OSTIO Belarus Italy Kazakhstan Portugal Armenia Russian Federation Romania Bulgaria Uzbekistan Its three largest sets of public baths were the result of imperial generosity. At the end of Via dei Vigili, on the left, are the Watchmen's Barracks from the second century AD, with a large central courtyard. Often nicknamed ?the poor man?s Pompei?, Ostia Antica is the perfect choice for an easy day trip from Rome and remains wonderfully quiet, even in high season. To get to Ostia Antica, take the tram, bus, or Metro line B to the Piramide stop. You might also want to bring your own food and eat at the small picnic area (or buy a drink and sit at the cafe tables). It is dominated by a castle, Castello di Giulio II, built in 1486 to protect the harbor. You can explore the Roman end of Via Ostiense with our guide: Itinerary: Museo Della Via Ostiense to the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls. Rooms are stylishly furnished, and there's an attractive pool area with waterfalls; parking is free. As statues of daddy and grandpa were common in the corner of any proper house, many survive today. The easiest way to travel to the beach is by taking the metro line B (Laurentina) to Basilica San Paolo or EUR Magliana and then take a short 1 minute walk to the train station. A one or two storey square room, often surrounded by an enclosure; barrel vault ceilings or flat roofs; facades made up of bricks adorned with triangular gables, plinths, lesene, columns and capitals; small windows and doors framed with travertine thresholds, jambs and epistyles. The statue of Cupid and Psyche in the house is a reproduction; the marble original is now in the archaeological museum. They also provide important information about the social organisation of Portus and its inhabitants, the Portuenses: they were mostly middle-class people, merchants, small businessmen, freedmen, as reflected in the bas-reliefs on the facades of the tombs, a clear expression of popular contemporay art. An oven made of tufa stones on top of a brick base is almost five meters thick. Three rows of marble steps near the orchestra still stand out; they used to be for big shots. Once you've departed your train at the Ostia Antica stop, take the stairs down that get you across the tracks, head straight out the station and over the blue pedestrian bridge, where signs will lead you to the excavations. On some facades, for instance, next to the deceased?s inscriptions were representations of an obstetrician delivering a baby, a surgeon performing surgical operations, a metalworker, a hardware dealer, a grain merchant, etc. A very good and inexpensive restaurant is Ristorante Cipriani, which serves a typical Italian two-course meal with water and coffee for a mere 10 euros. Roman religion revered the man of the house (and his father and grandfather). The toilets at Ostia are of marble and line three sides of the enclosed space. This beach is similar to Ostia beach whereby it is split up into two sections; one free area and one area that you have to pay for. Today, the modern Ostia lies just a few kilometers from the Ancient town due to the siltation of materials carried by the continuous flow of the waters, whereas the old town is now abandoned and turned into an incredibly well preserved archaeological site. Wandering around the ruins today, you can see the remains of the docks, warehouses, apartment flats, mansions, shopping arcades, and baths — all giving a peek at Roman lifestyles. It is still used today in the summertime for evening shows. I marvel also at how few visitors make the simple 20-mile trip from downtown Rome to what I consider the most underappreciated sight in all of Italy. Legend has it that Ostia Antica was founded at the mouth of the Tiber in the 7th century BC by king Ancus Marciusto to protect Rome from attacks coming via the sea. But few places will give you a more typical experience of Italian beach culture. Like most bathhouses of that period, these are richly adorned by mosaic floors. The easiest way to travel to this beach is by starting your journey at Termini train station (Rome’s main train station), here you can buy a return regional train ticket from Rome to Santa Severa (Direction Civitavecchia) which will take around 1 hour. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you?ve provided to them or that they?ve collected from your use of their services. Along its sidewalk, second-century AD mosaics advertise the services offered by the various shops — a lighthouse symbolizes the port of Ostia and an elephant marks the office of traders from Africa. It starts at the Porta Paolo, one of the ancient gates that is an entrance to Rome from Ostia. On the first Sunday of each month, the site is open for free. As this is a very popular beach, there are plenty of amenities that you may need making it extremely easy to go to if you’re visiting Italy. The entrance to the ruins is a short walk (well signposted) from the Ostia Antica rail station, and audio tours are available in English. Santa Severa, named after its homonymous martyr, is believed to have been an ancient Roman port under the name of Pyrgi, whose tower stood tall and uninterruptedly inhabited between the 7 th century BC and the 5 th century AD. I'd like to take a moment to thank the mud that eventually buried Ostia, protecting it from the ravages of time — and from stone-scavenging medieval peasants. The gateway is in excellent condition, and the area has a two-story arcaded courtyard. Add 3 euros and you can have a very decent half-liter of wine. The modern seaside resort, Lido di Ostia, is about 3 miles (5 km) southwest of the ancient city. Only a bit farther away from Ostia Antica, but conveniently located in the center of Fumicino, Seccy Hotel Boutique has well-appointed rooms and public areas, and an excellent included breakfast buffet. We aim to