Ostia Antica or Pompeii?

Normally, I would say just one, especially if you're limited on time. Personally, we liked Ostia Antica more because it was closer to Rome, it has a nice little museum, and was much less crowded. However, the Antiquarium at Pompeii recently reopened after 40 years and I'd bet it's worth seeing. There was an article about it in Smithsonian Magazine in January and it's online. It sounds wonderful. I'd double-check to make sure it's open, though. Who knows what's going on with COVID?

Pompeii was a life list kind of destination for me, but I was already planning on being in Naples and the Amalfi Coast. So, it would depend on the overall itinerary and how much time you have to spare. You also may want to consider your tolerance for heat. I have not been to Ostia Antica, but Pompeii has basically no shade. If you go as a day trip, you will not be able to arrive early in the morning.

No comparison, Pompeii! Ostia Antica is very near FCO so you visit it when coming or going to Rome. Both are worthwhile sites to visits but Pompeii is larger, incredible.

We have been to both. Logistics weren’t a factor; we visited these sights on separate trips so already in Rome or Sorrento. But yes, Pompeii! The history, the allure, the stories, the knowledge since childhood of the volcanic eruption all contribute to a fascinating visit. We spent nearly 7 or 8 hours wandering with a detailed guidebook and were enthralled every minute. At Ostia, I fear I must confess, we got a bit bored after a while looking at the remains of walls. That’s how I remember it. Visit both and let us know your opinion! Safe travels.

I visited Pompeii in November and it was still warm. Strongly suggest that if you opt for Pompeii that you stay the prior night in Naples and set out for Pompeii early, in order to arrive when it opens, before the strongest heat of the day. You will also want to wear a hat and take plenty of water.

Evelyn, this previous post might be helpful?

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/pompeii-versus-ostia-antica

Apologies for not having done both (I've done Pompeii twice but NOT from Rome) but summer heat can definitely be a factor. Pompeii is HUGE and there's little-to-no shade whereas it has been oft mentioned that Ostia has trees for some relief from the sun (see it on google satellite from above). I have endured Pompeii once in July and the heat was indeed brutal!! 2nd time was in October and it was plenty warm even then.

The choice may also depend on how much time you have for Rome itself? Pompeii will eat much more time because of the distance, and you don't want to rob Peter, say, to pay Paul by missing more of its many treasures if your time is limited. It may also depend on what you've planned for the future? If the Amalfi/Sorrentine Coasts are in the cards for a return visit to The Boot, that would be the time to do Pompeii as it's much, much closer to that area.

But in the end, it's your trip so either will be right if right for YOU! :O) What I personally would not do is one of the bus tours that take over 3 hours JUST to get to Pompeii, runs folks through a two-hour tour of some of the scavi, and then over 3 hours BACK to Rome. Given the size and complexity of the excavation, it warrants much more exploration time, IMHO. I know we spent over 5 hours there my 2nd time - not including the 30 minutes or so both ways from Sorrento - and still couldn't cover it all.

Editing to add: great point below about being able to visit the archeological museum in Naples + the scavi at Herculaneum on a future trip to the region with more time to devote to it.

It is an apple and orange comparison. Both unique in their own way. Pompeii was a major city and overnight it disappeared. The history, the bodies, all add to the historical importance of Pompeii. OA was the major river port for Rome. Then one day the river shifted and it was no longer a port. OA was slowly buried by the mud of the river delta. It has been slowly dug out, sits in a beautiful park with lots of trees and shade so it is a very pleasant visit especially if it is hot. If it is hot, Pompeii can be a challenge with no shade. If you cannot visit both, I would pick the one that best fits your schedule and save the other one for you next visit.

I've only been to Ostia Antica and, in truth, am not very interested in classical sites. However, in making your decision it may be helpful to know that (based on what I've read) a lot of the best things found at Pompeii are in the Archaeological Museum in Naples, which you wouldn't have time to see on a rushed day-trip from Rome. I don't know how the holdings in the new Antiquarium compare to those in Naples; perhaps some important pieces have been moved back to Pompeii?

