Ostia Antica

[VBMom13]

We are planning to visit Ostia Antica while we are in Rome. Do we need to book a private tour guide? Or is Ostia Antica a place where we can DIY it? Thanks!

[ACJV]

Having been there without a guide, I would highly recommend a guide. ,it is a beautiful place.

Vicki

[Kate-AHF]

Do they have self-guided tours in English, I wonder?

[cruisemom42]

Like Pompeii, Ostia Antica is a huge site -- and like Pompeii there is not a lot of explanatory signage. It's easy to wander the site and get the basic idea of it, but there's also a good likelihood of missing interesting things unless you go with a plan.

 

Fortunately, there is a very good website with information about the site. Here you'll find very good directions on how to get to the site as well as a condensed guide that you can print (or download) and take with you.

 

Directions on reaching the site (with photos): http://www.ostia-antica.org/visiting.htm

 

Printable/downloadable pdf guide: http://www.ostia-antica.org/touristguide.pdf

 

I do not recall if there is an audioguide available or not.

[euro cruiser]

The Italian version of the official web site mentions an audio guide but not the English language version. That might mean nothing (they only bothered to translate the most basic information on hours and tickets into English) or it might mean that the audio guides are only available in Italian. I tend to think it's the former rather than the later but I don't know for sure.

 

http://archeoroma.beniculturali.it/siti-archeologici/ostia-antica

[VBMom13]

Like Pompeii, Ostia Antica is a huge site -- and like Pompeii there is not a lot of explanatory signage. It's easy to wander the site and get the basic idea of it, but there's also a good likelihood of missing interesting things unless you go with a plan.

 

Fortunately, there is a very good website with information about the site. Here you'll find very good directions on how to get to the site as well as a condensed guide that you can print (or download) and take with you.

 

Directions on reaching the site (with photos): http://www.ostia-antica.org/visiting.htm

 

Printable/downloadable pdf guide: http://www.ostia-antica.org/touristguide.pdf

 

I do not recall if there is an audioguide available or not.

 

Thank you cruisemom42. I had found that guide too and it looks great. It is the reason I decided to DIY Ostia Antica. Also, Rick Steves has a downloadable audio guide that we will use.

[zigdilcru]

just a note about Ostia, watch out for the pick pockets at the Pyramid metro station, if anyone bumps you grab them and make them give whatever they stole from you back. Only took a second and they got my cell phone and I didn't notice until we were long gone from there. other than that little bother Ostia was the highlight of our trip Linda

[marazul]

There are guides (human) at the entrance. You can hire them on the spot. Some are not "official" guides, but are still very good.

Don't forget that it is closed Mondays.

[cruisemom42]

just a note about Ostia, watch out for the pick pockets at the Pyramid metro station, if anyone bumps you grab them and make them give whatever they stole from you back. Only took a second and they got my cell phone and I didn't notice until we were long gone from there. other than that little bother Ostia was the highlight of our trip Linda

 

A good warning for any crowded rail or metro station throughout Europe. Pickpockets thrive in environments where people are in crowds, being jostled, and focused on other things. The London, Paris, Athens, Barcelona metro stations are all happy hunting grounds.

 

If you take the precautions always recommended here -- e.g., money and anything else valuable hidden on your person, inside or under your clothing -- you should be fine and you won't have to worry.

[ArLo47]

Wondering if anyone has gone to Ostia Antica from the airport and also returned? We have a late flight back to US and will have at least 6 hours to kill, so were thinking about this as a mini-excursion, via taxicab. How much transport time should we allot? Are there taxis at the site to take us back? Thanks!

[marazul]

It's a 15 minute drive. Hire the same taxi to come back and pick you up in 2 hours.

Search this forum for Ostia. A lot of recent comments.

[caripoo]

It is a great day for something to do outside of Rome....but I personally would have a guide, we learned so much more!!