My husband and I and our toddler will be flying into Rome in early May; we're planning to spend a couple of days in the city before picking up a rental car back at Fiumicino and heading north to Tuscany/Umbria. I'd love to visit Ostia Antica while we're near Rome, and it looks somewhat close to the airport. Thoughts on if it'd be a good plan to pick up our rental car and then drive over to Ostia Antica? Or does it seem a difficult place to drive around? (This will be our first time visiting/driving in Italy!) We could also potentially do it as a day trip from Rome via public transit instead, but we will have a toddler with us so may be a long day to/from Ostia Antica. Thanks for your suggestions!
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23267 posts
It is on the same side of Rome as the airport but in the opposite direction if headed north. You could do it with a car because parking would be easy. It is a park so you will park the car and walk in. No driving around. I would do it as a day trip from Rome since it is a short train ride from Rome. It would not be a long day transportation wise.
Posted by
seattle
2047 posts
We have driven between the airport and Ostia Antica several times. It is not far, but GPS will help. From Ostia, getting on the freeway towards Tuscany will not be too difficult. Or maybe do Ostia Antica before you fly out! You will be used the driving in Italy by then.
There is much to see in Rome. If you will only be there a couple of days, I would not take one of them for Ostia Antica.
Posted by
585 posts
Sounds like a great idea, especially with a toddler. Have only gone to Ostia Antica by train from Rome but looking on Google Earth it looks like an easy drive from the airport. The main area for confusion for you could be getting off the Autostrada for the road to Ostia. Also the entrance to the site is not particularly well signposted. There is a restaurant/pizza place right on the corner where you
Note there is a cafe on the site, pretty basic pasta and pizza, but good for a break. Hopefully it will be open come May. The site itself has a lot of trees and is relatively shaded
Posted by
Italy
3812 posts
If I were an obvious American, I wouldn't leave a car with luggage inside parked close to a tourist attraction.
May I ask why you are picking the car up at Fiumicino and not in Rome's outskirts? Or in a town on the train line from Rome that's also in the right direction going north?
Posted by
OP
2 posts
@Dario - good points. We are currently planning to leave Rome on a Sunday and it seemed that many of the car rental offices outside of the airports or Termini Station are closed on Sundays. And some folks had recommended that a first-time driver in Italy pick up at the airports to avoid driving in the city center, so that's why we were considering picking up at Fiumicino. But I'd welcome recommendations for other accessible car rental pick up locations on a Sunday near Rome - we haven't made reservations yet.
Posted by
2 posts
I visited Rome and took the train to Ostia 2 weeks ago. Easy train ride. It is a large area so a good place for a toddler to get his/her wiggles out but lots of rocks and uneven surfaces.
Make sure you see the Trevi fountain area at night ! Magnificent !
We were super impressed with the Covid precautions Italy is taking. We had to be tested to enter Italy, we had to show our CDC card from the US-the same idea as the Euro Green Pass and many times our passport to make sure the information matched to enter EVERYWHERE-bus, train, shop, restaurant etc. EVERYONE wears a mask properly when If indoors and many are masking outdoors-especially when queing up even if outside. If you plan to go to the Vatican you will need KN95 masks. I'm a nurse so these efforts were very appreciated. Getting tested to return home was easy at a local pharmacia.
Have fun planning your trip. Ours was great!
Nancy
Posted by
Italy
3812 posts
On a Sunday driving north from Rome wouldn't be a problem. No ZTL to worry about and less traffic.
Check if the pick up points right underground the Villa Borghese Park are open on Sundays.
Posted by
11156 posts
We dropped our luggage off at our FCO hotel ( Hilton) and drove to nearby Ostia Antica. Then returned car to airport car rental area and walked to our nearby hotel. Very, very easy to do.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15165 posts
I think Dario wanted to emphasize that it wouldn't be wise to have luggage in your car while visiting the Ostia Antica ruins, unless of course you plan to share your belongings with the community.
Since you plan to head out of town after visiting the site you may have luggage in the car. I hope you at least take all valuable items with you.
Posted by
Colorado
471 posts
We took the train from Rome to Ostia Antica on a Sunday morning. Lots of families. One of the things I remember is the accordionists who popped on the trains and mesmerized the kids with their playing. They received great tips. The good things about trains is that kids CAN run around without people getting too peeved.