Ostia Antica was once Rome’s bustling port city. Twice the size of Pompeii, it evolved over the centuries from a military garrison, to a naval base, a commercial hub and, finally, a seaside retreat for wealthy Romans. On this walking tour with archaeologist and Context Travel expert Livia Galante, you’ll wander the ruins where she’s worked for many years. This complex landscape served as the backdrop for the Roman Empire’s changing fortunes. As you walk along ancient streets still marked by cart wheels, you’ll discover how ordinary Romans lived, worked, bathed, dined, and worshipped in this once-thriving metropolis. The tour starts outside the Biglietteria del Parco Archeologico di Ostia Antica (the ticket office). From there, you’ll walk through residential neighborhoods with multi-story apartment buildings, past bustling shopping districts, and into grand public spaces that showcase the sophistication of Roman urban planning. Throughout the tour, Livia shares insights about archaeological techniques and challenges, including how Mussolini’s hasty 1938-1942 excavations both revealed and compromised parts of this extraordinary site. On this Ostia Antica tour, you’ll have a chance to: • Learn about ancient burial practices at the Necropoli della via Ostiense, the necropolis where cremation urns and sarcophagi reveal changing Roman funeral customs • Marvel at the Neptune Baths with their stunning black-and-white floor mosaics depicting sea creatures and mythological scenes • Visit the remarkably intact Teatro di Ostia, an ancient theater that could seat 3,000 spectators and is occasionally still used for performances today • Discover the Portico of the Corporations, where 64 offices represented trading guilds from across the empire, their mosaic floors advertising their specialties • Step inside a completely preserved Thermopolium (Roman restaurant) with its original counter, wine storage jars, and even a menu painted on the wall • Explore Insulae (multi-story apartment buildings) where shopkeepers lived above their businesses, a set-up that’s surprisingly similar to modern cities This easy two-hour tour of Ostia offers visitors a more authentic glimpse into everyday Roman life than many other famous sites. With fewer crowds and more complete neighborhoods, you’ll gain a deep understanding of the urban fabric that once connected this cosmopolitan port to the far reaches of the empire.