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Secrets of · Scavenger hunt

Secrets of Bologna Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour

Secrets of Bologna Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Walking TourSecrets of Bologna Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour – Bologna (2)Secrets of Bologna Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour – Bologna (3)Secrets of Bologna Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour – Bologna (4)Secrets of Bologna Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour – Bologna (5)
  • 2 hours
  • 1–4 players per team
  • On your own phone, no app
  • Start any time within 12 months
  • Free cancellation until you start

Bologna blazes. Feel the city pulse with ancient arches and lively squares. Help Nero Claudius Caesar recover his lost lyre, the instrument that once quieted emperors, as you chase clues through Bologna's past.

The streets themselves are the board and your phone is the only equipment. Secrets of Bologna is a self-guided outdoor scavenger hunt, played at whatever pace suits you.

Everything runs off your location. Stand somewhere that matters in Bologna and the game opens that spot's riddle, puzzle or photo task — and the only way through is to look up. Nothing is solvable from the screen. Two hours later you are the one in the group explaining the place to everyone else.

Statue of Pope Gregory XIII, Wishing Well (Pozzo dei desideri) and Neptune’s Fountain are on the route, and the stretches between them matter just as much: everything you are looking for is in plain sight and ignored by everyone else.

Bologna’s Cathedral and Tortellini are on the list too, and the habit of looking up sets in on its own.

The Walking Tour of Bologna Where Nobody Talks at You

A self-guided tour with the guide replaced by riddles. The route through Bologna is real, the history is real, and the difference is that you dig it out instead of being handed it — no commentary, no umbrella to follow, nobody held up at the back. Intermediate difficulty: most groups solve most of it, and the rest is a good argument. Riddles, code-breaking, and photographs you would otherwise never have taken.

Planning a Fun Scavenger Hunt in Bologna?

There is nothing to print, nothing to hide in advance and no list to write, because the route around Bologna, the riddles and the photo tasks are all in place — two hours or so, 3 to 4 km on foot. One ticket takes up to four people on a single phone for €19.95, which is less than the evening you would have spent building it.

A Scavenger Hunt for Adults, Teams and Families in Bologna

Adults. A scavenger hunt for adults in the sense that the puzzles actually resist you. Intermediate difficulty, riddles built on detail you have to go and look at, and two hours that hold a group that came out to enjoy itself.

Families. Children manage the walking easily and tend to win the photo tasks outright. Because the riddles get solved together, a group spanning three generations still functions as one team.

Teams. Nothing to facilitate, nowhere to book, no start time to enforce. One ticket per four colleagues, every group loose in Bologna on the same route, and a comparison at the end. Several teams at once is what makes it a team scavenger hunt rather than a walk.

Couples and friends. A self-guided walking tour that does not involve following an umbrella. You set the pace, stop where you want, and end up knowing things about Bologna that most people who live there do not.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Secrets exploration game work?

Book a date and a link arrives by email. You start it at the first location in Bologna, and from there your position drives everything — each stop brings a riddle, a puzzle or a photograph to take, and answering it opens the next stop.

Is this a walking tour or a game?

Both, and that is the point. It follows a walking route through Bologna the way a self-guided walking tour does, and you pick up the history as you go — but instead of a commentary in your ear you get riddles to solve. Nobody walks in front of you holding a sign.

What do we need to bring?

Just a charged phone and comfortable shoes for 3 to 4 km.

How long does it take?

Roughly two hours across 3 to 4 km of walking. Nothing counts down. The date is set at booking and the hour is yours, so a group that stops for lunch just finishes later.

How many people can play on one ticket?

€19.95 buys one ticket, one phone and one to four people around it. Larger groups split across two tickets and end up competing, which most of them prefer.

Is it hard?

The difficulty is intermediate. The riddles need looking and lateral thinking rather than local knowledge, and nothing is so obscure that a group gets stuck for good.

Is it suitable for children?

Yes. The distance is ordinary walking for them and they are normally first through the photo tasks. Intermediate riddles mean the family works them out together, which is how it is designed.

Do we need to book a time slot?

No. You choose a date when booking, then start at whatever time you like on that date. There is no meeting point, no guide and no group to join.

What happens if it rains?

You decide when to play and you can pause whenever you like. If a shower comes over, step inside somewhere, wait it out and pick up where you left off — you pause whenever you like and there is no clock running.

Will we actually learn something about Bologna?

That is the point of this one. The riddles are built on the history, the characters and the odd details of Bologna, so you finish knowing things most visitors never find out. If you would rather have a story than a tour, look at the other city games in Bologna instead.

More City Games: city games across Italy · Secrets of Salerno

  1. Statue of Pope Gregory XIIIPiazza Maggiore 6, 40121 Bologna
  2. Wishing Well (Pozzo dei desideri)Piazza Maggiore 6, 40121 Bologna
  3. Neptune’s FountainPiazza del Nettuno, 40124 Bologna
  4. Bologna’s Cathedral (Cattedrale Metropolitana di San Pietro)Via dell'Indipendenza 7, 40125 Bologna
  5. TortelliniVia de' Falegnami, 40121 Bologna
  6. FinestrellaVia Piella 16, 40126 Bologna
  7. Palazzo GrassiVia Marsala 12, 40126 Bologna
  8. Palazzo MagnaniVia Zamboni 20, 40126 Bologna
Show all 15 stops
  1. Asinelli TowerPiazza di Porta Ravegnana, 40126 Bologna
  2. Palazzo della MercanziaPiazza della Mercanzia 4, 40125 Bologna
  3. Bologna’s Porticoes (Via Zamboni / Porticoes area)Via Zamboni, 40126 Bologna
  4. Medieval Walls of BolognaVia de' Falegnami, 40121 Bologna
  5. Saint Dominic StatuePiazza San Domenico 13, 40124 Bologna
  6. Oratory FaçadeVia Parigi, 40121 Bologna
  7. Celestine Church (Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista dei Celestini)Piazza de' Celestini 2, 40123 Bologna

How it works

  1. BookTicket and invoice arrive by email.
  2. Go to the startThe start point is in your email. Any day within 12 months.
  3. 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

Reviews marked verified come from players who booked and played this game; they are invited by e-mail after the game. We publish every verified review, positive or negative; we only remove spam, abuse or personal data. Reviews with a source (Google, Viator …) were copied from that site.

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