Lido di Ostia
The beach of Rome
Lido di Ostia
The beach of Rome
HOW DO YOU GET FROM ROME
TO THE BEACH?
Rome is right by the sea. Wait! Rome is right by the sea? Absolutely!
Not many people realise that Rome is right by the sea, even though the Colosseum is only 30 km away. Having once been a major trade hub, the Roman port of Ostia was completely abandoned centuries ago. Goods would have been shipped from Africa to Ostia and then temporarily stored there or sent on to Rome via the River Tiber. Beautifully preserved ruins, temples and houses from the ancient harbour city of Ostia Antica are still standing to this day. But Ostia is not classed as a city in its own right anymore – it is now just a region of Rome.
If you find yourself in Rome in the summer, make sure you plan an afternoon by the sea. What a fantastic opportunity to combine your city sightseeing with a beach holiday! Keep reading for our top tips to help you make the most of your trip to the seaside when in Rome…
HERE’S WHAT
YOU NEED TO KNOW...
- The best way to get to Ostia is by train (trenino) on the Roma–Lido railway. The journey lasts 30 minutes and a single ticket is EUR 1.50. Any tickets for travel in the city centre (including day, week and month passes) are valid all the way to Ostia. The trains leave every 15 or 20 minutes and run until 11.30 p.m. You can get on at Piramide/Ostiense, Basilica San Paolo or EUR Magliana (all also on the Metro B Line) and off at Lido Centro, Stella Polare or Castel Fusano.
- Some beaches are free to visit (spiaggia libera) and you have to pay to use others. And some beaches are free, but some charges do still apply (spiaggia libera attrezzata). Here, you can hire parasols and sunbeds – but you don’t have to.
- You’ll pay around EUR 6.00 to EUR 10.00 to hire sunbeds and parasols for a day.
- Paid beaches are supervised by lifeguards.
- Whichever beach you’re on, keep a close eye on your belongings and don’t leave them unattended.
- You can also take the bus (COTRAL) from Ostia to Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO). It departs from Lido Centro and a ticket for the 20-minute journey costs EUR 1.30.
- During the winter, Ostia can seem really empty and deserted because many of the shops and restaurants are only open between March and October.
WHAT CAN YOU DO in
LIDO DI OSTIA?
Ostia Antica
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Beach & Bar
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Shopping
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Delicious fish
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Best Pizza
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Top Tip 1:
Ostia Antica
If you’re planning a seaside excursion to Ostia, make sure you spend the morning exploring the ancient harbour city. Much like the Roman Forum and Pompeii, Ostia Antica is an archaeological site that takes you on a visual journey back in time. The temples, theatres, houses and taverns here are incredibly well preserved. In fact, it’s hard to believe that the city dates all the way back to the 7th century B.C.
You can read more about Ostia Antica – including the main attractions, opening times and ticket prices – right here.
Top Tip 2:
BEAUTIFUL BEACHES WITH BRILLIANT BARS
If you get off the train at Stella Polare, you’ll be a ten-minute walk from a beach called Il Curvone. And that’s exactly how long it takes to get from Lido Centro station to Bahia Beach. Curvone and Bahia are both beaches that are spiaggia libera attrezzata. If you remember: that means you can use the beaches for free, but you have to pay extra to borrow sunbeds and parasols. Even though there’s no charge to step onto these two beaches, they’re both still supervised by lifeguards. No wonder they’re popular choices with the locals.
If you arrive at the seaside bright and early, we’d recommend starting your day right at the Il Curvone bar. Order a croissant and coffee to enjoy as you gaze out to sea. Fancy an aperitivo with small snacks and/or a buffet instead? The Bahia beach bar should be your next port of call.
Il Curvone
open daily from 8.00 a.m. – 8.00 p.m.
Piazzale Magellano
00122 Lido di Ostia, Rome
Bahia Beach
open daily from 7.00 a.m. – 9.00 p.m.
Lungomare Paolo Toscanelli, 159-167
00121 Lido di Ostia, Rome
Top Tip 3:
A SPOT OF ITALIAN SHOPPING
The seafront promenade – or lungomare – is lined with souvenir shops. But if you’re looking for small Italian fashion boutiques where the locals shop, head straight for Via delle Baleniere (Via Orazio Dello Sbirro). Plan to head north up the street to the Lido Nord station, where you can hop on the train straight back to Rome.
There’s a local market on this street from Monday to Saturday too – the Mercato Orazio dello Sbirro is known as the perfect place to purchase your fresh fish, meat, fruit, veg, cheese and bread.
Opening hours Mercato
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 7.00 a.m. – 2.00 p.m.
Tuesday, Thursday: 7.00 a.m. – 7.00 p.m.
Sunday closed.
Top Tip 4:
FANTASTIC FRESH FISH
You can’t go to the seaside without sampling some fresh fish, can you? As you can imagine, Ostia isn’t short of fine fish restaurants. If you’re looking for a restaurant offering good value for money in a prime location, Mami and La Vittoria are both well worth a visit. Fresh fish is served in traditional Italian dishes like Spaghetti alle vongole, a classic pasta dish that’s super simple yet so delicious.
As a selling point over La Vittoria, Mami also boasts direct access to the beach (stabilimento) with sunbeds, parasols and a small children’s play area. The beach is well looked after, the staff are friendly and the food and drink come highly recommended.
Mami
Lungomare Caio, Lungomare Duilio, 32
00122 Lido di Ostia, Roma
www.mamibeach.it
Ristorante La Vittoria
Lungomare Paolo Toscanelli, 191
00121 Lido di Ostia, Roma
Top Tip 5:
THE BEST PIZZA IN OSTIA
Obviously, you don’t just have to stick to the fish delicacies when you’re in Ostia. It is home to one of the best pizzas in Rome, after all. At Romolo Al Centro, every pizza is made with fresh toppings and baked to crispy perfection. It’s no secret that the pizza here is delicious, so make sure you book a table in advance – especially if you want to eat after 8.30 p.m. Don’t worry if you can’t get a table, though, because you can always take your pizza onto the beach and enjoy it as you watch the sun set on another beautiful Rome day.
Whilst you’re here, stroll through the streets of Ostia and check out the nearby Church of Saint Mary Regina Pacis.
Romolo Al Centro
Monday – Friday: 12.30 p.m. – 2.30 p.m. & 7.00 p.m. – 11.00 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday: 12.30 p.m. – 3.00 p.m. & 7.00 p.m. – 11.00 p.m.
Via della Stazione Vecchia, 9
00122 Lido di Ostia, Roma
www.romolodal1976.it/
Conclusion
What can we say? Ostia may not quite be in the same league as the Maldives or Hawaii, but it does have some serious summer holiday vibes. After days of city sightseeing on end, a few hours spent at the beach can be just what you need to relax and recharge your batteries.
Text and image rights: © Céline Mülich, 2020 – 2024
With the support of Susanne Vukan
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