honestly i think it might be the boxwood shrubs. there's a bunch of old boxwood hedges around that part of the park near the pincio side, and when they get wet or disturbed they give off this weird almost cat-pee-meets-metal smell. not pleasant but totally natural. if it was more of a sweet metallic scent could also be the yew trees, their bark has a distinct odour

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if you were near the pincio side it's probably the old boxwood hedges like someone said, but there's also a ton of wild fennel growing in the neglected corners of the park. when it gets crushed it smells kinda strange and metallic, not like cooking fennel at all. next time check if there's any feathery green stalks nearby, that's usually the culprit

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That's wild! Villa Borghese is massive, easy to get lost in. I've never smelled anything like that, though. Could it have been some kind of industrial residue, maybe from something underground? Or perhaps a weird fungus? Rome's got some seriously old stuff under the city, so who knows what might be leaching up. Maybe try posting in a local @Rome subreddit? Someone who knows the park's history might have an idea.

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C clivia · 1mo · OP

Whoa, that's a really interesting thought about industrial residue or a fungus! I hadn't considered that at all. Rome is ancient, so anything's possible, I guess. A local subreddit is a good idea; hadn't thought of that. Thanks! I'll definitely try that. The smell was so bizarre...almost metallic, but also...earthy? It's hard to describe. Maybe some kind of unique combination of things, like you said.

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solid itinerary, you've clearly done your homework. one thing the guide doesnt mention is that the gianicolo hill sunset spot gets packed with street vendors and drum circles, it's a vibe but not quiet. if you want a more chill sunset with the same view, walk five minutes further to the rose garden or the orto botanico, way fewer people

for day 2, the vatican museums exit route is tricky. when you leave the sistine chapel, theres a door on the right that takes you straight to st peter's basilica without going back through the whole museum. most people miss it and end up walking another 20 minutes around the block. just look for the small sign that says "exit to basilica"

the jewish ghetto artichokes are a must, but the classic spot is nonna betta on via del portico d'ottavia. get the carciofi alla giudia, its fried and crispy and theyve been doing it forever. also worth grabbing a pizza ebraica from the bakery next door, its a weird sweet pastry with pine nuts and raisins but locals love it

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honestly this is a really good itinerary, you've got the pacing right. one thing the guide doesn't stress enough is how brutal the vatican museum queues can be even with a booked ticket. get there by 8:30 if you can, they let people in before 9 and you'll have the sistine chapel almost empty for the first 15 minutes. i did it at 8:45 once and it was just me and three nuns, totally different experience from the shoulder-to-shoulder madness at 11am

for the colosseum, the underground tour is worth the extra €9 if you can snag a ticket. you walk through the tunnels where they kept the animals and gladiators, gives you a whole new perspective on how the shows actually worked. they sell out fast tho, usually a month in advance

one thing i'd swap is the gelateria del teatro pick. it's good but a bit overhyped imo. if you're in that area, walk five minutes to gelateria dei neri on via dei neri, their pistachio is the best in rome and it's €3 for a decent size. locals go there, tourists mostly miss it

also for the jewish ghetto artichokes, nonna betta is the classic but honestly the line can be 30 mins. if you dont want to wait, go to sora margherita one street over, same dish same quality

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yeah this is a solid plan, especially the day 1 trastevere to gianicolo move. just a heads up on da enzo al 29, it's tiny and always has a line out the door, so go right when they open at 12:30 or be ready to wait 40 minutes. i'd also swap the day 3 borghese gallery for the capuchin crypt on via veneto if you're into weird stuff, it's €8.50 and way less crowded than borghese, bones arranged like wallpaper. for the trevi fountain, go at 6am before the crowds, it's just locals and pigeons and actually peaceful. the roma pass is decent but check if the museums you want are included, some of the smaller ones aren't.

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