From an Etruscan gate to a lane of workshops: what the Perugia hunt holds
The Perugia scavenger hunt is a self-guided city game you play on your phone: you walk from landmark to landmark, solve a riddle at each one by looking closely at what is in front of you, and unlock the stories and legends behind it. Over 2.3 km and 10 stops you walk for only 33 minutes or so, which leaves most of the roughly 2 hours for riddles, legends and views from the hilltop, and the game begins the moment you choose.
Highlights include the Etruscan Arch, the Gothic Cathedral of San Lorenzo, the Palazzo dei Priori with its bronze griffin, the Fontana Maggiore by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano and the car-free Corso Vannucci. Perugia's old town sits on a hilltop, so the route links Etruscan walls, medieval squares and quiet lanes in one compact walk, with some short climbs on the way.
- Durationabout 2 hours
- Walkingabout 33 min · 2.3 km
- Stops10
- LanguagesEnglish, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch
Riddles on Perugia's hilltop, from the Etruscan walls to Corso Vannucci
An inscription, a griffin, a fountain of months
Each stop hides one riddle in plain sight: the letters cut above the Etruscan Arch, the bronze beasts over the door of the Palazzo dei Priori, the marble panels round the Fontana Maggiore. Read the stone carefully, reason a little and the answer appears, without any Latin or art history.
Octavian, a preaching saint and Perugino
Solved riddles unlock the stories: how Octavian took the city in 40 BC and left his mark on its gate, why Saint Bernardino of Siena preached from an outdoor pulpit on the cathedral in 1425, and how Perugino, the painter behind the name of Corso Vannucci, is said to have taught the young Raphael. Let the audio narration tell them while you sit by the fountain.
Uphill first, then the flat Corso
About 33 minutes of walking take you from the Etruscan Arch up past the Teatro Morlacchi to Piazza IV Novembre, then along Corso Vannucci into the narrow Via della Viola. The old town sits on a hilltop, so expect a few steep stretches, with Google Maps showing the way between stops.
Coffee on the Corso, a rest on the cathedral steps
There is no countdown, so break off for a coffee on Corso Vannucci or a sit on the cathedral steps whenever you like. Perugia is also the home town of Baci chocolates, should you need fuel for the next riddle, and the game waits patiently if you prefer to finish tomorrow.
See the route and attractions →
How it works
- Book online Choose the number of players. Your booking reference arrives by email straight away.
- Get the app Download the World City Trail app from the App Store or Google Play and enter your booking reference.
- Play when you like Start whenever you are ready, walk at your own pace and pause any time. No guide, no fixed schedule.
Weekend visitors, young griffin-spotters and student groups in Umbria's capital
Arriving in Umbria's capital
In about 2 hours you see the Etruscan gate, the cathedral, the town hall with its griffin and the fountain by the Pisano sculptors, which suits a day trip or the first afternoon of a stay in Umbria. The riddles make you look closer than a quick stroll along the Corso ever would.
Children who spot griffins
Young detectives look for the griffin and lion above the palace portal, a bronze pope beside the cathedral and the months of the year carved around the fountain. An adult plays in every team, and with the climbs and steps a pushchair is hard going.
Language students and colleagues
Teams of up to 5, each player with the game on their own phone, set off from the Etruscan Arch at intervals and meet again in Via della Viola. Perugia is home to a well-known university for foreign students, and a hunt gives a class or a group of colleagues a lively first look at the old town together.
Good to know
- Bring a charged smartphone with mobile data; a power bank helps.
- No entry tickets needed: everything happens outside the buildings. Going inside is optional and paid separately.
- Family friendly; children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Not suitable for wheelchair users and difficult with strollers.
- Teams of up to 5 work best; bigger groups split into several teams, one ticket per player.
- Every purchase helps support stray cats and dogs in Greece.
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