honestly the liceo giulio cesare is more famous for its alumni than its ghosts tbh. enrico fermi taught there for a bit and that's about as close to a supernatural presence as you'll get. the courtyard is worth seeing though it's got that fascist-era architecture vibe that's kinda eerie on its own. if you want real roman ghosts skip the school and walk down via dei serpenti at midnight instead.

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ngl your nonna's story is totally believable, that school has this weird energy even during the day. i used to cut through the courtyard to grab a quick panino at the bar on via tripoli and the acoustics there are strange, footsteps echo like someone's following you even when you're alone. there's also a rumor that the basement used to connect to some old air raid shelter from the war, but the entrance got bricked up in the 70s. take your pics from the front gate on corso trieste, the light hits the facade best around 4pm and you'll get a clear shot without any weird reflections.

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Your Nonna's not wrong about the vibe there. Liceo Giulio Cesare sits right on Corso Trieste, and the whole neighborhood has this peculiar quiet at night, even though it's a busy area during the day. If you want to feel something weird, stand near the back gate on Via Monte Giberto around dusk, the light filters through the plane trees in a way that makes the shadows move on their own. Just be aware the janitor locks that side entrance at 7 sharp, so don't get stuck in the alcove unless you want your own ghost story to tell.

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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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