Allo Sbarco di Enea
What to order: lobster pasta or fettuccine with red prawns and courgette flowers
geocalia
Day itinerary · 41.76° N · 12.29° E
Ostia Antica by train: a whole Roman city 40 minutes from Rome.
Train from Piramide, a morning among the streets, baths, houses and theatre of Rome's port city, lunch next to the entrance and the castle of Julius II.
Leaving from
Direct flight to Roma fromBarcelona 1 h 45Alicante 2 h 15Bilbao 2 h 15Valencia 2 h 15Zaragoza 2 h 15Madrid 2 h 30Asturias 2 h 45Málaga 2 h 45Sevilla 2 h 45Fuerteventura 4 h 30
Part of Ostia Antica
Add to my trip
Total time8 h
By car30 min each way
Admission€18, whole park
WalkingAbout 4 h on paving slabs
DifficultyEasy
ClosedMondays
Best timeMarch – June · September – November
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Rome 30 min by train
Roma–Lido train from Porta San Paolo (Piramide metro) to Ostia Antica · urban ticket
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1
The Baths of Neptune and their great mosaic
First stop to the right of the decumanus: the mosaic from the terrace
- 3 min on foot
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2
The theatre and the Piazzale delle Corporazioni
The shipping companies' seating tiers and mosaics
- 2 min on foot
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3
The Thermopolium and the apartment houses
The Roman bar and the apartment blocks
- 1 min on foot
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4
The Capitolium and the Forum
The main temple and the forum
- 2 min on foot
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5
Ostia Museum
Statues and portraits; in winter it opens at 10:30
- 9 min on foot
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6
Allo Sbarco di Enea
Fish under the vine · €€€ · beside the entrance
Viale dei Romagnoli, 675, 00126 Roma · +39 333 802 4769
Restaurant €€€Book - 5 min on foot
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7
Julius II Castle and the borgo of Ostia Antica
With the combined ticket · in winter closes at 16:30
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Back home 30 min by train
Train to Piramide; in Rome before 17:30
Approximate cost
About €35–60 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
The Baths of Neptune and their great mosaic
Ostia was the port of Rome and today it is the Roman city that is easiest to see from the capital: a suburban train from Piramide and, on getting off, a footbridge to the ticket office. This day walks the city from end to end in the morning, when it is cool and there are few people, has lunch on the way out and finishes at the Renaissance castle of the borgo, which comes with the same ticket.
The day, hour by hour
8:00 · Train from Piramide. The Roma–Lido line leaves from Porta San Paolo station, next to the Piramide stop on metro line B. Get off at Ostia Antica, cross the footbridge and walk a few minutes to the entrance, on Viale dei Romagnoli. The urban ticket works.
8:45 · Entrance and the Baths of Neptune. Buy the combined ticket, €18, valid for eight days for the whole park, and the audioguide if you want it. Enter by the Porta Romana and stop on the terrace of the Baths of Neptune to see the mosaic.
9:15 · Theatre and Square of the Corporations. Climb to the top of the seats and look at the ship mosaics in the square behind.
10:15 · Thermopolium and houses. On Via di Diana, the Roman bar with its counter and the multi-storey houses. Get lost in the side streets.
11:00 · Capitolium and forum. The temple on its flight of steps, at the far end of the square.
11:45 · Ostiense Museum. Statues, portraits and sarcophagi. In winter it opens at 10:30 and last admission is at 15:00.
13:30 · Lunch at Allo Sbarco di Enea. On the way out, next to the entrance, a fish house with dining rooms under a vine: fettuccine with red prawns, pasta with lobster, turbot. Open every day except Monday lunchtime.
15:15 · The castle of Julius II. Cross the road to the borgo, the little walled village. The 15th-century fortress is included in the combined ticket; from November to February it closes at 16:30.
16:30 · Train back. In Rome before half past five.
With children
Ostia is smaller and quieter than Pompeii, and you can go into almost everything. The Thermopolium, the theatre and the castle work well; there is a children's audioguide for €5. You cannot eat or picnic inside: bring water and something for the train.
Time20 min
Change the route
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Il Frantoio
What to order: the meat menu: amatriciana or gnocchi al ragù and something grilled
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Ostia Antica
Tuesday to Sunday, all year. Spring and autumn are best for walking. From mid-December to the end of March the mosaics are covered. In summer, go in at 8:30.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Go in at 8:30
Before the groups and the heat.
- 2Keep your ticket
The combined ticket is valid for eight days for the castle, the Porto necropolis and the harbours.
- 3Comfortable shoes
The paving slabs are uneven and there are few benches.
If it rains
The Ostiense Museum and the castle are indoors, and the train drops you almost at the door. The slabs are slippery: take it easy.
We'd skip it
Monday: the whole park is closed.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Rome to Ostia Antica?
On the Roma–Lido train from Porta San Paolo, next to the Piramide metro, about 40 minutes.
How much does admission cost?
€18 for the combined ticket, valid for eight days for the whole park.
Where do you eat?
At Allo Sbarco di Enea, next to the entrance, or more cheaply at Il Frantoio.
Is it open on Sundays?
Yes. It is closed on Mondays. The first Sunday of the month is free.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/italy/lazio/ostia-antica/itineraries/rome-ostia-antica-day-trip
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.