Ancient ruins in Ostia Antica. Photos by Claire Chaffey.

By Claire Chaffey in Rome—

Ostia Antica, one of Italy’s most interesting and best-preserved archaeological sites, is also one of the country’s best-kept secrets. Well, that’s certainly the impression one gets when arriving there, due to the distinctly unusual tranquility of the place, and the conspicuous lack of tour groups, roving guides, and buses.

Considering that Ostia Antica is only a 30-minute train ride from the center of Rome, it is truly worth a visit!

History

Highlights of the former port’s long and colorful history include its establishment by a legendary Roman King sometime around the 7th century B.C (though no-one really knows for sure), frequent raids by arson-loving, river-hopping pirates, being overtaken by numerous Roman emperors who tarted the place up in accordance with current architectural trends, being the place where Santa Monica–the patron saint of married women–died in a local pub, slowly evolving into a country retreat for idle Roman aristocrats, and eventually falling into abandonment and decay somewhere around the 9th century A.D. (Whew!)

Mosaics in the Roman baths.

Ostia Antica today

Today, Ostia Antica is a sprawling stretch of painstakingly restored ruins which, despite their age, successfully retain the essence of the city’s former complexity and grandeur.

The best thing about Ostia Antica is the fact that, apart from practically having the place to yourself, you can wander around the ruins and easily imagine what it was like to have lived in a thriving and cosmopolitan city like Ostia. You can imagine buying your fruit and vegetables at one of the many shop fronts which line the main thoroughfare. Or, marvel at the almost flawlessly preserved mosaics which formed the hot and steamy Roman baths. Why not have a go at worshiping the sun god in one of the spectacular pagan temples? (Or you could imagine what it was like trying to get a little privacy with twenty other people with you in one of the many communal latrines….)

The Castle of Julius II

Your tour guide awaits...

Once you have spent a couple of hours walking amongst and climbing over the ruins, it is worth going to have a peek at Castle of Julius II, located just across the road. The castle is situated in the gorgeous little Piazza della Rocca, in which Ostia’s inhabitants go about their daily business and several plump and friendly local cats will happily escort you around.

Getting there and getting in

Take the metro to “Piramide Station” on Line B. From there, get on the city urban line towards “Lido di Ostia.” Get off at “Ostia Antica,” cross the footbridge and follow the signs. Trains leave every half hour and the fare is covered by a €1 metro ticket.

Entry fee is €6.50 for adults over 25. Those between 18 – 25 get in for half price. If you’re under 18 or over 65, you don’t have to pay at all! Open between 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM. Closed Mondays.

Cheapo tip: The eateries in Ostia Antica aren’t fabulous, unless you are willing to pay a little more than you probably want to. So, if possible, pack your lunch!

About the author: Claire is a freelance journalist currently eating and drinking her way through Rome following a stint as a reporter in West Africa. Claire’s work has appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald, TNT Magazine, Way2Go Magazine and the Ghanaian Times.

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Tourists visiting the ruins of ancient Athens will probably already be armed with a cheapo souvenir. Your archeological map (available for free or cheap) serves as both a necessary guide to the past and a fun souvenir for the future.

Build your map collection in Athens

Face it, if you’re planning to spend any time exploring Athens’ ancient past (and who isn’t?) you’re going to need a map. Confusion within the ancient city’s winding streets is normal, and most of the city’s ancient glories have been reduced to rubble. Even standing structures, such as the Acropolis, are surrounded by sites that could use a little explanation.

Here at EuroCheapo, we always recommend picking up free or cheap city maps whenever possible. In the case of Athens, we’re writing this advice in stone. For a cheapo souvenir, bring those maps home. Just imagine how great they’ll look framed and hanging in your rec room!

Digging for maps in Athens

Pick up free (or nearly free) city maps at one the city’s three tourism offices (also called GNTO or EOT):

The city’s main tourism office is located at 7 Tsoha (open 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. on weekdays).

If you’re flying into Athens, you could swing by the office in the Arrivals Terminal of Eleftherios Venizelos Airport (open from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays). 

A super-central tourism “information desk” is also located at 26 Amalias, near Syndagma Square. (Open 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.)

For more information, visit the Greece Tourism Office website.

Also, be aware that many archeological passes, necessary to visit the sites, include detailed maps. Don’t toss these out after your visit! For more information about the archeological sites, including days that they’re free to visit, check out our “budget tips to Athens” article.

While you’re at it…

As long as you’re hitting the town, why not pick up anything that’s written in Greek? A menu or a brochure, which might appear totally unintelligible and even frustrating while in Athens, will become cherished reminders of your time in Attica.

Also see: Our list of recommended budget hotels in Athens.

Editor’s Note: This is our second post in our “Cheapo Souvenirs” blog series. Join us over the next four weeks as we suggest one cheap or free souvenir to bring home from each city we cover on EuroCheapo. Do you have a suggestion for another cheap souvenir in Athens? Leave a comment below! 

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