Rome is beautiful in the summertime, but the hustle and bustle surrounding the main attractions and the heat sometimes can be a good reason to escape the city for half a day.
If you are looking for a unique experience and want to really travel back in time, the archaeological site of Ostia Antica lies 15 km from the city of Rome and offers captivating insights into life at the height of the Roman empire. The stroll among the ruins of this city will be even more pleasant with the summer breeze and in the shadows of the pines.
For a few hours you will feel what it was like to be an ancient Roman citizen as Ostia served as the busy port of Rome and still retains the characteristics of a 2nd century A.D. town. The site is still well preserved, with its storehouses for grain, the offices for shippers and traders, bakeries, the theatre, bars, and even ancient public toilets!
You will be able to visit the most representative buildings at Ostia and imagine a typical day in this city that was the final destination of men and goods from all over the Roman Empire.
We will take a glimpse of the life of the Romans by looking at their private villas, their theatre, the main business centre and the temples. The public baths of Neptune still offer splendid mosaics while a private house features its ensuite bathroom! We will discover that take-out restaurants already existed (thermopolium) as most of the people couldn’t afford the luxury of having a private kitchen.
Ostia is a great option for visitors who really would like to try the “ultimate Roman experience” and do not have the time to travel to Pompeii (a 3-hour drive from Rome), being also closer and quieter than Pompeii. The archaeological site of Ostia antica is also very convenient to reach in approximately 30 minutes by train from the Piramide station in Rome and tickets cost only 3 euros (round trip). Your guide will accompany you on this short trip by train.