The Venice Carnival is known around the world for its magic, uniqueness and all the great events linked to it. Have you ever thought of discovering the city in an original way, on the key days of the event, walking through streets and squares surrounded by masks and costumes of all kinds?

Get ready to take part in a special mission on Thursday 20 February 2020 – Fat Thursday! The mysterious little thief known as the ‘mask collector’ is planning his final great blow… will you manage to catch him before he carries out yet another spectacular robbery?
Arranged in cooperation with Play the City, this unusual experience will actively involve you in the discovery of Venice… Forget the classical guided tour and get ready to play!

To anticipate the festivity of Carnival, Venice is about to exhibit a precious mask studded with diamonds… Everyone is anticipating that the ‘mask collector’ – mysterious thief who has already stolen many ancient masks in recent months – is gearing himself up for his last big robbery. Despite countless and thorough investigations, however, the police are still groping in the dark: do you want to help them foil the thief’s plot and capture this dangerous criminal?

Accompanied by an expert Venetian tourist guide, you will enter the heart of the city for one of the most exciting interactive tours of Venice! You will follow hints and clues that can help the police to unravel, and prevent, the intricate plan elaborated by the thief for his last, spectacular robbery… You will take on the role of an expert detective on a tour of Venice, which is both unique and exciting!

Each stage hides a secret that is, at the same time, a piece of the puzzle to understand the thief’s plane and a clue to reach the next goal… The innovative format of this original gametour in Venice will take you on a discovery of the historic center from a new perspective.

Price: 20€ per person

THE PLOT:

Venice

There is no end in sight for the onslaught of mask thefts that has recently struck Venice. The latest victim is a famous collector who as late as yesterday morning became aware that he had lost (maybe forever) a wonderful 1769 original mask.

Unfortunately, the police have been unable to come up with a promising lead, since every theft seems to have been cunningly planned by a person who knows Venice very well and knows how to act undisturbed in total anonymity. Now attention is turning to the last, great masterpiece of Venetian artisans, the famous diamond-studded mask that will be exhibited in St Mark’s Square in the next few days.

Everyone is fearing that the thief might strike before that time and security measures have been raised to the highest levels, but … will it be enough?

A few days before the beginning of the exhibition an envelope is found containing notes, letters and documents belonging to the thief … The material recovered contains a list of things to do, all linked to specific places in the historic center of Venice. Thanks to the experience of the guide who will accompany you in this exciting detective tour of Venice, you will be able to follow the list and understand what is hiding in the places chosen by the thief… Will you succeed in deciphering his notes and help the police stop him before he steals the mask?

Thanks to the guide’s riddles, wordplays, maps, legends and interesting historical explanations you will feel totally engrossed by a treasure hunt-like experience touching well-known locations as well as off the beaten track ones. Is the thief a lone wolf or relying on accomplices? How did he manage to hide his identity all this time? What are the details of his cleverly designed plan to steal the diamond mask? Which route will he choose to fool the police and their checkpoints throughout the historic center? These are just some of the puzzles you will try to solve during this brand new mystery gametour in Venice that combines history and legend in an unmissable adventure!

Wandering through Campo San Tomà, San Aponal, Campo San Giacometto, the Rialto Bridge and St Mark’s Square, you will be plunged into this adventure and feel part of an exciting race against time to stop the thief and prevent him from carrying out yet another coup… Step by step, his plan will be slowly unveiled … But how will you know if your efforts have succeeded? The answer will be given to you only at the end of this original Venice interactive mystery tour!

Ancient masks, narrow underpasses, famous characters, squares, alleyways, … Unexpected connections, intrigues, legend-turned stories, but also interesting moments of historical-artistic analysis: a guided tour that is also a game, a gametour that will allow you to experience Venice in a completely new way, discovering its wonders as part of a fully-engaging and interactive activity!

The guided tour will take the form of a proper investigation where teamwork will be absolutely essential: working together and relying on the expertise of our trusted local guide, you will decrypt the clues you will be given at each stage and successfully complete the game!