We've been to both and Frank is right. They are two entirely different sites and both are worthy of a visit. If at all possible do both. If you can only do one let your time constraints dictate the one you visit. To add an additional thought, if you spend a night in Naples, you can also go to Herculaneum. We did one in the morning and the other in the afternoon.

It is a basic mistake to consider Pompeii as a "daytrip" from Rome. We can't tell if you you are considering adding Campania to your July trip, or if you imagine you can do Pompeii justice with an exhausting, sunburned day-out from Rome. My point is that if you can't include southern Italy on this trip (and indeed, we did not, on our first Rome-Venice-Florence trip in 1989), you should not consider doing Pompeii. Right or wrong, I would put Villa d'Este and/or Hadrian's Villa ahead of Pompeii if I were sleeping in Rome. But Tivoli is still a long day out from Rome, either by bus or train.

Returning to your OP, if you go to an art history library at a college or university, you will find ten or twenty books on Pompeii for every book on Ostia Antica. That doesn't make the latter a bad visit - it's just a measure of culture influence on western civilization.

I agree that trying to see Pompeii as a day trip from Rome would be a mistake. If you have that little time, choose Ostia Antica.

When I went to Pompeii I stayed three nights in the town of Pompeii in a cute little pensione (can't remember the name, unfortunately). I spent the first full day seeing Pompeii; a full day gave me time to really soak it in, wander all the way to the Villa dei Misteri, take lots of photos waiting for the right light, etc. The second day I went to Herculaneum and then relaxed in the evening back in Pompeii. The morning of the third day I checked out early, took the train to Naples (where you have to change for Rome anyway, unless the route is different nowadays), visited the National Archaeological Museum, and then went on to Rome.

IIRC this was in early November and I was lucky with the weather: my two days on the ground were in the 70s and sunny, comfortable for walking around all day. The morning of checkout it was raining pretty hard and chilly.

I have been to both, on separate trips.

Not knowing how you are allocating your time in various locations, can only echo some previous thoughts.

Pompeii from Rome as a day trip is possible, but far from the recommended way to do it.

Because of the trees and shade OA was more pleasant in that regard.

They are not an apples to apples comparison.

DIsneyworld and Universal Orlando, have similarities, but have distinct unique qualities. Think of OA and Pompeii in that light.

No regrets about having done both.

Surprised nobody mentioned Herculaneum. We spent 3 nights in the modern city of Pompeii and found this site to be a much more enjoyable visit than Pompeii with its lack of shade and overcrowding.

Thanks for everyone's input. This gives me food for thought and planning.

The destination that is being overlooked here is Herculaneum (Ercolano). This is an amazing site, even more so than Pompeii in my opinion. Unlike Pompeii, which was incinerated and levelled by pyroclastic flows, Ercolano was slowly buried under mud and ash flows from Vesuvius and much of the town, shops, homes and frescoes, were buried intact. It is a fascinating place.

Like Pompeii, it can be easily accessed from Sorrento in about 20mn.

Also, if you going to see these sites, you should also allocate a day to see the archaelogical museum in Naples as much of the objects from Pompeii and Ercolano are in the museum. The museum really completes the education about these two amazing destinations. It is also one of the world's best archaeological museums in it's own right.

We went to both Pompeii and Ostia Antica on the same trip - and Herculaneum! If it’s possible to see both (actually, all three!), it’s time well spent. So maybe that’s apples, oranges, and grapes. Get plenty of fruit in your trip diet.

After having been in Sorrento, from where we visited Pompeii and Herculaneum on separate days, we arrived by train at the platform that’s a 3 minute walk from Ostia Antica on the day before we flew home from Rome. They let us stash our bags at the security office while we toured the sight, before taking a taxi to our Rome airport hotel. We had an extremely early flight the next morning, so Ostia Antica was a fabulous way to cap the Italy trip!