Off the beaten track: Rome’s ancient wonders

The Italian capital of Rome is host to some amazing sights, but The Eternal City also serves as a great base to explore other nearby ancient wonders.

Ostia Antica is less than one hour from Rome and displays some incredible ruins of this once-thriving port city. Originally founded as a military harbour, it soon flourished as the Roman Emperors elaborately decorated the city in recognition of its importance as a supply point for Rome. These decorations included a marble theatre with seating for 3,000 spectators, a city forum (town square), temples, aqueducts and city walls.

At its highest, it is believed the population of Ostia Antica was over 100,000. However, the city’s population began to decline due to political unrest, earthquakes, tsunamis and a malaria outbreak. In the early 19th Century it was protected as an archaeological site and much of the area has been reconstructed.

The magnificently preserved mosaics of the Terme di Nettuno (Baths of Neptune) and the Roman Theatre and Forum offer an accurate representation of what life was like during the height of Ostia Antica’s popularity as a port city.

Also less than one hour away from Rome is the beautiful ancient resort town of Tivoli. The elaborate gardens of the Villa d’Este are an impeccable example of the popularity of the area during the Renaissance period. The gardens are constructed almost solely of water features including an impressive Water Organ with numerous cascades.

Another remarkable sight found within Tivoli’s environs is the ruins of Villa Adriana. Built by the Emperor Hadrian, it showcases Hadrian’s wish to have the most elaborate and opulent summer villa of the times. It stretches across a mammoth complex with numerous houses, gardens, baths, temples, fountains and even underground tunnels for use by servants.

Although further away, Tarquinia is a fantastic day trip from Rome. Approximately an hour-and-a-half from Rome you will find the major city of the Italian rulers before the Romans. Tarquinia’s Necropolis was added to the Unesco World Heritage list in 2004 due to its archaeological importance. The necropolis contains thousands of graves of the merchants who lived there as early as 300BC and some of the graves are still adorned with paintings of life at the time.

Base yourself in any of the hotels in Rome to best be able to view these amazing sights and still get a solid night’s sleep. Visiting Rome offers many opportunities for historical sightseeing and these day trips are well worth the travel time just to experience something off the beaten track.

Paul McIndoe writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.