GREENLINETOURS

Ancient Ostia

Every Tuesday and Friday Morning - Approx. 4 hours
From 1st April to 31st October
(minimum 6 persons)
Situated amongst cypress and Mediterranean pine trees, the ruins of the port of ancient
Rome reveal more than any other monument in the capital, what everyday life must have
been like in ancient times.
Leaving Rome and following the road leading to the sea, Via del Mare, it takes about
30 minutes to reach Ostia, the Roman city of the Imperial age whose Latin name
‘Ostium’ means ‘mouth of the river’, reflecting its position along the Tiber river. Ostia
was founded around the 4th century BC by King Anco Marzio and became the harbour
of Rome around which, throughout the following centuries, a flourishing trade and
business centre developed. Following the Barbarian invasions, the decline of Ostia
began when the port was abandoned and became silted up. The archaeolgical excavations
undertaken at the beginning of the XIX century have brought the ancient city
back to light, a rare witness to 900 years of Roman civilization. During your walk
through the ruins, your guide will tell you something about the cultural and social life
of this interesting commercial settlement. Your visit to Ostia Antica itself starts at ‘Via
delle Tombe’ which leads to the ‘Porta Romana’, one of the city’s three gates. This is
the beginning of the ‘Decumanus Maximus’, the main thoroughfare that crosses the city
from north east to south west. Then you will arrive at the ‘Terme di Nettuno’ where you
can admire the beautiful black and white mosaics representing Neptune and
Amphitrite, the theatre built by Agrippa and the Forum which formed the centre of the
city. Here you will discover the principle public buildings, ‘Il Capitolium’ and the temple
of Rome and Augustus, the Basilica and the large thermal baths. Near the forum
square you will also find the House of Diana and the ‘Thermopolium’ an ancient Roman
bar with a marble counter and a fresco depicting the fruit and foodstuffs that were sold
there. At the end of Via dei Dipinti, the Museo Ostiense displays some of the ancient
sculptures and mosaics found among the ruins.
DEPARTURE:
From Hotel 8:00/8:40 am
From Agency 9:00 am
COST: € 33,00 + € 22,00 = € 55,00
No drop off at the hotels but stops at: Via Veneto, Piazza Barberini, Piazza
Venezia, Piazza della Repubblica, Termini Station and Terminal GLT