"Visit Ostia if you possibly can!" a Ostia Antica Travel Page by leics

You can use your BIG ticket to get to Ostia from Rome easily. Take the Metro to Pyramide, go up the escalator and turn left into the station for Roma-Lido. The trains are frequent, and take about 30 minutes. Simply walk straight out of Ostia station and you will come to the excavation site.

Ostia is huge....allow at least 3 to 5 hours for your visit. You still won't see it all. There is a cafe, but I like to take a picnic lunch. The size of the place ensures that visitors spread out (even school parties!) and so it's possible to find a quiet spot to imagine yourself back in the bustling Roman port.

The most interesting part, for me, are the tiny glimpses of everyday life which appear around every corner. The mosaic in the picture, for example, appears on the floor of a gatehouse which was turned into a tavern. Alexander and Helix were both athletes and I can imagine the 'locals' supporting them in much the same way as pub regulars support football teams today.