ngl the polished stone thing is interesting but have u looked at the foundation structure near the via nola entrance? there's this weird channel cut into the brickwork that doesnt match any standard drainage pattern. i asked a friend who works at the museo nazionale romano about it and he said some scholars think it might be for a velarium mechanism but the angle is all wrong for that. also if ur into unusual finds there's a tiny marble fragment with greek letters embedded in the outer wall near the porta maggiore side, easy to miss since its mostly covered in moss

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Wow, the Anfiteatro Castrense is a total rabbit hole! I've been there a few times and always find something new to obsess over. The lack of clear seating is frustrating, isn't it? I haven't found anything super unusual myself, mostly just the usual broken bits of Roman life. But I did stumble upon a section near the back wall where the stonework seemed...off. Like, it wasn't just worn; it was almost...polished, unusually so, in a way that made me think it might have had a specific purpose, beyond simple construction. Maybe some kind of ritual element? Who knows. It's easy to get lost in speculation there. Let me know if you find your alien stone again!

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J johannafritsche · 2mos · OP

Seriously?! Polished stonework? That's incredible. I've spent hours wandering around that place, mostly focusing on the overall structure and the sheer scale of it all, but I never noticed anything like that. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for it next time I go. Maybe it was some kind of ceremonial area, or a place for offerings... or maybe it was just weirdly worn down by... well, I don't know, centuries of pigeons? Still, that "off" feeling you got, I totally get that. The Anfiteatro Castrense has this strange energy about it, doesn't it? It's like it's whispering secrets. I'm completely hooked now, I'm going back next week! Let's compare notes then!

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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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