Secrets of
Ferrara

Self-Guided Secrets of Ferrara Exploration Game

Feel Ferrara’s Renaissance Rush! Wander cobbled lanes and echoing piazzas as you chase clues through courtyards, towers, and markets, helping Niccolò III d’Este recover the fabled sword that carved his legend into this city’s soul.

About Secrets of Ferrara

The Secrets of Ferrara City Game is a self-guided, GPS-based game that takes place in the historic center of Ferrara. Using your smartphone, you’ll explore the streets while solving puzzles, riddles, and photo challenges that reveal the city’s rich history, cultural heritage, and lesser-known details. This exploration game is designed to offer an engaging experience for both visitors discovering Ferrara for the first time and locals seeing the city from a new perspective. It works equally well for solo players, couples, families, and groups of friends. The City Game Ferrara is an ideal way to enjoy a flexible, interactive adventure at your own pace.

1.5-2 hours of play time

3-4 km walking distance

Start at Ferrara, Cattedrale di San Giorgio (Portal)

Start, pause & continue whenever you want

Play on your smartphone, no downloads needed

1-4 people per smartphone

What you’ll experience during the game

As you play the Secrets of Ferrara City Game, you’ll explore the city through a story that blends history and mystery with interactive discovery. The route takes you through Ferrara’s historic heart, guiding you not only to the striking Cattedrale di San Giorgio and the stately Castello Estense but also to lesser-known places like the former orphanage at Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Bastardini and the evocative Torquato Tasso’s Cell. Along the way, you experience the layered atmosphere of Ferrara, from grand Renaissance façades to quiet, tucked-away courtyards. The game reveals both the grandeur and subtleties of the city, letting you observe from a fresh perspective.

While exploring, you’ll solve a mix of riddles, puzzles and creative tasks that make each stop part of a larger mystery. These challenges help you collect clues, earn points and unlock hints, drawing you further into the unfolding story. You can pause the City Game at any time, which makes it easy to enjoy Ferrara at your own pace. For those who enjoy a competitive edge, teams or solo players can compete for a top score on the leaderboard.

Who is it for?

This City Game is designed for anyone who wants to discover Ferrara in a playful and meaningful way. It’s ideal for:

  • Solo explorers looking for a flexible adventure
  • Couples who want to experience the city in a fun and surprising way
  • Families with curious kids who enjoy puzzles and challenges
  • Friends wanting a lighthearted activity full of laughter
  • Groups and teams searching for a unique, self-guided teambuilding experience

Whether you’re a local seeing Ferrara with fresh eyes or a visitor exploring the city for the first time, this GPS-based game offers a memorable way to connect, play and explore together.

What’s included?

Included

  • Self-guided Exploration Game
    Play independently on your own smartphone.
  • Game link & instructions
    Simple steps to start the activity.
  • GPS-based route with puzzles & challenges
    Riddles, questions and photo tasks.
  • Fun facts & stories about Ferrara
    Learn about iconic and hidden spots.

Excluded

  • Smartphone or other devices (bring your own to play)
    You only need one phone per team.
  • In-person guide (digital guide in-game only)
    Everything is fully self-guided inside the game.

Good to know

  • Flexible start, pause & continue
  • 1-year access from purchase date
  • 1–4 people per smartphone
  • Difficulty: Easy-moderate
  • Recommended age: 8+
  • Internet & GPS required
  • Available languages: Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and 30+ more!
  • Start location: Ferrara, Cattedrale di San Giorgio (Portal)

How to play

After booking, you’ll receive an email with a direct play link. Simply go to the Cattedrale di San Giorgio (Portal), open the link on your smartphone, and start your journey through Ferrara’s secrets. You can pause the game anytime and resume your adventure whenever you like.

Book your Secrets of Ferrara experience now

Per group

€ 25,95

Book your Secrets of Ferrara experience now

A 2-hour self-guided City Explore Game through Ferrara: explore highlights, solve puzzles and play at your own pace.

Per group

€ 25,95

  • Cancel anytime for full refund
  • Instant confirmation
  • Accessible for 1 year from the purchase date
  • Payments are secure & encrypted
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The story of Secrets of Ferrara

Ferrara wears its history with flair, red brick walls, hidden courtyards, whispers of power in every piazza. But no whisper is louder than the one that just called your name. It’s Niccolò III d’Este, ruler, romantic, and master of dramatic entrances. And right now, he’s missing something vital: his sword. A symbol of command. A beacon of swagger. Without it, he’s just… well, beautifully dressed.

As you follow Niccolò through Ferrara’s tangled alleys and noble façades, you’ll uncover a city brimming with scandal, secrets, and Renaissance bravado. This is more than a nobleman’s tantrum, it’s a quest to reclaim a legacy and remind Ferrara who once ruled its story.

You came to explore. You stayed to save the story.

Book now

Niccoló III d’Este

Your start location

After booking, you’ll receive an email with your play link and simple start instructions. On the day you want to play, just head to the start location at Ferrara, Cattedrale di San Giorgio (Portal), open the link on your smartphone and begin the game. From there, you simply follow the GPS route, complete the challenges and explore at your own pace.

Ferrara, Cattedrale di San Giorgio (Portal)

Get directions

How the Secrets of Exploration City Game works

Discover how the self-guided exploration game leads you through the city, step by step.

Start whenever you want

Begin the game the moment you arrive at the starting location, with no fixed departure time.

Follow the GPS route

Navigate through the city using the built in map that guides you from checkpoint to checkpoint.

Solve puzzles and riddles

Crack codes, answer clever questions and use your surroundings to complete challenges.

Complete creative photo challenges

Capture fun moments, recreate poses or search for hidden details as part of interactive missions.

