Surroundings Rome

Ancient Ostia Tour

Ancient Ostia Tour

4-hour tour with transfer

Partially accessible

kid-friendly tour

We will visit the ruins of Ostia, where the remains of the ancient city are well-preserved with the original structure, which is very similar to that of Pompeii.

This first ancient Roman colony is a unique site, which allows to really understand the daily life in ancient Rome, from the Republic to the end of the Western Roman Empire. The itinerary will lead you to discover the impressive Theater built under the Emperor Augustus, which is still in use today, the Baths of Neptune with their mythological mosaics, the ruins of the imposing Capitolium, which dominated the forum, the fast-food joints and the mills, other than important buildings of the Roman tradition: baths, restaurants, temples, private luxury houses, markets and much more. 

Our licensed guide will take you back in time, in order to discover anecdotes and curiosities about everyday life in antiquity. We will see, next to public monuments such as the Baths and the Theatre, typical restaurants and shops of that epoch as the Thermopolium, the bakery and the “Fullonicae” (ancient laundromats), as well as dwellings such as Insulae and Domus.

Tour gallery

Some of the most representative pictures of this tour

Itinerary

Discover the main stops of this tour

Roman Theatre of Ostia

Roman Theatre of Ostia

Built under the reign of Augustus at the end of the 1st century BC, it was a majestic and imposing structure big enough to hold 4000 people. Even though the building was restored many times through the centuries, it still conserves its full original charm from times gone by.

Baths of Neptune

Baths of Neptune

Standing as a display of Roman daily life across the empire, they are famous because of the black-and-white floor mosaics which depict the god of the sea and many other marine creatures, giving a glimpse into what was integral to Roman identity.

Thermopolium

Thermopolium is the name given to a building used as an inn with a wine bar; installed in the 3rd century AD inside a complex of the Hadrianic period, it was the fast food and bar of Ancient Rome. Roman architecture at Ostia is unique also because it shows evidence of both luxurious and simple insulae, corresponding to a kind of apartment building.

Capitolium

Capitolium

It is the city’s main temple, dedicated to the Capitoline triad (Jupiter, Juno, Minerva). Built on the north side of the Forum during the Hadrianic period, it is clearly visible today, standing on a high podium in imitation of the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus on the Capitoline Hill in Rome.

Domus of Amor and Psyche

Domus of Amor and Psyche

This aristocratic residence, built in the 4th century AD, was installed in an earlier commercial building and had two storeys, the uppermost of which was probably a service storey. Its name goes back to a statue representing Cupid and Psyche, a copy of which is located in one of the bedrooms (cubicula).

Tour information

Some useful information for your experience

What’s included

Expert and licensed guide, private transfer, entrance ticket, full on-site assistance, sterilized earphones (from 5 people upwards).

Availability

Suggested start time: 9.30 am. Not available on Monday.