Secrets of · Scavenger hunt
Secrets of Bologna Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour
1.5–2 hours · 1–4 players per team · no appfrom €4.99 per person1 player €8.95 · 4 players €19.95
Detective Murder Mystery GameDetective Murder Mystery Game Bologna
- 1.5–2 hours
- The same story in every city: like an escape room, this story is yours to crack once, so pick the city that makes it special. Want more? Secrets games tell a new story in every city.
- 1–4 players per team
- On your own phone, no app
- Language of the game: English +19
- Start any time within 12 months
- Free cancellation until you start
Chase a detective murder mystery on foot through central Bologna, from Piazza Maggiore under the arcades to the towers.
On the route
15 places, in this order
- Palazzo Malvezzi de' Medici
- Statua di Camillo Cavour
- Fontana del Nettuno
- Monumento a Marco Minghetti
- Torre Prendiparte o Coronata
- Palazzo d'Accursio
- Palazzo Tubertini
- Piazza Maggiore
- Santuario di Santa Maria della Vita
- Prefettura di Bologna
- Torre degli Asinelli
- Biblioteca Comunale dell'Archiginnasio
- Piazza Santo Stefano
- Palazzo Orsi già Marconi
- Basilica di San Petronio
Step into the story
A murder in the city
You are Sherlock Holmes, and Watson is at your side. Balthazar has been found dead, four people had a reason, and only one of them did it.
- 1.5–2 hours
- 1–4 players per team
It beginsAnd we need you to find out who killed Balthazar.
It goes wrongYou ring the bell. Nobody opens the door but you catch a shadow moving through the house! Somebody is home!
Your moveWalk the city, question the witnesses, gather the evidence and name the killer. Good luck, and have fun.
Every player takes on one of these roles.
The Reasoner
The Lookout
The Photographer
The Casebook
The Balthasar case is open in Bologna, and it stays open until somebody walks the route and reads it properly.
This is a self-guided murder mystery game you play outdoors, at your own pace, with Bologna for a board. Your phone carries the case file and the city carries the evidence. Clues to gather, digital characters to question, codes to break and a name to give at the end - a detective game with no host at a meeting point, no timetable and no group to keep up with.
You will be standing at Palazzo Malvezzi de' Medici, Statua di Camillo Cavour and Fontana del Nettuno, among other places.
Where the Case Takes You in Bologna
Monumento a Marco Minghetti and Torre Prendiparte o Coronata come into it too. Expect 3 to 4 km on foot, at whatever speed suits the slowest member of the group.
Had great fun playing secrets of Haarlem!
How Your Case in Bologna Plays Out
You move, the case moves. Each stop has something to solve and each digital character has something to say once you have solved it, and the suspect list shortens accordingly. Figure on 1.5 to 2 hours across 3 to 4 km, with as many breaks as you feel like taking. It asks the sort of attention Sherlock Holmes made his name on - the detail other people step over.
For Families, Friends and Teams in Bologna
With friends. A better answer to "what shall we do today" than another cafe. It works as a pair and it works as a four, and it gives you something to disagree about over dinner.
With your team. Split into groups of up to four, buy one ticket per group, and send them off on the same murder. Team building without a facilitator, a venue or a start time - and in Bologna that means nobody has to be anywhere by nine.
With kids. Eight years old is about the floor. The distance is not the problem it sounds like, the photo tasks are where children beat adults outright, and the codes end up being solved by the whole family at once.
Before You Book
How does the murder mystery game work?
It runs in the browser on your own phone, no app download needed. Open it at the starting point in Bologna, and from there the case comes to you: someone to question at each location, something to solve before they talk, and a name to hand in at the end.
How long does it take?
Between one and a half and two hours for most groups, across 3 to 4 km. Slower is free: nothing is timed and nothing expires while you are having lunch.
How many people can play on one ticket?
One ticket covers one to four players on a single device, €19.95 in total. Bigger groups buy one ticket per four and race each other through the same murder.
Do we need to pick a time?
You pick a date. Start at nine or start at four; nothing in Bologna is waiting on you and no guide is standing anywhere.
Is it suitable for children?
From roughly age eight it works well. The puzzles are built to be solved, not to defeat anyone, and younger children happily walk along and help.
What happens if it rains?
Nothing forces you to keep walking. Duck into a cafe, let it pass and carry on when you feel like it - there is no time limit on any part of this.
Is this a detective game or a walking tour of Bologna?
You get the walk either way. The difference is that you arrive at each place with a question, and a question makes people look at a building far harder than a plaque ever does.
What else is there to do in Bologna?
The same streets carry other city games in Bologna, each with its own story, and anyone travelling on will find the next stop under Italy.
More City Games: Secrets of Bologna · Milan Murder Mystery · city games across Italy
How it works
- BookYour ticket arrives by email.
- Go to the startThe start point is in your email. Any day within 12 months.
- PlayOpen the link on one phone per team and press start.
What players in other cities say
- ★★★★★
Wir (Mein Mann, unsere 9-jährige Tochter und ich) haben heute ganz spontan das Spiel "Moordmysterie Düsseldorf" gebucht und gespielt. Die Buchung verlief schnell und reibungslos. Es hat super viel Spaß gemacht! Die Story, die Rätsel, das Konzept, die Route, die Gestaltung der App... richtig gut!!! Das Spiel würde ich vor allem Familien mit Kindern empfehlen. Für Erwachsene waren die Rätsel (meiner Meinung nach) zu einfach. Aber trotzdem wegen der schönen Route durch Düsseldorf, der Story, den lustigen Anweisungen zwischendurch eine schöne Aktion, die man zusammen machen kann.
Lingling Z.October 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
Had great fun playing secrets of Haarlem!
Martin M.March 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
Game in Amsterdam was fun!
Enzo L.March 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
Had So much fun playing while exploring the city
Philip C.March 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
I had a fantastic experience with CityGame! The concept is creative, engaging, and a great way to explore a city in a completely new way. The games are well-designed, combining puzzles, storytelling, and adventure so you’re constantly discovering something interesting around every corner. What I especially love is how CityGame turns a normal walk through the city into an interactive experience. It’s perfect for friends, families, or team outings, and it makes sightseeing much more exciting than the usual tours. Everything was easy to use, the challenges were fun and clever, and it really encouraged us to look closer at the city and its hidden details. Highly recommended if you’re looking for a unique and memorable way to explore!
Jessica S.March 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
This is an interesting way to conduct a self-guided Amsterdam city tour. It used the GPS on your phone to guide you to stops on a route. There are mini quizzes once you arrive at the stops on the path. The quizzes draw your attention to features in front of you or to a brief history of the place. In many cases, we visited a spot that would not have been obvious as a regular passer by. The tour as a whole was interesting to us as newcomers, but I would have liked more information on many locations we visited - a few links outside of the app for each place would have been helpful. Beyond that, the interface was a bit clunky and sometimes awkward to navigate. We definitely don't regret trying this out and feel like we got our money's worth on the experience.
JaibhijaiJune 2024 · via google
How we check reviews
These reviews were left by players on Google and other review sites and are copied from there as they are, with their source.
Leaderboard
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Leaderboard: Bologna
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