in Italy began. Founded in the 8th century BC by Greek colonists from Euboea, it was the first Greek colony on the mainland. The Archaeological Park is an immense site that encompasses the Acropolis (the upper city) and the lower city. Walking in Cumae means exploring three thousand years of history, from the first Greek settlements to the Roman transformation, up to the partial Christianization of the temples.

The ascent to the Acropolis takes place along the Via Sacra, a paved road that offers spectacular views of the sea and the islands of Ischia and Procida. Along the way, you'll encounter Greek fortifications, dry-stone walls that have withstood millennia of sieges. The lower city, meanwhile, preserves the remains of the Roman forum, the baths, and the Capitoline Hill. Cumae was famous throughout antiquity not only for its commercial power but also as a major religious center. Visiting the park gives the impression of being in a "border" between the worlds of man and the gods, an atmosphere charged with mysticism that has fascinated poets like Virgil and travelers throughout the ages.