Explore the amazing ancient port town of Ostia Antica, on a private day trip from Rome, just forty minutes away by train. Walk in the footsteps of the ancients as you wander around the now empty streets, step inside their apartments and villas, and visit the bathhouses, the necropolis, basilicas and town squares, fast food restaurants, temples, and even the public toilets in this vast archaeological park spanning over 10,000 acres, that some claim to be "better than Pompeii"!
On your private tour you will:
- Meet your guide in central Rome and travel together by train - the fastest way to reach the ruins;
- Explore the incredibly well-preserved city of Ostia Antica (Ancient Ostia) the most important port town for the ancient Romans (now a few miles inland);
- Learn all about daily life for those who lived in ancient Ostia two thousand years ago;
- Enter ancient homes, some grand villas, some smaller apartments, see the shops and restaurants, the ruts in the road from the chariots, the bakery – where you can still see the hoof marks of the donkeys in the flour mill;
- Explore the breathtaking amphitheatre – and imagine what it must have been like to be a spectator of an ancient show;
- See the basilicas and town halls, the fire station, the prison, and the amazing mosaics of Neptune in the old bathhouses;
- Learn about ancient Roman hygiene in the public toilets;
- Return to Rome with your professional tour guide.
Once the ancient seaport of Rome, the vast 10,000-acre archaeological site of Ostia Antica is incredibly well preserved and still being excavated by archaeologists today! Enjoy the peace, calm, and tranquillity of the countryside – and enjoy the shade of the umbrella pines just a short distance from the hustle and bustle of busy Rome.
Walking around Ostia Antica, it is easy to imagine what life must have been like two thousand years ago. Your guide will paint a picture of the bustling streets and the farmers' markets as you step inside the fast food joints, the baths and various temples, the fire station, grand villas and more humble apartment blocks; you can visit the (very!) public toilets and the town squares, the bakery, and walk onto the stage of the amazingly well-preserved amphitheatre, and really imagine the hustle and bustle of daily life.
Transport yourself back to a lost time when people slept, ate, and lived here. Your expert private guide will help you to navigate this extraordinary ghost town and bring the ancient people back to life, as you wander around these evocative ruins.