Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A guide leads you underground through the tunnels where early Christians were buried.
You'll see faded frescoes and graffiti by early-Christian tag artists. Besides the catacombs
themselves, there's a historic fourth-century basilica with holy relics.
Cost and Hours:
€8, includes 35-minute tour, 2/hour, Mon-Sat 10:00-17:00, closed Sun
and mid-Nov-mid-Dec, last entry 30 minutes before closing, Via Appia Antica 136, tel.
06-785-0350,
www.catacombe.org
.
The larger of the two sets of catacombs, San Callisto also is the more prestigious, having
been the burial site for several early popes.
Cost and Hours:
€8, includes 30-minute tour, at least 2/hour, Thu-Tue 9:00-12:00 &
14:00-17:00,closedWedandFeb,ViaAppiaAntica110,tel.06-5130-1580or06-513-0151,
For an exciting day trip, pop down to the Roman port of Ostia, which is similar to Pompeii
butalotcloserand,insomeways,moreinteresting.BecauseOstiawasaworkingporttown,
it shows a more complete and gritty look at Roman life than wealthier Pompeii. Wandering
aroundtoday,you'llseewarehouses,apartment flats,mansions,shoppingarcades,andbaths
that served a once-thriving port of 60,000 people. Later, Ostia became a ghost town, and it's
nowexcavated. Buyamap, then explore the town,including the 2,000-year-oldtheater.Fin-
ish with its fine little museum.
Cost and Hours:
€8.50 for the site and museum, April-Oct Tue-Sun 8:30-19:00, Nov-
Feb Tue-Sun 8:30-17:00, March Tue-Sun 8:30-18:00, closed Mon year-round, last entry one
hour before closing. The museum closes from 13:30 to 14:30 for lunch. Tel. 06-5635-0215.
Helpful websites include
www.ostia-antica.org
and
http://archeoroma.beniculturali.it/en
. A
map of the site with suggested itineraries is available for €2 from the ticket office.
Audioguides:
Although you'll see little audioguide markers throughout the site, there
are no audioguides for rent. But you can download a free Rick Steves
audio tour
of Ostia
Getting There:
Getting to Ostia Antica from downtown Rome is a snap—it's a
45-minute combination Metro/train ride. (Since the train is part of the Metro system, it only
costs one Metro ticket each way—€3 total round-trip.)
