Ostia Antica, Administrative zone in Rome, Italy.
Ostia Antica is an administrative zone along the Tiber River southwest of Rome that combines residential neighborhoods with extensive Roman archaeological remains. The area contains exposed ruins scattered across open grounds, ancient paved streets, and restored structures that reveal how people once lived in this port settlement.
This place originated as Rome's main port and served as a hub for commerce and administration in antiquity. The settlement later declined and became buried under sediment for centuries until systematic excavation work starting in the 1800s revealed these remains.
This area developed as an ancient Roman port city, and that heritage shapes how people experience the place today. Walking through the zone, visitors encounter the lasting marks of this maritime past woven into the landscape and local identity.
The zone connects easily to central Rome via the Metromare rail line, which has stations serving both residential areas and archaeological sites. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes and allow time for exploration, as the excavated areas span across large open grounds.
The excavations reveal not just large structures but also intimate details: burial chambers within apartment buildings, carved inscriptions, and even petrified wheel ruts on ancient streets. These small traces offer visitors a direct glimpse into how ordinary people lived here nearly 2000 years ago.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
