Note that this is the third time you visit Alexandria during a playthrough of Final Fantasy IX 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 side quest 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 plot of the game you will never get 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 has a key item 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.
Track Star
You must attain a level of 80 in the Hippaul mini-game in order to obtain the Track Star Trophy. This Trophy is missable as you won’t be able to participate in Hippaul Racing once you meet up with Ruby and watch her play.
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”.
Doug’s Item Shop is located 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 of the Church. Enter the Church / Steeple and speak to Stiltzkin to purchase a Phoenix Pinion, Hi-Potion and 
Elixir off of him for 777 gil.
At this point you are probably already aware, but Stiltzkin offers a ton of interesting items up for sale throughout the course of the game - check out the Stiltzkin side quest section for more information.
Driving the Hard Bargain
You must purchase all of the available items from Stiltzkin each time he appears in order to obtain the Driving the Hard Bargain Trophy. This is a missable trophy as you cannot return to some sections of the game in order to buy items that you have missed.
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 side quest section for more information on what to do with Kupo Nuts. Travel up the Steeple and choose to “[p]ull 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 want to see the play with them or if you want 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).
Track Star
You must attain a level of 80 in the Hippaul mini-game in order to obtain the Track Star Trophy. Once you head back to the theater and meet with Ruby, you will no longer be able to complete this mini-quest or obtain the trophy.
Enter the theater to continue the story. Doctor Tot will provide Princess Garnet with an 
Opal, a 
Topaz and an 
Amethyst. These can be used 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 towards the exit of the castle and Eiko will start into some more dialogue. You will regain control of Zidane and Vivi who decide to go visit 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 have to choose which brother is Benero after they rearrange themselves. It’s like the shell guessing game.
You get double your money for guessing successfully. It’s a low stakes and low reward mini-game not worth wasting too much of your time on but you can earn more and more gil for guessing correctly.
Found in the Shuffle
You can obtain the Found in the Shuffle Trophy by successfully completing the guessing game 9 times in a row. This trophy is missable.
Take the gondola from the docks over to Alexandria Castle once you are done exploring.
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. In 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 in to 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.
