Foce Del Sele: Natural Landscape and Hera Sanctuary

Foce Del Sele combines a protected landscape of dunes and pine forests with the Hera Sanctuary at the mouth of the Sele. Archaeological traces and various forms of interpretation also shape the area. If you are looking for a hotel in Foce Del Sele, you can plan your trip around whether you mainly want to explore the landscape or learn about the cult of Hera and its places of worship.

Dunes, Pine Forests and Protected Areas

The protected area includes the belts of dunes and pine forests on both sides of the mouth of the Sele. The Foce Sele-Tanagro nature reserve also extends along the coast and the pine forest behind it in the municipalities of Capaccio-Paestum and Eboli, as well as along the Sele, Tanagro and Calore rivers. It includes four Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and two Special Protection Areas (SPAs). They help protect rare and endangered plant and animal species.

The landscape and its protected areas give your stay a clear focus on nature. At the same time, the Hera Sanctuary offers a different perspective on the river mouth: a visitor trail there draws attention to the connection between the sanctuary, the river landscape and the memory of the cult of Hera.

The Trail along the Sele and the Hera Sanctuary

The visitor trail “Il tempio al confine – Hera e il paesaggio del Sele” is located at the Santuario di Hera at the mouth of the Sele. It presents the thousand-year-old connection between the sanctuary, the river landscape and the memory of the cult of Hera. Its route follows a bend in the Sele; wooden posts and ropes guide visitors along the paths. The Hera Sanctuary has information panels, tactile maps and rest areas.

The Heraion is an ancient sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Hera. The places of worship span the period from the founding of the Greek colony of Poseidonia around 600 BC to the founding of the Latin colony in 273 BC. This long chronology is brought to life by several series of metopes: the exceptional first series of sculpted metopes is dated to around 570 to 560 BC. A later cycle dates from the end of the 6th century BC and depicts pairs of dancers in the Ionic style.

Giardino di Hera and Interpretation

The Giardino di Hera features plants documented at the ancient sanctuary. These include pomegranate trees, oaks, myrtle, lavender and rosemary. The selection provides another link to the area’s recorded history. The Museo narrante di Hera Argiva uses other forms of interpretation, including films, three-dimensional reconstructions, video installations, sound effects and explanatory panels.

You can plan your stay around your interests: the trail follows the bend in the river and connects the landscape with the memory of the cult of Hera, while the places of worship and metopes offer specific historical and artistic themes. The garden and museum complement these impressions in different ways.

Plan Your Visit and Journey

A notice published on 2 January 2026 lists visits to the archaeological site and the Giardino di Hera on Saturdays at 11 am, or at 10 am from May to August, and on Sundays at 3 pm, or at 5 pm from May to August. Visits are accompanied by civil service volunteers trained by the parks. The notice also states that reservations are mandatory: admission is included in the ticket to the Paestum and Velia Archaeological Parks and in the Paestum&Velia pass. Check visiting times and reservation instructions before you travel.

An announcement dated 30 April 2026 stated that, from 3 May 2026, a free shuttle bus would run on Sundays from the Paestum archaeological site to the Santuario di Hera at the Sele; reservations are mandatory. As timetables and availability may change, check the latest departure times and reservation requirements before travelling.

For the broader travel guide: Capaccio.