Overview
This exciting daytrip explores of the ancient city of Ostia Antica and Castelgandolfo.
Just outside of Rome and along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea lies the ancient port city of Ostia Antica. A private car will pick you up from the port of Civitavecchia and take you on the roughly hour and a half journey to this beautiful archaeological park that holds many secrets of early Roman civilization.
Ostia was the harbour of ancient Rome, and perhaps its first colony, probably founded for the purpose of military defense. It was said to have been founded by a Roman king in the 7th century BC, although so far no remains have been found that date back later than the 4th century BC.
In time, the port became a very important commercial harbor and the town grew to 50,000 inhabitants in the 2nd century AD. With the end of the Roman Empire, it fell slowly into decay and was finally abandoned in the 9th century.
It has been excavated and you will see the 2,000-year-old theater and the Roman Forum walk (which was the political, religious, and commercial center of the city), temples, and halls of justice, as well as the Arch of Titus (commemorated in A.D. 70), and the Basilica of Constantine, whose gigantic arches represent only one third of the original size. Here, you can fantasize about the scene at the Temple of Julius Caesar, where his body was burned after his assassination.
At the end of your visit to Ostia, we'll travel to Castelgandolfo, a lovely little town right on the edge of what, millions of years ago, was the crater of a volcano and is now a beautiful lake. The town was developed around the castle of the Gandolfo family, and, in the 17th century, Pope Urban VIII Barberini made it the Summer Residence of the Popes.
- Entrance fees, food, beverages, and gratuities are not included in the price of this tour. The admission fee to Ostia Antica is 4€ per person.
- This trip is not available on Mondays.
- Please note that on the first Sunday of each month many tourist sites in Italy have free admission. This can often result in long lines. If you are staying at a hotel, it may be beneficial to avoid booking a tour involving inside visits to major attractions on these days. If you have questions, contact ShoreTrips.
Days offered: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Departures:- 08:00 AM, duration: 9 hours
