FAQ
Recommended age of the children?
Pardy and the mystery of the hidden chestnuts is a team game for the whole family. Everyone can take part! The clues and challenges have been designed for children, from roughly five to twelve years old.
In which languages is the explorers’ kit available?
Italian, German, and French
What changes from the 1st edition (2024) to the 2nd edition (2025)?
The chestnut hunts in Ascona and Locarno are completely new (new riddles and new routes), while the hunts in Intragna and Tenero remain unchanged.
I’ve already purchased the first edition kit, can I still use it?
Yes! First edition kits remain valid and can be used without any issues even after the release of the second edition.
How much does it cost?
To play you need to buy the explorers’ kit, which contains the explorers’ book with the story of the game, seven tools to help you solve the riddles, a Morse code cracker and a chestnut hunting map for each location. The kit costs 25 CHF and only needs to be purchased once. One per family is enough.
I already own an explorers’ kit from the 1st edition. Do I need to buy the complete kit again?
No. If you already own a kit, you can purchase only the new explorers’ book and the two new chestnut-hunting maps for Ascona and Locarno for CHF 10.
Where can we buy the kit to play?
The explorers’ kits are on sale at the Ascona-Locarno Tourism Infopoints (Ascona, Locarno, Tenero, Avegno, Brissago and Vira Gambarogno), as well as at the regional Centovalli and Pedemonte Museum in Intragna or in our online shop.
Do I have to follow the chestnut treasure hunts in a particular order?
No, you don’t necessarily have to follow the order in which the locations are presented in the explorers’ book. Start with the location you prefer and carry on in the order that suits you best. The most important thing is that you find them all because, as well as getting to the end of the story, you’ll unlock a special prize!
We’re only here for a few days, so we won’t be able to get to the end of the game. Is that a problem?
Definitely not. You can start looking for the chestnuts and continue with the other locations the next time you come to the region. Even if the final goal is to find all the chestnuts, each location is a game in itself that is only linked to the others by the story.
Where does the game take place and where do the adventures start exactly?
The game takes place in four locations across the region:
- Intragna – start: Centovalli Railway station
- Ascona – start: Via Borgo (1st edition) / Lake promenade (2nd edition)
- Locarno – start: Piazza Grande (1st edition) / Visconteo Castle (2nd edition)
- Tenero – start: Via Brere 3A
What is the best way to get to the various locations?
All the locations can be reached easily by public transport.
How long will the treasure hunts last in the different locations?
- Intragna approx. 1.5 hours
- Ascona approx. 1.5 hours (1st edition) / 2 hours (2nd edition)
- Locarno approx. 2.5 hours 1st edition) / 2 hours (2nd edition)
- Tenero approx. 3 hours
How far will we have to walk?
- Intragna about 1.2 km
- Ascona about 2 km (1st and 2nd edition)
- Locarno about 5 km (1st edition) / about 2 km (2nd edition)
- Tenero about 6 km
None of the walks are particularly challenging.
Are they accessible with a pushchair?
- Intragna: no
- Ascona: yes
- Locarno: no (1st edition) / yes (2nd edition)
- Tenero: yes (part of the route runs along flat dirt paths. We recommend a pushchair with sturdy tyres)
Are the paths wheelchair accessible?
None of the four chestnut hunts are wheelchair accessible.
Can I bring my dog?
In Locarno, Ascona and Intragna yes.
In Tenero there is a part of the route that is not accessible to dogs.
Can you do it in groups?
The game has been designed for families, so it is ideal for small groups of up to 5-7 people. For larger or school groups, you will need to assess the ages of the children because each group may need to be accompanied by an adult. Some parts of the game take place in non-pedestrian areas and you need to be able to read a map and use all the gadgets in the explorers’ kit (a compass, for example). If there is more than one group, we recommend leaving gaps of about 15-20 minutes between each group to avoid them catching up with each other along the route.
