Sherlock Holmes · Murder mystery
Darmstadt Self-Guided Detective Murder Mystery Game
1.5–2 hours · 1–4 players per team · free Loquiz app€19.95 per team
Secrets of · Scavenger hunt
Secrets of Darmstadt Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour
- 1.5–2 hours
- 1–4 players per team
- In the free Loquiz app on your phone
- Start any time within 12 months
- Free cancellation until you start
Explore Darmstadt on a self-guided walking tour with puzzles, photo tasks and stories about the Marktplatz, the palace and Luisenplatz.
Secrets of Darmstadt is what happens when a walking route stops telling you things and starts asking. Your own phone, your own pace, the streets themselves as the board.
Your position drives the whole thing: each location unlocks a riddle, a puzzle or a photo task as you reach it. To solve them you have to read Darmstadt itself rather than a screen, and that is why you walk away knowing things the average local does not.
Hessisches Landesarchiv (State Archives), Datterich Fountain and Kriegs Mahnmal (War Memorial) come up along the way. The stretches between the stops are where most of the looking gets done, at things that are hidden only by being ordinary.
Staatstheater Darmstadt and Residenzschloss Darmstadt (Palace Museum) are also on the route, and nobody needs telling twice to examine a doorway.
The Walking Tour of Darmstadt Where Nobody Talks at You
A self-guided tour with the guide replaced by riddles. The route through Darmstadt is real, the history is real, and the difference is that you dig it out instead of being handed it — no commentary, no umbrella to follow, nobody held up at the back. Intermediate difficulty: most groups solve most of it, and the rest is a good argument. Riddles, code-breaking, and photographs you would otherwise never have taken.
Want to Plan a Fun Scavenger Hunt in Darmstadt?
You have found one. It takes a minute: pick a date, download the Loquiz app, start when you want. No printing, no hiding things in advance, no list to compile — the route, the riddles and the photo tasks are already laid out across Darmstadt, roughly two hours and 3 to 4 km of walking. A single ticket at €19.95 covers four people sharing one phone.
Who It Suits: Adults, Teams and Families in Darmstadt
Adults. A scavenger hunt for adults in the sense that the puzzles actually resist you. Intermediate difficulty, riddles built on detail you have to go and look at, and two hours that hold a group that came out to enjoy itself.
Families. Children manage the walking easily and tend to win the photo tasks outright. Because the riddles get solved together, a group spanning three generations still functions as one team.
Teams. One ticket covers four people, so a department divides straight into groups running the identical route through Darmstadt. No host to hire, no venue to reserve, no departure time.
Couples and friends. A self guided tour with nobody to follow and nothing to keep up with. You choose the pace and the stops, and you come away with facts about Darmstadt that would surprise a local.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Secrets exploration game work?
You book a date, get a link by email and download the Loquiz app. At the starting point in Darmstadt you open the game on your phone. It is GPS-based: it knows where you are, and each location holds a riddle, a puzzle or a photo task. Solve one and the next location unlocks.
Is this a walking tour or a game?
It is both at once. The route through Darmstadt is the route a self guided tour would take and you learn the same things, except nothing is narrated — you get riddles instead of commentary, and there is no one at the front with a raised umbrella.
What do we need to bring?
Just a charged phone and comfortable shoes for 3 to 4 km. You get a link when you book and open the game in the Loquiz app at the first stop; nothing to print, nothing to plant beforehand, nothing to pick up anywhere.
How long does it take?
Roughly two hours across 3 to 4 km of walking. Nothing counts down. The date is set at booking and the hour is yours, so a group that stops for lunch just finishes later.
How many people can play on one ticket?
Between one and four people share a single phone on one €19.95 ticket. Beyond four, take a second ticket — two groups on the same route can race each other, which is the better way to do it anyway.
Is it hard?
The difficulty is intermediate. The riddles need looking and lateral thinking rather than local knowledge, and nothing is so obscure that a group gets stuck for good.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes. The distance is ordinary walking for them and they are normally first through the photo tasks. Intermediate riddles mean the family works them out together, which is how it is designed.
Do we need to book a date?
Just a date. When you start on that date is entirely up to you, and there is nowhere to assemble and nobody to find.
What happens if it rains?
You play when it suits you and stop when it suits you, so a shower just means a coffee. No timer is running, and the route is exactly where you left it.
Will we actually learn something about Darmstadt?
That is the point of this one. The riddles are built on the history, the characters and the odd details of Darmstadt, so you finish knowing things most visitors never find out. If you would rather have a story than a tour, look at the other city games in Darmstadt instead.
More City Games: city games across Germany · Secrets of Hamburg
- Hessisches Landesarchiv (State Archives)
- Datterich Fountain
- Kriegs Mahnmal (War Memorial)
- Staatstheater Darmstadt
- Residenzschloss Darmstadt (Palace Museum)
- Reiterdenkmal für Großherzog Ludwig IV
- Denkmal für Prinzessin Elisabeth
- Rheinstraße (Old Town)
Show all 17 stops
- St. Ludwig's Church
- Alice-Denkmal
- Abt-Vogler-Denkmal
- Justus-Liebig Denkmal
- Marktbrunnen
- Hessisches Landesmuseum
- Bismarck Monument
- Luisenplatz
- Institut für Neue Technische Form
How it works
- BookYour ticket arrives by email.
- Go to the startThe start point is in your email. Any day within 12 months.
- PlayOpen the link on one phone per team and press start.
What players in other cities say
- ★★★★★
Had great fun playing secrets of Haarlem!
Martin M.March 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
Game in Amsterdam was fun!
Enzo L.March 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
Had So much fun playing while exploring the city
Philip C.March 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
I had a fantastic experience with CityGame! The concept is creative, engaging, and a great way to explore a city in a completely new way. The games are well-designed, combining puzzles, storytelling, and adventure so you’re constantly discovering something interesting around every corner. What I especially love is how CityGame turns a normal walk through the city into an interactive experience. It’s perfect for friends, families, or team outings, and it makes sightseeing much more exciting than the usual tours. Everything was easy to use, the challenges were fun and clever, and it really encouraged us to look closer at the city and its hidden details. Highly recommended if you’re looking for a unique and memorable way to explore!
Jessica S.March 2026 · via google - ★★★★★
This is an interesting way to conduct a self-guided Amsterdam city tour. It used the GPS on your phone to guide you to stops on a route. There are mini quizzes once you arrive at the stops on the path. The quizzes draw your attention to features in front of you or to a brief history of the place. In many cases, we visited a spot that would not have been obvious as a regular passer by. The tour as a whole was interesting to us as newcomers, but I would have liked more information on many locations we visited - a few links outside of the app for each place would have been helpful. Beyond that, the interface was a bit clunky and sometimes awkward to navigate. We definitely don't regret trying this out and feel like we got our money's worth on the experience.
JaibhijaiJune 2024 · via google - ★★★★★
This was a fun game! It had a few challenges which was good and surprises. It got me to go around and explore Queenstown, New Zealand. I got to places in Queenstown, New Zealand I hadn’t been to before while on holiday here. Thank you for that and it gave a feel what it would be like to be the actual Sherlock Holmes!
Dylan J.February 2024 · via google
How we check reviews
These reviews were left by players on Google and other review sites and are copied from there as they are, with their source.
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