Ostia: The Modern Romans' Secret

by Stoyan Kralchev (Bulgaria)

I didn't expect to find Italy

"I think I smell the seawater already," I tell my cousin in an uncertain tone, not sure if I'm trying to convince her or myself. We had just been through a 3-hour plane ride from Sofia to Rome, a 1-hour bus ride from Ciampino Airport to the Termini station in the center of Rome, and then another 1-hour train ride bringing us to Ostia. Our surroundings are calm and peaceful, in sharp contrast with how we feel after spending hours under the hot June sun, dragging our luggage around the old Roman city. More than ready to acclimate, all we want to do is to reach the shore and start tuning in to the serenity surrounding us. "Spiaggia?" A resident vendor repeated our question back to us, following it up with a lively hand gesture, presumably in the general direction of where we want to be. We followed the seabreeze through the quietly welcoming Italian streets. Palm trees, cactuses, local produce displayed on the sidewalks, creamy beige apartment buildings, all bathed in the orange hue of the now-softer afternoon sun. I start to realize how little of Italy I actually saw during my previous trip to Rome in December. We turn a corner and there it is, the unmistakable view of the horizon, the refraction ripples in the hot air right above the warm water and sand — the beach. The very first wave I heard crashing into the coast seemed to sweep away all my worries, taking them with itself back into the seabed. It left my mind a calm, smooth canvas, much like the surface of the sand. The next morning we got up early to greet the just-risen sun, headed down to the little coffee shop on the corner, and enjoyed a relaxed morning with an Italian "Ristretto". Although Ostia is an excellent vacation spot, it is not yet affected by excessive tourism and remains the favourite holiday destination for Romans. As a result, the locals were just as interested in us as we were in them. Despite our limited means of understanding each other, through body language and a mix of words spoken in various languages, we were able to make some smalltalk. They suggested we check out Ostia Antica (one metro stop away), a large archaeological site with well-preserved ancient buildings, mosaics, and famous frescoes Italy is known for since the Renaissance. Properly awake by now, we make our way to the beach and get ready to dive into the pristine water, still cool from the night before. After what felt like 20 minutes but was actually 2 hours of swimming and drying off in the sun, noon rolls around, and it's time for us to head back, in order to avoid the sun rays at their hottest and have a well-deserved 'siesta'. This leaves us fresh and ready for round two in the late afternoon. There are more people on the beach at this time than there are in the mornings, the water is warmer, music is playing, excitement is in the air, and Ostia is getting ready for sundown. Walking through town in the evening makes you realize that this is when the people truly get out and about. Conversations buzzing left and right, shops welcoming customers, glasses clinking, smiles and happy faces, dim and colourful street lighting, and delicious, mouth-watering smells — all work together to overwhelm your senses and entice you to give in to the moment. We picked a tiny restaurant, and sat down outside on the patio right on the lively Ostia town center street. They served me the best pizza I ever had - even the one I had in Rome was incomparable. There is just something about the attention and effort put into the food that takes it to another level; these people weren't simply trying to make money — they take pride in what they deliver, and it shows. Afterwards, we went for some similarly amazing-tasting ice cream at a little but very busy joint, and as I sat there savouring the strawberry flavours while enjoying the indescribable atmosphere, I thought to myself: I could surely survive another 5 days of this.