| 
Our car will pick you up at your hotel
and take you to Ostia Antica, about 40 minutes from
Rome. There, you will walk through this
fascinating archeological site of the Roman city and
port built during the Imperial Age.
The Latin word ostium means 'mouth of the river', and
reflects its position along the Tiber.
It was founded as a military outpost to guard against
seaborne invasions along the river. Ostia was
officially founded during the monarchy, and later became
recognized as Rome's main, official harbor.
Trade flourished and a business center developed throughout
the following centuries.
Later, when virtually all imports reached the capital
via the Tiber, Ostia gained prominence
as the domestic docking area for cargo boats. Ostia
covered 10,000 square acres and was situated
around a main street than runs for more than one mile.
For centuries, local shepherds sheltered their
animals among the ruins. Ancient apartment buildings,
taverns and grocery stores are still visibly
intact. The artifacts that have been unearthed from
this site are exhibited in the nearby Ostiense
Museum. There, you will discover treasures on display
featuring ancient sculptures and mosaics. Some
of them represented the very popular cult of Mithra,
which existed during Imperial Rome.
On the way back to Rome, we will reach the district
of EUR, the Esposizione Universale di
Roma. This was the area that Mussolini built before
World War II. Your guided visit will take you to
the buildings and urban spaces that best exemplify how
architecture could transmit the ideology of
Fascism. For anyone with an interest in Rome's modern
period or in comparative architecture,
this unique tour is guaranteed to fascinate.
The tour is for a party
of up to 14 people.
It includes a fluent, English speaking driver
for private car transfers.
PLEASE NOTE:
An official guide is available upon request.
We suggest that you wear comfortable clothes
and shoes. In warm weather, wear
sunglasses and sunhats.
An archeological guide and site tickets are
not included in the price.
Please contact us for answers to your questions
and price estimates.
|