While constructed similar to Pompeii city, Ostia offers a much broader panorama of life for the average Roman from the end of I A.D, the reason why is nowadays called the better Pompeii. You will be overwhelmed by the size and beauty of the city.
Ostia Antica is one of the most fascinating (and most underrated) attractions in Italy. The remains of this Ancient Roman port town are just half an hour away from Rome, yet they tend to be mysteriously overlooked by the majority of tourists. However, their loss is your gain – join a small group tour of Ostia Antica and explore the evocative, labyrinthine ruins of this intriguing town. [readmore]
After meeting your group in central Rome, you’ll travel to Ostia Antica and join your guide for an in-depth, 4-hour tour of the archaeological site. With a group size limited to 12, this is an intimate tour, where you’ll have the opportunity to chat to your guide and ask questions.
Ostia Antica resembles Pompeii, but without the crowds. And unlike Pompeii, Ostia Antica was not destroyed; the town fell into a slow decline over the centuries. At its peak, in the 2nd and 3rd centuries, Ostia Antica was home to 100,000 people and a busy port, but it slowly transformed from a commercial town into a country retreat for wealthy Romans. It was plundered by pirates in the Battle of Ostia, and then abandoned completely.
On your Ostia Antica tour you’ll get an insight into the life and times of the Ancient Roman town, exploring the well-preserved remains of some of its most important buildings, such as the impressive theatre (still in use today), grand temples like the Capitolium, and the thermal baths with their beautiful mosaics.
Your guide will also take you off the beaten path, showing you humble buildings like shops, bakeries and brothels, which offer a glimpse into the daily life of ordinary people. Look out for the ancient “fast food restaurant”, with its painted menu still visible, and the laundrette where workers would have used urine as a detergent…
Read moreTour is held on Tuesday-Thursday-Friday-Saturday
Please don’t forget to wear comfortable shoes and you can take a sun cream for hot days
We encourage those with walking disabilities to book a private tour, in order to allow the guide to adapt the pace to their specific needs
Please come to the meeting point in advance, in order to catch the train