Ostia Antica Is A Less Crowded Alternative To Italy's Pompeii
By Jenna Busch
VACATIONS
Pompeii had almost 3 million visitors in 2022, so for a less-crowded ancient city closer to Rome, visit Ostia Antica, which is just around a 30-minute drive from the Eternal City.
Ostia Antica is an ancient port city and a lesser-known but incredible spot. There are the ruins of Roman baths, snack shops, a working amphitheater, and a museum with artifacts.
One Reddit user said, "Love Ostia, spent the entire day there and still wanted to go back." Even travel pro Rick Steves says Ostia Antica has "ancient thrills to rival Pompeii."
According to legend, Ancus Marcius, one of the kings of Rome founded Ostia Antica in 620 BCE, but the earliest ruins are from the 4th century BCE.
It was once a place to harvest salt, a military camp, and a center for trade and business. However, as the Roman Empire got bigger, Ostia Antica lost importance.
While the first Sunday of each month is free, tickets to Ostia Antica are around $19.50 the rest of the week, with EU residents between 18 and 25 paying just $2.