The coastline between Lido di Ostia and the municipality of Fiumicino is extremely uniform both from a morphological point of view (because of the presence of the Tiber and of an ecosystem characterized by sand dunes and Mediterranean scrub), and from a historical point of view (because the river itself has been for centuries the main “road” between the sea and the capital of the Roman Empire).
The Tiber and the sea have therefore strongly influenced human settlements and the development of the coastline. The foundation of the ancient Roman colony at the mouth (= hostium) of the river dates back, according to the sources, to the fourth king of Rome, Ancus Marcius, although archaeological evidences date the construction of the first military castrum to a more recent period (4th cent. B.C.). Otherwise, it is certain that the seaports, built under the emperors Claudius and Trajan, date back respectively to the I and II century. A.D.
The natural beauty, the presence of a real Roman city which can be compared only to Pompeii, the proximity of the international airport Leonardo da Vinci as well as of free beaches and resorts, are just some of the features that make this area (which lies only 20 km from the center of Rome) extraordinary for tourists, thanks also to special events like the Palio di Ostia Antica or the festival devoted to the typical local little shellfish: the Sagra della Tellina.