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Excursions Outside RomeOstia Antica | Pompeii | Umbria | Florence Ranking
the Top Attractions | Suggested
Itineraries Complete Index of Articles on Rome/Italy Ostia Antica
While not as well preserved as Pompeii, if Pompeii's a 10 on the archaeology scale, Ostia's an 8 or 9 ... and holds other advantages not held by Pompeii. Pompeii in its day was the equivalent of The Hamptons on Long Island ... a summer place of villas cooled by the breezes off the Mediterranean. While it has much of interest it's far less typical of Roman cities. To the contrary, Ostia was a working city, the port of Rome. With few if any villas, it has instead a wealth of the Roman equivalent of what you'd find in a modern day small city: apartment blocks, taverns, groceries, warehouses, churches, public toilets, civic buildings, theater. Pompeii perished in a relative instant nearly 2000 years ago. Ostia, on the other hand, continued to thrive for another 300 years or so until silting of the Tiber river mouth grew to the point that the city was too far from the water to be a port. This extended life provides more historical depth and added architectural diversity to the site compared to its better-known cousin to the south.
The signage, once only in Latin that even Italians couldn't read, has been upgraded to the most informative in Rome. The Roman Forum and Palatine may be more 'important', but the relative preservation and signage at Ostia combine to make it more rewarding in terms of understanding ancient cities and their buildings than anything in Rome except the 'plastico' in the EUR museum.
That museum should be near the excavation entrance since you can buy guidebooks there. Unfortunately it is not. You might mosey over there early in your visit (you can see the building from the entrance along the property line to the right and way back) and select a guide. Alternatively, see if you can find a guidebook in the city before you come out to the site. (You'll find some, often sold by sidewalk vendors, with transparent overlays helping you associate what the buildings look like now with their original appearance.)
We find the tombs interesting but suggest you save them for later in the day when you've had a chance to survey the scope of the city and determine what you want to see in the time you've planned. On our first visit to Ostia we spent almost our entire allotted time climbing among the tombs, not discovering the real city until close to time to leave! Don't fall into that trap. |
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It's quite easy to journey to and from and scamper quickly among some of the more important areas in a morning or afternoon, though get an early start. Better, plan on a full day. Its' just a marvelous site, and despite perhaps a half-dozen visits we not quite gotten to all the spots we should, and do not yet fully understand all that is there.
Walter has assembled directions on getting to Ostia, a bit different than ours, but equally valid and a bit more detailed. As well, he describes some aspects of Ostia beyond those we cite above. You'll find his notes quite interesting and helpful. Florence
The Galleria degli Uffizi is among the great museums of the world, and you won't want to miss Michaelangelo's David and his tomb figures. The Museum of the Duomo (Cathedral) is among the more worthwhile often-overlooked sights. Pompeii
Either way, it's only a day trip. Naples is bit under two hours from Roma Termini; change to the (private) Circumvesuviana line (via a short walk through the tunnel) for the local to Pompeii. The station (Pompeii Scavi - Villa dei Misteri) is a short walk from the excavations.
Much of the remains, as in Rome, are more suggestive than substantial. Nonetheless there are some real treasures as a result of burial under feet of earth and ash for over 17 centuries. Below one of the more amusing sights:
"Cave Canem" in mosaic (with Canem) in the walkway On your way back to Naples you could stop off at Herculaneum (station: Ercolano Scavi) for yet more well-preserved city remains. If you have an extra day or so, stay in Naples and visit the museum where the best of Pompeii's and Herculaneum's treasures are on display. Arguably a visit to the museum is more important than visiting the excavations, but probably not as much fun, nor as inspiring. A guide book to the sites is helpful, even with a guide. Baldassare Conticello's published by De Agostini is usually available and quite good. Our friend Walter has put together a step-by-step description of getting to these sites. Umbria
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n good
weather, and with at least 4 full days in Rome, we'd surely visit Ostia Antica, the
ancient port of Rome. It's one of our favorite places 'in' Rome. 'Ancient Ostia' has had
no continuing construction for over 1500 years and so gives a far better idea than Rome of
the appearance of an ancient city.
stia is little known to
most travelers, and therein may lie its greatest advantages:
hile 'well preserved' is relative
there is much to be seen, and with just a bit of imagination you'll find the city coming
alive. An ancient bar, without roof but with offerings ready, is just one evocative
memento of the past.
The
Ostia museum has an excellent collection of important pieces preserved from the
excavations, and you'll see streets, apartments, warehouses, shops, public outhouses,
baths and the like just more or less as they were seen by the inhabitants two millennia
ago.
s important
to us as the educational value, it's a quite romantic setting with the architectural
remains nestled among umbrella pines. This is one of the best, though least-visited sites
of Rome, and one of the most under-visited worthwhile spots in Europe. If your time in
Rome is short, save 6-7 hours of travel and visit Ostia Antica instead of Pompeii.
o take a picnic and
eat among the ruins. The only source of food is outside the property and is not
recommendable. 
ake a day trip to Florence. A 'proper'
visit takes at least two full days, but you can skim the surface and see a lot with an
early morning train. You'll have from 10:30a.m. until 7:00p.m. before a train back to
Rome. The art is wonderful, and Julie finds the gold jewelry on the Ponte
Vecchio interesting. 
ompeii
Roman
life and times. Covered for 1800 years with hardened volcanic ash, it's easy to imagine a
living city at the start of this era. You can take one of the organized bus tours, or an
early morning train. 
Rome
to Pompeii schedules are on the
to a home. It translates, of course, as "Beware the
Dog."
marvelous view of the town, and fine food cooked over an open fire while you watch.
Orvieto's cathedral is an excellent example of Romanesque architecture. Only an hour by
train from Rome. 
in Italy and the church for
centuries. They caused to be built at their country villa a water garden, unequaled in
past or present. Lovely, peaceful, and a marvelous piece of engineering as well as garden
architecture.