Discover local stories and fun facts

Each location reveals surprising insights about the area’s history, culture and hidden secrets.

Earn points at every location

Score points by completing assignments at each point. Compete with other teams and climb the leaderboard.

Unlock badges and achievements

Earn digital badges as you reach milestones during the game. Every achievement adds to your team’s progress.

Play at your own pace

Take breaks whenever you like and continue the adventure when you are ready.

Book now

How the Secrets of Exploration City Game works

Discover how the self-guided exploration game leads you through the city, step by step.

  • Start whenever you want

    Begin the game the moment you arrive at the starting location, with no fixed departure time.

  • Follow the GPS route

    Navigate through the city using the built in map that guides you from checkpoint to checkpoint.

  • Solve puzzles and examine evidence

    Crack codes, answer clever questions and use your surroundings to complete challenges.

  • Complete creative photo challenges

    Capture fun moments, recreate poses or search for hidden details as part of interactive missions.

  • Discover local stories and fun facts

    Each location reveals surprising insights about the area’s history, culture and hidden secrets.

  • Earn points at every location

    Score points by completing assignments at each point. Compete with other teams and climb the leaderboard.

  • Unlock badges and achievements

    Earn digital badges as you reach milestones during the game. Every achievement adds to your team’s progress.

  • Play at your own pace

    Take breaks whenever you like and continue the adventure when you are ready.

Book now

What others think of our City Games

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Do you have questions? We have answers!

Check out our frequently asked questions and find out everything you want to know. Is your question not among them? Feel free to contact us.

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Secrets of Ferrara takes around 1.5 to 2 hours to complete. There is no strict time limit, so you can explore Ferrara at your own pace and pause the game whenever you like.

Most teams complete the game within this time frame, but you’re free to take longer if you want to stop for a drink, explore a location more deeply, or enjoy the city along the way!

The game starts at Ferrara, Cattedrale di San Giorgio (Portal). After booking, the start location is clearly communicated in the instruction email and becomes visible in the game.

The entire game takes place outdoors. You don’t need to enter any buildings or visit locations with opening hours. Simply arrive at the start location, open the game on your smartphone, and you can begin exploring right away!

There is no limit to the total number of players for Secrets of Haarlem!

The game is played in teams of 1 to 4 people per smartphone.
If you’re playing with more than 4 people, simply book multiple teams, so everyone can play at the same time using their own devices and use the same play link.

For larger groups or corporate events, a fully hosted version of this City Game is also available, including on-site guidance, tablets and live support.

Planning a larger group or corporate event?
Explore the hosted City Game experience for groups

No, you don’t need to reserve a time slot for Secrets of Ferrara! After purchase, you can start the game anytime you want, on any day, within the 1-year access period.

This flexibility makes Secrets of Ferrara ideal if you’re visiting the city without a fixed schedule, want to check the weather first, or prefer to start spontaneously once you arrive in the city!

Yes, Secrets of Ferrara is suitable for families with children aged 8 and up!

The game is designed as a shared experience, where puzzles, riddles and challenges can be solved together, making it accessible for both kids and adults.

Younger players can actively join by spotting details, answering questions and completing photo challenges, while adults guide the team through the more challenging parts. This makes Secrets of Ferrara a fun and engaging activity for mixed-age groups exploring the city together.

Secrets of Ferrara is available in 30+ languages, allowing players from all over the world to enjoy the game in their own language while exploring the city.

The game supports many widely spoken languages such as English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Dutch, among others.

This makes Secrets of Ferrara an accessible and enjoyable experience for international visitors, expats and mixed-language groups.

All available languages:

  • Arabic
  • Bulgarian
  • Chinese
  • Chinese (Hong Kong)
  • Croatian
  • Czech
  • Danish
  • Dutch
  • English
  • Finnish
  • French
  • German
  • Greek
  • Hebrew
  • Hungarian
  • Icelandic
  • Indonesian
  • Italian
  • Japanese
  • Korean
  • Lithuanian
  • Norwegian
  • Polish
  • Portuguese
  • Portuguese (Brazil)
  • Russian
  • Serbian
  • Slovak
  • Slovenian
  • Spanish
  • Spanish (Latin America)
  • Swedish
  • Thai
  • Turkish
  • Vietnamese

(Language availability may vary slightly per update)

To play Secrets of Ferrara, you only need a charged smartphone with internet access and GPS enabled. The game is fully digital, self-guided and played outdoors while exploring Ferrara.

We recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes, as you’ll stroll through streets and squares, and bringing a fully charged phone or power bank so you can enjoy the entire experience without interruptions.

Other than that, just bring your curiosity and sense of adventure and discover Ferrara at your own pace!

Your favourite City Games, professionally hosted by our team

Enjoy the same City Games as our self-guided version, but with full on-site support from our professional hosts. We take care of the briefing, tablets, coordination and technical support, so your group can focus entirely on the fun and competition.

What’s included:

  • Same City Game, fully hosted
    You play the exact same experience as our self-guided version, now with our hosts guiding your group.
  • Live ranking & prize ceremony
    For larger groups, our hosts reveal the final scores and announce the winning team with a fun award moment.
  • Hosted start & finish
    We welcome your group, explain the game clearly and end with an exciting wrap-up.
  • Real-time support during the game
    Our team assists with devices, app issues and coordination throughout the experience.
  • Tablets included (optional)
    Available for groups who prefer using our devices instead of their own.

Trusted by teams worldwide, from small groups to large corporate events.

Plan your group event

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Ready for an unforgettable adventure?

Explore Ferrara in a unique and interactive way with our Secrets of Ferrara City Game. Play today and create lasting memories!