Pompeii- Cheese Farm

[mistyraj]

Hi

 

I'm wondering if anyone has done this tour recently? It is a tour and demonstration of making fresh mozzarella.

 

I would be doing it on my own- I have contacted the owner and it is €3 pp.

 

I need to travel to Paestum train station. Can anyone help on how I do this?

 

Thanks

[twin123185]

Paestum from where? It's a 75 minute train ride from Naples. From Pompei it's a longer ride unless you get the rare train where you don't have to change.

Edited October 20, 2015 by twin123185

[cruisemom42]

Can you give a little more info? There are dozens of different tours in this region but this isn't one I've heard of....

 

If you are porting in Naples, Paestum is a long way off (and not exactly close to Pompeii). Are they giving you a tour just of their operations? Or a tour of Pompeii and their farm? Or....???

[Bobal]

If you're docking in Salerno, Paestum is a very easy journey on the train. We did a really nice trip there where we explored the ruins and then visited a mozarella farm - there are several all close to the Paestum site and the train station.

 

We didn't do an organised tour with demonstration (just missed it) but we wandered into the farm, saw the buffalos and had lunch in the cafe with the most delicious mozarella imaginable :D

Edited October 20, 2015 by Bobal

[mistyraj]

Thanks for the replies so far. The cruise itinerary says Naples, Pompeii if that helps (NCL Epic). The tour doesn't include anything else, just a tour of the farm and demonstration with optional lunch at the restaurant. It seems the cheese farm may be a distance away and therefore difficult to go to? I prefer to do non tourist things so if anyone has any other suggestions, they would be welcome.

[cruisemom42]

Thanks for the replies so far. The cruise itinerary says Naples, Pompeii if that helps (NCL Epic). The tour doesn't include anything else, just a tour of the farm and demonstration with optional lunch at the restaurant. It seems the cheese farm may be a distance away and therefore difficult to go to? I prefer to do non tourist things so if anyone has any other suggestions, they would be welcome.

 

Yes, if you are docking in Naples (Pompeii is not a port), then Paestum is not easy for a cruise traveler to get to on your own and I certainly wouldn't do it just to tour one of the mozzarella farms, with so much else to do in the area.

 

Trains (the only realistic option unless you plan to rent a car and drive) are infrequent. There's one departing Naples at 8:53 am and then no others until 12:25. The trip takes about 75 minutes, give or take. Then you'd have to get from the train station (very small) to the location for your tour.

 

Returns are also infrequent. There is one at 2:15 pm and then at 3:00 pm. I wouldn't look at anything later than that.

 

As I said above, there are a great number of things to do in this area. I'd be interested to know what you consider "tourist things" -- keeping in mind that the reason some things are frequented by tourists is because they are very worth seeing. :cool:

[mistyraj]

I like doing things 'off the beaten path'- things I wouldn't normally experience or see.

[cruisemom42]

I like doing things 'off the beaten path'- things I wouldn't normally experience or see.

 

Well.....Pompeii is certainly something people wouldn't normally experience or see. (There are very few extensively preserved Roman towns destroyed by a volcanic eruption -- in fact, there are only two. ;)), but not sure if you would consider it touristy.

 

You can take the local commuter train to get there (and experience a slice of 'real life' Campania, much different than an air-conditioned drive in a tour bus full of tourists). It's pretty easy -- many times the detailed instructions have been given here.

 

Or you can wander Naples and experience the real 'pizza napoletano', see some beautiful Baroque churches, do an Underground tour that includes a bit of everything from WWII tunnels to the ancient theatre where emperor Nero once performed....

 

Without a good idea of what you like, it's a little difficult to suggest things. There are many other options: Herculaneum, Amalfi Coast drive, Capri, Naples Archaeological Museum, the royal palace at Caserta, etc.

[blueboro]

We recently did an excursion with Celebrity from Naples that went to Pompeii and included the visit to the "farm" in Sorrento. It was on the side of a hill and very compact. They grew grapes, lemons, had a few heads of cattle and more. We really enjoyed it because we had a mozzarella making demo and then were each served a plate that included fresh mozzarella (so good!), tomatoes, sausage/prosciutto, olives and bread and wine. There was no additional cost for this. We also had free samples of limoncello and limoncello cream. We did purchase a delicious of limoncello cake for 2 euro. It was a short visit but enjoyable.

[texancruzer]

We recently did an excursion with Celebrity from Naples that went to Pompeii and included the visit to the "farm" in Sorrento. It was on the side of a hill and very compact. They grew grapes, lemons, had a few heads of cattle and more. We really enjoyed it because we had a mozzarella making demo and then were each served a plate that included fresh mozzarella (so good!), tomatoes, sausage/prosciutto, olives and bread and wine. There was no additional cost for this. We also had free samples of limoncello and limoncello cream. We did purchase a delicious of limoncello cake for 2 euro. It was a short visit but enjoyable.

 

YUM, my mouth is watering :o

[samavarcruiser]

Thanks for the replies so far. The cruise itinerary says Naples, Pompeii if that helps (NCL Epic). The tour doesn't include anything else, just a tour of the farm and demonstration with optional lunch at the restaurant. It seems the cheese farm may be a distance away and therefore difficult to go to? I prefer to do non tourist things so if anyone has any other suggestions, they would be welcome.

 

Why you don't choose to do a private tour and see what you really interested to see :confused:

[mistyraj]

Private tours I have seen are expensive and over our budget unfortunately

[euro cruiser]

Forgive me if I'm being obtuse here but what part of a cheese making demonstration isn't geared toward tourists? You don't think that folks who've lived in the region all of their lives are spending time and money to do this, do you?

 

I'm not saying that this isn't a interesting thing to do, only that it is of course a tourist thing. Why would that make it less desirable?

 

Anyway, you say you've been in touch with the owner so obviously you know where this place is. If you'd share the location we can help you figure out how to do this DIY, which is the most budget-friendly way.

Edited November 1, 2015 by euro cruiser

[mistyraj]

I should have been more specific when describing what my preference is! I prefer to do things off the beaten path, less touristy things, something different. Hope that clarifies that.

 

In terms of location, we would need to get to Paestum train station, as mentioned in my original post. The owner has offered to pick us up from there.

[euro cruiser]

Okay, starting from the cruise port exit the port walking toward the city. Cross Via Cristoforo Colombo and continue to walk up Piazza Municipio to the new Municipio metro station entrance. (Depending on when you travel a new entrance even closer to the port may be open, these directions apply to what is available today.)

 

Take the metro (linea 1, direction Garibaldi) two stops to Garibaldi. (Again, this is current information. They are working on the Duomo stop so in the future it will be three stops to Garibaldi. At any event, it's the end of the line.)

 

Go upstairs to Napoli Centrale and take a regional train to Paestum. There are only three in the morning (Monday - Saturday, Sunday is another story) at 7:25, 7:55, and 8:53. The ride takes about an hour and a quarter.

 

The train station in Paestum is tiny and unmanned so it's a good idea to buy your return tickets in the morning at Napoli Centrale.

 

What time does this event end? Depending on your "all-aboard" time you may not have a lot of choice about return trains.