Our last day in Rome, and while we had thoroughly enjoyed this city, we were ready to call it a trip and head home. However, our flight was not until 10PM and we still had a few more things to see, so off we went. We got a later start, considering we had to check out of our apartment and then survive without a base until our flight that evening. We packed up, gathered our one big backpack that we managed to pack everyone's stuff into for the three day trip and headed for the main train station, taking a bus that left just a block from our apartment. We dropped our bag off at the left luggage desk at the train station then headed for the ancient ruined city of Ostia Antica, about 30 minutes outside of Rome. This city used to be a harbor city at the mouth of the Tiber as it spilled into the sea. However, due to silting, the city now lies about 3 kilometers from the sea and a bit away from the Tiber now.
As the town slowly drifted from the sea, it became less and less significant, finally becoming abandoned around the 9th century AD. Numerous sackings of the town for bricks and other treasures were undertaken throughout the middle ages (supposedly the Leaning Tower of Pisa was built entirely with bricks from Ostia).
The ruins were slowly discovered during the 20th century and it is now estimated that 2/3 of the city has been uncovered. We noticed the baths and the intricate designs of Neptune and Sea Horses on the bath's floors. The theater was relatively intact. And Katie and Ashley had a great time meandering through the mazes of old ruined streets and houses of an ancient town.
We spent a while in Ostia before heading back to Rome, where we accidently got out at the Piramide station instead of Circus Maximus, and this is what we saw as we exited the station.
Like Athens, Rome is just a city of wonder, which probably one takes for granted eventually, since structures like this are all over the place. We went back down to the station to the next stop, Circus Maximus, where they had chariot races in ancient times, overlooking Palantine Hill and the Forum.
We walked from the Circus Maximus across the river to the area of Rome called Trastevere (literally across the Tiber). We found our second favorite food of the trip (this time it was actually some excellent pizza and risotto) for a late lunch, visited the Piazza Santa Maria and the church there. And of course, finished it off with our final portion of gelato. It is an interesting part of Rome, with tiny cobblestoned streets lined with medieval houses.
We walked back across the river, back to Campo di Fiori, caught a bus to the train station, and headed back to the airport. We made it home quite easily, although very late. We arrived back to our house in Budapest after midnight, so another late night for us. But ultimately, it was very worth the trip and the experiences we had over those last few days.
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