Discover Bellagio with the Secret City Trails City Game… There are moments when puzzle pieces fit together perfectly. The day before we leave for our weekend in Como, we are contacted by Inge De Boer. Inge is a Dutch lady living in Milan who, like us, is passionate about Lake Como. She is the author of the travel guide Comomeer – verrassend veelzijdig and the creator of Secret City Trails in Bellagio and Como.
The Secret City Trails are routes through cities that let you discover a city in an original and educational way. Take a look at the website: you’ll find routes from Brussels to London, Prague to Copenhagen, and Ljubljana to Groningen. And among this beautiful company, Como and Bellagio also shine, thanks to Inge.
Inge asks if we’d like to try out one of these city games. Of course, that sounds like a great idea! So, here we are on a Saturday morning in Bellagio, iPad in hand, ready at the starting point. We forget about the soft raindrops splashing on our screen. There’s only one focus, and that’s to achieve a good result. Indeed, there’s an engaging touch of gamification in the city game, complete with a leaderboard showcasing the fastest times and highest scores of other participants.
We register and immediately receive our first task. The clock starts ticking, and we enthusiastically dive in. We walk along Piazza Giuseppe Mazzini, searching for the clue to answer the first question. We start with a false note as we have to request a hint right away…
We can’t reveal too much about the content and flow of the game. That must remain a surprise to keep the fun intact. What we can definitely do is recommend the Secret City Trail through Bellagio.
This city game is truly a fantastic way to explore Bellagio from a different perspective. The walking route takes you past well-known tourist highlights while guiding you through hidden alleys and charming squares. Each question incorporates a bit of Bellagio’s history or an interesting fact. It’s educational and surprising. As a pair, we peer at the screen and search for clues, which must be quite a sight for passersby.
It’s not our first visit to Bellagio. While we can be a bit critical of Bellagio due to its highly tourist-focused nature, this walking route, with all its small details and fascinating background information about its rich history, offers us a fresh perspective on the town.
We’re following a family also playing the game. The children are actively involved. And that’s worth mentioning: Secret City Trails are undeniably a great way to engage and motivate children to explore a city. Especially at Lake Como, where activities specifically for children are somewhat limited. Just as we pass the family by quickly answering question six, we’re prompted to hit the pause button.
Great, there’s an (optional) break provided. You can relax in a charming and authentic bar. We won’t tell you which one, but you should know that generous glasses of prosecco are served.
We continue on to the second part of the Secret City Trails through Bellagio. We carefully answer all the questions. Although we occasionally get answers wrong or need a hint. Finding the correct answer is not always straightforward, and that’s part of the fun. It’s clear that Inge didn’t cut any corners. We’re fully immersed in the game, constantly aiming for a good spot on that leaderboard.
Our answers ultimately lead us to the endpoint of the walk. On the screen, an end time of 88 minutes appears, including penalty time for incorrect answers and hints, but excluding prosecco time.
In an hour and a half, we’ve discovered a nice part of Bellagio and learned some interesting facts. We highly recommend the Secret City Trail Bellagio. The city game doesn’t take up too much time, without intending any disrespect, but this allows room to combine it with another activity in Bellagio. For example, consider a visit to the gardens of Villa Melzi.
Inge de Boer, with her heart lost to Milan… and Lake Como
Inge de Boer moved to Milan with her husband in 2012. The plan? To spend a year experiencing life and work in another country. That plan ultimately turned into a permanent move with two children in tow.
Inge started her own business, Milan with Local. She gradually began organizing tours of Milan. As the assignments increased, her network grew, and her knowledge of Milan deepened. She channeled all that love for the city into writing several guides.
Inge is also fond of Lake Como. On weekends, Como is her favorite getaway from Milan. She thoroughly enjoys everything Lake Como has to offer. Inge is an avid hiker and a walking encyclopedia when it comes to challenging mountain hikes or walks with children. Open her travel guide Comomeer – Verrassend veelzijdig and you’ll be amazed.
With all that research about Lake Como still fresh in her mind, she decided to create Secret City Trails city games for Como and Bellagio.
