Ostia Antica is an archaeological park in Rome where you can spend a day among the remains of an ancient port city. It offers a close-up view of Rome’s history through public buildings, baths and residential streets; the site is about 23.4 km from a Rome guesthouse, with a reported journey estimate of 40 minutes.
- Location: Viale dei Romagnoli 717, Rome.
- Opening pattern: Tuesday to Sunday and public holidays, with seasonal closing times.
- Full-price combined ticket: €18, valid for 8 consecutive calendar days.
- Access: Paths can be uneven, and some areas require considerable physical effort.
Why make time for Ostia Antica
Ostia Antica gives you a sense of how a Roman city worked, from its public spaces to its housing and trade. The Archaeological Park describes the city as having been built at the mouth of the Tiber.
Its official account presents the story that Rome’s King Ancus Marcius founded it in 620 BC as a legend, rather than an established fact.
As you plan your visit, look out for the Forum and the Capitolium, alongside baths, public warehouses, guild seats and multi-storey residential buildings.
These features offer different ways to read the surviving city: civic life, trade, worship and everyday living all have a place among the ruins. For time in the capital before or after the excursion, the one-day Rome itinerary starting from Furio Camillo lays out a city plan.
How do you get from Rome to the archaeological site?
The archaeological park is at Viale dei Romagnoli 717 in Rome, but the route and transport details aren’t covered here. Confirm your journey to the site before you leave. For getting around the city by metro, this guide to the Rome metro from Furio Camillo covers the local network.
Plan a visit around the ruins
Give yourself time to move between the archaeological remains, and wear comfortable clothing and shoes: paths can be uneven, with obstacles and tripping hazards. Some parts of the park are not fully accessible, and a visit may take considerable physical effort.
Routes designed for visitors with mobility difficulties or wheelchair users are concentrated mainly in the excavation area. The route from the ticket office to the Ostiense Museum is wheelchair accessible, and the museum has an access ramp. Visitors with reduced mobility may enter with their own vehicle if it displays the appropriate permit, and use the internal parking area.
Meals and picnics aren’t allowed inside the archaeological area. The park identifies the Caffetteria degli Scavi and dispensers for snacks and hot and cold drinks as options on site. Dogs are allowed, but must stay on a leash throughout the visit. Drones are prohibited throughout the archaeological area, which is within the no-drone zone near Fiumicino Airport.
Tickets, opening hours and access
The archaeological area opens at 8:30 AM from Tuesday to Sunday and on public holidays. It is closed on Mondays, December 25 and January 1.
Closing time varies: 4:30 PM from October 25 to February 28 or 29; 5:15 PM from March 1 to March 31; 7:00 PM from April 1 to September 30; and 6:30 PM from October 1 to October 24. Last entry is one hour before closing, and the ticket office closes one hour before the stated closing time.
The combined full-price ticket costs €18 and covers the park’s archaeological and museum sites for 8 consecutive calendar days. EU citizens aged 18 to 25 can buy the combined reduced-price ticket for €2, also valid for 8 consecutive calendar days.
Tickets are available at the ticket office, with cash or electronic payment, or through the Musei Italiani app. Temporary exhibitions may affect the ticket price. Admission is free at all park sites on the first Sunday of each month, subject to each site’s opening hours.
Before you go: Hours, prices and access arrangements can change, so check the official site before you go.
FAQs
Where is the Archaeological Park of Ostia Antica?
It is at Viale dei Romagnoli 717 in Rome.
Can you bring a dog to Ostia Antica?
Yes. Dogs are allowed inside the archaeological area but must remain on a leash.
Can you take a drone into the park?
No. Drone use is prohibited throughout the archaeological area, including at very low altitude.
Are picnics allowed at Ostia Antica?
No. Meals and picnics are prohibited inside the archaeological area.