Ostia Antica

Kathryn at Ostia Antica


For me, one place I ABSOLUTELY had to see while in Rome was Ostia Antica. located about 30 km west of Rome, this used to be the primary outlet to the Mediterranean for ancient Rome. In its heyday it was the second-largest city in the Empire, with virtually all goods not being transported overland to Rome passing through Ostia. Now it is a huge, uninhabited ruin, covering a number of square miles. Entrance was only 4 euro, and while I had high expectations before going, the place left me awe-struck. There we saw the necropolis, taverns, toilets(!), fish markets, people's insulae(apartments), mosaics, temples, and the theatre seen in this photo.