Ostia Antica

If you can’t go to Pompei or Herculaneum, there is always Ostia Antica only 30 km from Rome.

In Roman times, Ostia was the main seaport for goods coming to Rome. More than that, it became a seaside retreat for wealthy Romans. It was attacked, burnt, ransacked and rebuilt several times but eventually abandoned by the time of the decline of Rome, about 500 AD. Unlike Pompei, it was not buried under ash and lava, just under layers of earth over the centuries. It is still under excavation, and it is estimated that 2/3 still remain to be discovered.

The walk along the main road gives a vivid impression of the layout of a large city, and the sites include the amphitheatre, several temples, the town hall (Capitolium), the fire station, warehouses, blocks of flats, and a “latrinarium” where going to the bathroom was a very social affair.

At the time of our visit (March 2021) Covid restrictions meant that some of the sights, and the museum, were not accessible, and several of the mosaics were under protective cover.

Still, it was a worth-while day trip, finished with a “pranzo” at one of the restaurants on the Lido di Ostia. Highly recommendable.