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2024 has been a year of remarkable archaeological discoveries across Italy, shedding new light on the country’s rich historical and cultural heritage. From ancient Roman cities to newly uncovered frescoes and artifacts, these findings are deepening our understanding of Italy's past and its importance in the ancient world. Here are some of the most...

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I’ve spent many months in Italy over the years, absorbing its history and beauty. I have even written guidebooks about the Amalfi Coast and Rome. My husband and I decided to return to Italy’s quiet "green heart," the region of Umbria, a couple of hours drive from Rome. We hoped to recharge and do what Italians are known for: "dolce far niente' – th...

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I'm a native Californian, but I've been working as a tour guide in Rome since 2008. I've seen how increased tourism is affecting popular sites like the Colosseum and the Vatican. People spend hours waiting in lines, making it difficult to truly enjoy the experience, and it seems to get more crowded every year. But just a 30-minute train ride away, ...

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While many tourists head to Pompeii to see an ancient Roman city, the archaeological site of Ostia Antica, Rome’s ancient port, makes an excellent alternative and is easily accessible from Rome. Although more compact than Pompeii, the complex is still huge and you can easily spend several hours wandering around the many old streets and alleys, shop...

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The mere idea of Italy often sparks thoughts of classical antiquity – Pompeii and Herculaneum, the Colosseum, or Hadrian’s Villa. In 1976, our family travelled to Ostia Lido, just up the road from Ostia Antica, the latter considered to rival Pompeii on account of the preservation of its buildings, frescoes and mosaics. But this was a sun holiday, a...

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Sitting on the top row of the ancient arena, I scan the ruins of Ostia, letting my imagination take me back 2,000 years to the days when this was ancient Rome's seaport, a thriving commercial center of 60,00 people. I marvel also at how few visitors make the simple 20-mile trip from downtown Rome to what I consider the most underappreciated sight i...

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Explore the real ancient Roman town of Ostia Antica, just 30 minutes from the center of Rome, and on a par with Pompeii in terms of preservation and historical significance. What is Ostia Antica? There are two answers to this question. The first is, Ostia Antica is a small town on the outskirts of Rome, inhabited by approximately 11,000 people. Thi...

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Visiting Rome can be overwhelming. Rome offers too much, too many monuments, too much history, too many exhibitions and museums, too many tourists. You might decide to get away from the city’s energy for a day. Here is a suggestion from a local: a day trip to the ancient Roman harbor of Ostia Antica, a perfect refuge from the crowds, traffic horns...

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Going to Rome is like taking part in a living history lesson. Wherever you go, there are layers of evidence beneath your feet, or crumbling remains of former glory around every corner to remind you that here was a powerful civilized world when the rest of us were no more than tribal groups living in wooden huts. For a sense of how it was to live in...

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In the heart of the Lazio region, south of the Tiber river and north of Mount Circeo, one of the oldest testimonies of the splendour of the Roman Empire, Ostia, has survived for centuries. With its surface area of about 150 hectares Ostia is, together with Pompeii, the largest open-air archaeological site in the world The history of Ancient Ostia A...

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