The Sea City that Time Forgot 

 Rome's Pompeii, the ancient port city lost to time, while not buried by a volcanic eruption still holds many secrets. What is visible today already dwarfs Pompeiian ruins at the foot of Mt. Vesuvius, despite the fact that over two-thirds of the site are yet to be excavated. What lies beneath?

 Pompeii suffers greatly from overtourism. Here, you can explore better preserved ruins without having to share space with other people. The archaeological park is just a stone's throw from Rome, and even closer to the Tyrrhenian Sea if you'd like to keep exploring post-touring.

 In Rome, especially in summer, anywhere away from crowds is priceless. Anywhere by the sea more so.

 The story of Rome's Pompeii is rather obscure. Ostia Antica ("os" meaning mouth) was the main seaport of Rome with Etruscan roots. It became a naval base that defended the mouth of the Tiber in the 3rd century AD.

 The sea city was abandoned in the 9th century. The harbour silted up, malaria took hold, and plundering followed. For centuries, Ostia Antica was forgotten.

 Fortunately, mud and sea silt preserved many mosaics and frescoes. Most are monochromatic, commissioned by dock workers and merchants. In contrast to the colourful mosaics found in Pompeii, these are more clearly defined and detail approaches perfection. Visit Pompeii from Rome, but do spend half a day here too!