Note that this should be the third time you have visited Alexandria during a playthrough of Final Fantasy IX, and it takes place on Disc 3. If this is your first or second visit to Alexandria or Alexandria Castle, check out the Disc 1 or Disc 2 main page to find the proper page.

Steiner, Princess Garnet, Doctor Tot, and Beatrix all return to Alexandria Castle to start things off on Disc 3. Their discussion centers around the upcoming coronation ceremony to officially crown Princess Garnet as the new Queen of Alexandria.

The story then returns to Zidane, Marcus, Blank, and Cinna in the Alexandria Pub. The gameplay continues with you in control of Vivi outside the Pub on the Main Street of Alexandria.

Travel to the right side of the screen back to where you first started off the game with Vivi. You will have the option of watching the Active Time Event “It’s So Big!” which involves Eiko exploring the outskirts of Alexandria Castle.

There is a mini-game on this street called Hippaul Racing. Check out the Hippaul Racing guide in the Side Quests section for more information, or read the instructions below, as this is your only chance to play it.

As soon as you leave this area and continue with the game’s plot, you will no longer have the option to play it again. Speak to Hippolady on the left side of the screen, and when asked if you would mind racing against Hippaul, select “I don’t mind.”

This mini-game features a key item reward called the “Athlete Queen,” and this is the only way to obtain it.You will have to continue to attempt to beat Hippaul until you defeat him at level 80 to obtain the Athlete Queen.

Go back up top and head to the left of the Alexandria Pub this time. You should gain access to another Active Time Event called “Long Time No See!” which follows three random guards discussing some training. Head back to the square to find one more ATE called “To Fly High.”

You can find Doug’s Item Shop through the doorway on the right side of the street that leads to the square. You can restock any of your regular consumable items as well as the new ones that became available throughout your travels (Potions, Hi-Potions, Phoenix Downs, Echo Screens, Softs, Antidotes, Eye Drops, Remedies, Annoyntments and Tents).

There are a few more Active Time Events that become available as you travel towards the square. Make sure that you watch the “Artemicion” ATE when given the opportunity.

Travel to the north side of the square to reach the docks. There is a Phoenix Pinion hidden above the Alexandrian Soldier on the left side of the screen and 3,927 gil hidden above the Alexandrian Soldier on the right side of the screen.

Go back to the square and head left down the alleyway. Run past Marcus and Blank and into the area outside the Church. Enter the Church and climb the Steeple to speak with Stiltzkin, who will sell you a Phoenix Pinion, Hi-Potion, and Elixir for 777 Gil.

At this point, you are probably already aware, but Stiltzkin offers a ton of interesting items up for sale throughout the game—check out the Stiltzkin guide in the Side Quests section for more information.

Speak to Kupo the Moogle (standing near Artemicion and Stiltzkin) and deliver the letter to him from Kuppo. You will receive another Kupo Nut at this point as well, as long as you do not have one in your inventory already.

Check out the Kupo Nut guide in the Side Quests section for more information on what to do with Kupo Nuts. Travel up the Steeple and choose to “Pull the rope” when you reach the top to obtain Hippaul’s Treasures again. This time, you will receive a Shiva Card and a Ramuh Card.

Walk back to the alleyway and try to enter the theater to continue the story. Blank will ask you if you’d like to see the play with them or if you’d like to walk around some more.

Choose to see the play when you are ready to move the plot forward (Reminder: You will no longer be able to complete the Hippaul Racing side quest if you move forward past this point).

Enter the theater to continue the story. Doctor Tot will provide Princess Garnet with an Opal, a Topaz, and an Amethyst. You can use these to teach her the Shiva, Ifrit, and Atomos Eidolons, respectively.

You will find yourself in control of Eiko inside Alexandria Castle when the game continues—but not for long. Walk north toward the exit of the castle, and Eiko will start talking some more. You will regain control of Zidane and Vivi, who decide to Princess Garnet one last time before she becomes Queen.

An ATE will become available as soon as Zidane and Vivi leave the Pub called “I Forgot!”. Travel back to the Mini-Theater and search the floor in the foreground to find 2,680 gil lying on the floor near the foreground between the two tables.

The game continues near the docks to the north of Alexandria Square. Zidane and Vivi will meet up with Amarant and Freya near the docks. You now have the option of jumping on the gondola to head to the castle, but there are a few optional things you can take care of in Alexandria first.

You now have access to the Item Shop, Weapon Shop and Synthesis Shop. Buy a Mythril Dagger from the Weapon Shop, if you don’t already have one in your inventory, and use it (along with a Gladius) to Synthesize an Angel Bless weapon for Zidane.

The Ice Lance is a nice upgrade for Freya, the Twist Headband is a nice upgrade for a few of your characters, and Freya could also use the Gold Helm at the Weapon Shop.

There is an optional mini-game that you can play by speaking to Genero, Benero, or Zenero in the Weapon Shop. The game costs 50 gil to start, and you must choose which brother is Benero after they rearrange themselves. It’s like the shell guessing game.

You receive double your money for a successful guess. It’s a low-stakes and low-reward mini-game not worth wasting too much time on, but you can earn more gil for guessing correctly.

Take the gondola from the docks over to Alexandria Castle once you are done exploring.

Alexandria Castle

There are two bells near the dock to the left and to the right of where the gondola is docked. Examine the pillars near each to find an Ether on the left and a Phoenix Pinion on the right. Behind the fountain (on this same screen), after you walk up the stairs, you can find a Lapis Lazuli (which is an accessory that magic users can equip).

Travel to the left of the fountain and into the West Tower. On the right side of the screen, next to the locked gate, you can find a hidden Phoenix Pinion.

Go through the doorway on the left into the “Neptune” room and search the back wall to find the Leo Stellazzio. Go back out to the docks and go north towards the castle to continue with a few more cutscenes.

Zidane will run into Steiner, kicking Eiko out of the castle. There are a couple of lines of dialogue outside the castle before Vivi asks Steiner if they can all meet with Princess Garnet. They will say their ‘goodbyes’ to her before she leaves to prepare for the coronation.

A few more cutscenes will also take place down by the fountain and the docks involving the letter that Eiko wrote.

The game continues in Dark City Treno after the team travels through Gargan Roo.