Parco di Cuma
Bacoli
KnownHistory & archaeology

The story
The oldest Greek colony in Italy, with the temples of Apollo and Jupiter stretched across the acropolis between pines and sea, where history begins in silence.
Access
€
The story
Cumae was the oldest Greek colony of mainland Italy: founded by settlers from Chalcis, from here Parthenope and then Neapolis were born. For centuries a power of the Tyrrhenian, it later fell under the Samnites and the Romans. Its excavations, on the acropolis facing the sea, are part of the Archaeological Park of the Campi Flegrei.
What to see
The acropolis keeps the remains of the temples of Apollo and Jupiter, turned into early-Christian basilicas, and the Cave of the Sibyl carved into the tuff. From above, the panorama sweeps over the Flegrean coastline. It is the place where Greece set foot in Italy.
Tips
It is an open-air archaeological park, with ups and downs: comfortable shoes, water and a hat in summer. Check openings and ticket on the official channels, bearing in mind the Flegrean bradyseism. To be combined with the Cave of the Sibyl, which is here, and the other sites of the Campi Flegrei.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Cumae important?
It is the oldest Greek colony of mainland Italy: from here Parthenope and Neapolis, today's Naples, were born.
What is there to see in the Park of Cumae?
The acropolis with the temples of Apollo and Jupiter and the Cave of the Sibyl, facing the Flegrean coastline.
Where is Cumae?
In the territory of Pozzuoli, in the area of the Campi Flegrei.
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