Intro:
You will be picked up from your hotel at 9am and returned at 1pm. Earlier or later pick up times can be arranged at your request. You will spend one half day touring this ancient and fascinating city. You may also opt to stay longer for an additional, modest fee.

You will travel with Stefano Rome Tours just a short 30 minutes from Rome, and then find yourself amidst the ruins of the ancient Roman city, Ostia Antica.

At its earliest (1400-400 BC), the city was located at the mouth of the river Tiber, but due to silting, it is now situated approximately 3 kilometers from the river. The word “Ostia” means “mouth”; referring to the mouth of the Tiber River.

Ancient tradition suggests that Ostia was founded by the fourth king of Rome, Ancus Marcius, who was believed to have ruled in the late seventh century BC. No archeological remains have been found from this period, and if there was a settlement, it would have been a small city, not a village.

Most of the buildings that have been excavated were built in the first half of the second century, when such notable kings such as Trajan and Hadrian ruled. Due to the addition of a harbor district, Ostia was rich and prosperous until the Severan period in the early third century. During this time, Ostia’s population was roughly 50,000 people, including 17,000 slaves.

While exploring the ruins, you will see the fascinating remains of many different types of buildings and establishments. These include:

Apartments buildings, with two or three upper floors
The so-called medianum-apartments, the habitations of the commercial middle class
Domus, the houses of the upper class
Hotels, brothels, bars and hundreds of shops
Baths and communal latrines
The seats of guilds
Workshops, such as bakeries and fulleries
Store buildings
Public buildings
Temples and little shrines, dedicated to traditional and oriental deities
Wall-paintings
Mosaics
Sculpture
Graffiti
One of Ostia’s most striking features are the baths found throughout the city, some being very large with expensive decorations.
From the fifteenth to eighteenth century, the ruins were searched by foreign visitors for inscriptions and statues. These made their way to private collections in England, France, Portugal, Spain and Russia. They are now mostly in national museums.
You will also see the ancient amphitheatre, where the wealthy and poverty-stricken citizens alike witnessed countless events through the centuries.
There are no restaurants in this area, so you are welcome to pack your own snacks and water and enjoy them among the ruins.