provide you top-quality services and memorable experiences in our beautiful city. Over the centuries, Ostia's ground level rose, and the road was elevated. You might also want to bring your own food and eat at the small picnic area (or buy a drink and sit at the cafe tables). If you prefer, there is an excellent video by the same author, Jan Theo Bakker: Ostia explored 2. Disney Magic - Western Mediterranean Cruise Travel Log. The trains run every 10-15 minutes and takes about 30 minutes to arrive at the Ostia Antica stop. A visit to Ostia, however, gives the visitor a better idea of how Romans built cities. You'll be able to climb to the top of apartment buildings called insule to peer down into street-level bars and snack shops. Tips and Tours: How to Make the Most of Your Visit to Ostia. Augustine, returning to Africa with his mother, Monica, stayed in Ostia, not Portus. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you?ve provided to them or that they?ve collected from your use of their services. Or you can just stroll along the Pontile di Ostia, a boardwalk, and stop for gelato or a cool drink. Fine marble steps — great for lounging — led to the pools. Here is a guide to one of Rome?s most underated treasures. The sea theme of the baths, with fish, mermaids, and Neptune gives them their name. History Rome conquered the nearby Etruscan town of Veio in the 4th century BC and developed it into a militiary base named Ostia, from the Latin ?ostium. It used to be the main seaport of the Roman Empire, the gateway to Rome for the grains, the marble and other important products that were imported by sea from Egypt, Spain and other rich provinces. A visit to Ostia Antica in the summer can also be combined with a trip to the nearby beach resort of Ostia by taking the same train onwards to the Ostia Lido stop. The archaeological site is vast and much less crowded with tourists than Pompeii. At the height of Ostia?s prosperity in the early 2nd century ce, its population was approximately 50,000. These brilliant mosaics are inspired by mythical characters such as mermaids and sea creatures and the God Neptune, who gave his name to these marvellous Baths. Not only is the transportation from Rome included, but you'll see the ruins with a knowledgeable guide who can help bring the ancient city to life. Often nicknamed ?the poor man?s Pompei?, Ostia Antica is the perfect choice for an easy day trip from Rome and remains wonderfully quiet, even in high season. The easiest way to travel to the beach is by taking the metro line B (Laurentina) to Basilica San Paolo or EUR Magliana and then take a short 1 minute walk to the train station. There are many, many streets and alleys to walk on a visit to Ostia Antica. The beaches near the castle are a bit more remote with mostly locals visiting the beach, so you won?t find the same amount of amenities and stabilimenti you might find in Ostia, but you can still find some restaurants and bars. When Rome developed a navy, Ostia became a naval station, and during the Punic Wars (264?201 bce ) it served as the main fleet base on the west coast of Italy. As the empire expanded, Ostia thrived and by the end of the 2nd century AD it had reached its maximum population of approximately 50,000, necessitating the construction of more residential and social spaces alongside the warehouses and functional buildings. Ostia is rather like a ghost town abandoned in recent times, as you can see from the picture above; you can almost imagine the people in the picture coming home from work. Be sure to give yourself enough time in Termini train station as it can take a while to purchase your ticket and to walk to the platform as the train is normally located on one of the furthest away trains which can take around 5-10 minutes to walk to. Herculanus? Church Necropolis and basilica (Pianabella) Laurentina Necropolis. Unauthorized duplication in part or whole without prior written consent prohibited by international laws. Once you arrive at the train station it is a 5 minute walk to the beach. From the viewpoint overlooking the Baths of Neptune you can see a fine mosaic of Neptune riding four horses through roller-coaster waves. The excavated city, which dates mainly from the second to fourth centuries AD, gives a vivid picture of urban life in Imperial Rome. On Sunday at 11 and noon, you can visit inside the castle free, which is worth doing. We will explore the thermal baths and amazingly intact public toilets. There are a range of restaurants and small shops where you can pick up any sun cream or towels that you may need, there’s even some lovely bars where you can pick up an aperol spritz to enjoy on the beach. Legend has it that Ostia Antica was founded at the mouth of the Tiber in the 7th century BC by king Ancus Marciusto to protect Rome from attacks coming via the sea. Later, around 400 BC, Rome conquered Ostia and made it a naval base, complete with a fort. The sea theme of the baths, with fish, mermaids, and Neptune gives them their name. A Roman bakery explained, which shows the kneading machines and how they worked. FUNDRAISING Art Bonus What is Art Bonus Tax benefits How to donate Our projects Ostia, step by step, a journey to travel together. Our pages on Visiting Pompeii and Visiting Herculaneum will guide you to the top sights. We will absolutely sugget this tour to our friends. Tips and Tours: How to Make the Most of Your Visit to Ostia. At the time of writing, a single 1.50 euro metro ticket will get you from central Rome to the excavations at Ostia, where a ten euro ticket will get you into the site. His successors, Emperor Claudius and Trajan, kept on renovating this valuable city by building up a harbour each. Walking along the main drag, you can identify buildings from the Republic (centuries before Christ) and the Empire (centuries after Christ) by their level.