Secrets of · Scavenger hunt
Secrets of Bologna Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour
1.5–2 hours · 1–4 players per team · no app€19.95 per team
Sherlock Holmes · Murder mystery
Bologna Self-Guided Detective Murder Mystery Game
- 1.5–2 hours
- 1–4 players per team
- In the free Loquiz app on your phone
- 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.
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.
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 Loquiz app on your own phone. 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
- 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
Show all 15 stops
- 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
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
- ★★★★★
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 - ★★★★★
This was a fun game! It had a few challenges which was good and surprises. It got me to go around and explore Queenstown, New Zealand. I got to places in Queenstown, New Zealand I hadn’t been to before while on holiday here. Thank you for that and it gave a feel what it would be like to be the actual Sherlock Holmes!
Dylan J.February 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
| # | Team | Points | Time |
|---|
No team has played in this period yet.
More games in Bologna
More places nearby
Sherlock Holmes · Murder mystery
Cagliari Self-Guided Detective Murder Mystery Game
1.5–2 hours · 1–4 players per team · free Loquiz app€19.95 per team
Sherlock Holmes · Murder mystery
Catania Self-Guided Detective Murder Mystery Game
1.5–2 hours · 1–4 players per team · free Loquiz app€19.95 per team
Sherlock Holmes · Murder mystery
Como Self-Guided Detective Murder Mystery Game
1.5–2 hours · 1–4 players per team · free Loquiz app€19.95 per team