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excursions
on good weather, and with at least 4 days in rome, we'd surely visit ostia antica, the ancient port of rome. (1996 entry: itl 8,000. (if you find a frascati wine bottle hidden in one of the tombs, it's ours!) since 'ancient ostia' has been vacant for 1500 years, it gives a far better idea than rome of the appearance of an ancient city.
it can be reached easily by taking the subway (linea b) to magliana and connecting there (same ticket, and well-marked) to the suburban train line (direction ostia lido.)
while 'well preserved' is relative there is much to be seen, and with just a bit of imagination you'll find the city coming alive. an ancient bar, without roof but with offerings ready, is just one evocative memento of the past.
the signage, once only in latin that even italians couldn't read, has been upgraded to the most informative in rome. the roman forum and palatine may be more 'important', but the relative preservation and signage at ostia combine to make it more rewarding in terms of understanding. the museum has an excellent collection of important pieces preserved from the excavations.
as important to us as the educational value, it's a quite romantic setting with the architectural remains nestled among umbrella pines. this is one of the best, though least-visited sites of rome, and one of the most under-visited worthwhile spots in europe. while not as well preserved as pompeii, if pompeii's a 10 on the archaeology scale, ostia's an 8 or 9, more accessible, and less peopled.
take a picnic and eat among the ruins. (roman food has useful instructions for assembling a picnic in rome.)
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