Rome can be overwhelming. From the Colosseum to the Pantheon and the several (to put it lightly) sites in between the average traveler may find themselves in dire need of a vacation from their vacation. Luckily for those visiting the Eternal city solace and some time for solitude can be found in the old seaport of Ostia Antica. From Rome ’s city center a one euro tram fare can take you the brief 30 minute ride to the coast. Along the way, take note of what real Italy looks like. I’ll give you a warning; it’s not all postcards and pizza. Once you arrive it won’t take long to realize you are in a different sort of city. Quaint and a bit grungy it is easy to miss the understated site of the ancient Ostia Antica ruins. But finding them is well worth one’s while. Spread across three and a half miles these ancient ruins provide a more personal experience with history than is possible at most other major Roman attractions. With no guide, few signs and an abundance of overgrowth what remains of this once bustling city is enlightening to say the least. What would undoubtedly be roped off and encased behind glass in The States is allowed to stand its ground unprotected against nature and tourism as it has done for centuries. During your time there enjoy the slow pace of the site; take in its substantially smaller tour groups and leave time to wander, crawl and climb the maze of ruins with childlike curiosity. A picnic lunch atop the ruins, or nestled between the crumbling walls of the ancient bathhouses is a romantic, should one be so inclined, outing, or simply a time for introspection. On an overcast day this site provides an eerie glimpse into what once was and foresight into what may become of our civilization. (written for my Travel Journalism course while studying abroad in Rome, Italy.)

Everybody who stays more than 4 days in Rome should visit Ostia Antica, Rome's ancient port city. (The Latin "ostium" means "mouth", Ostia was at the mouth of the Tevere - the Tiber River) Here you can get a good Idea what a roman town looked like, you can visit remains of shops, houses (some with second floors), a theatre, warehouses, baths, market hall, wall-paintings, temples, streets, mosaics, gardens, a palace... The ruins are open seven days a week, from 9am (admission 5 Euro). To get there take metro line B to Piramide or Magliana, then take the "Ostia Lido" local train to Ostia Antica. (buy a daily ticket EU 4.00 for metro and train rides.) You can spend a whole day if you want to visit all the ruins.

Wonderful feeling, well preserved site, only Pompei is larger, but this is less well-known, so its less crowded, and you can get a better sense of the place

This is where Ancient Romans used to get most of their nusiness. It was a wonderful place for people to live, work and realx...

Geweldige opgravingen, interessante blik op het verleden