Visitors can explore numerous stone columns, a large platform (or stylobate), and an inner chamber (or cella) of the Basilica (Hera I). At the Temple of Neptune (Hera II), look closely at the details of the columns, the capitals, and the entablature to appreciate the architectural craftsmanship of the ancient Greeks.

Despite centuries of exposure to the elements, some original decorative features, such as the carved details in the entablature and the pediment, can still be seen at the temple. These artistic details provide a glimpse into the artistry and craftsmanship of the time.

Although not as well-preserved as the temple, in front of the temple of Hera II, the remains of the altar can be observed. This is where sacrifices and other rites would have been performed in honor of the goddess Hera.

Constructed around 550 BCE, this is the older of the two Hera temples in Paestum. Originally, it was believed to be a basilica, hence the name, but later it was identified as a temple dedicated to Hera. This temple is Doric and peripteral (surrounded by a single row of columns), with nine columns on the short sides and eighteen on the long ones. The interior was divided into a nave and two aisles by two rows of columns, a design typically seen in later basilicas but rare for a Greek temple.

Often referred to as the Temple of Neptune – a misnomer from early archaeologists – this temple is actually a second temple dedicated to Hera and was constructed around 460-450 BCE. It is larger and better preserved than Hera I, and it represents the pinnacle of the Doric order in its proportions and refinement of detail. This temple is also peripteral, with six columns along the short sides and fourteen along the long ones. The temple stands on a three-stepped platform and has a central cella with pronaos (front porch) and opisthodomos (rear porch), but unlike the Temple of Hera I, it does not have an internal row of columns.