With a few hours to spare I headed to the ancient port of Rome, the Ostia Antica. The ruins are within a half hour train ride of the hotel and are a great way to spend a couple of hours before having people speak at you for a week.
The city was founded in the 4th centaury BC and once stood guard at the mouth of the Tiber river ensuring that no unwanted visitors arrived in the city.
The ruins are amazingly preserved including the Amphitheatre (where a class of German students gave an impromptu rendition of Romeo and Juliet).
Some of the old bath houses must have had some spectacular mosaics on their floors including this one of a fish.
You can walk all around, and over, the ruins without so much as a fence or signs telling you to stay out (with the exception of the Roman toilets).
There are also the well preserved ruins of a cafe that apparently served hot and cold food and drinks (around 100 BC) that also had a courtyard with fountains and benches so customers could sit outside in the sun and have their coffee. The early alfresco dining experiences?
The city was founded in the 4th centaury BC and once stood guard at the mouth of the Tiber river ensuring that no unwanted visitors arrived in the city.
The ruins are amazingly preserved including the Amphitheatre (where a class of German students gave an impromptu rendition of Romeo and Juliet).
Some of the old bath houses must have had some spectacular mosaics on their floors including this one of a fish.
You can walk all around, and over, the ruins without so much as a fence or signs telling you to stay out (with the exception of the Roman toilets).
There are also the well preserved ruins of a cafe that apparently served hot and cold food and drinks (around 100 BC) that also had a courtyard with fountains and benches so customers could sit outside in the sun and have their coffee. The early alfresco dining experiences?
8:59 AM |
Category:
Rome
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