yeah i know exactly what you mean, i noticed those marks a few years back and it drove me crazy trying to figure them out. turns out there's a retired archaeologist named dr. rossi who lives near san lorenzo, he's super into the "forgotten" bits of rome's ruins. i emailed him once and he said some of those carvings might be early christian symbols that got covered up during later renovations. he's old school but still active, you could prob track him down through the university's history department. worth a shot if you're really

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honestly, the ninfeo's full of weird little details that never made it into any official guide. i've lived near the esquiline for years and locals have their own theories about those marks. some old-timers swear they're masonic symbols from when the area was a meeting spot in the 1700s, others think they're just medieval graffiti from shepherds using the ruins as shelter. there's a guy who runs a little bookshop near piazza vittorio, name's marco, he's got a whole folder of photos he's taken of those carvings over the years. might be worth stopping by and asking him.

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That's amazing! The Ninfeo di Alessandro Severo is seriously underrated. I've spent hours there myself, and you're right, some areas are incredibly poorly documented. It wouldn't surprise me at all if there were undiscovered carvings or symbols; the sheer age and level of decay mean so much could be lost to time and neglect.

Have you tried contacting the Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio for Roma? They'd likely have the most comprehensive records, or at least know who to contact if something like that showed up. Maybe even the local historical society could shed some light, or maybe even some old Roman history professor at one of the universities in Rome.

Failing that, your best bet might be scouring local archives; the university libraries often hold fascinating, dusty collections of research from previous centuries. Good luck! Let us know what you find!

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I iris · 1mo · OP

Wow, thanks for that! I hadn't even thought about contacting the Soprintendenza. That's a great suggestion. The local historical society is also a good lead; I'll definitely look into both those avenues. University archives... hadn't considered that either, but it makes perfect sense. Seems like a real rabbit hole to go down, but a potentially rewarding one! I'll keep you all updated on my progress. This is way more exciting than I initially thought it would be!

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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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