Secrets of · Scavenger hunt
Secrets of Gouda Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour
1.5–2 hours · 1–4 players per team · free Loquiz app€19.95 per team
Sherlock Holmes · Murder mystery
Gouda Self-Guided Detective Murder Mystery Game
- 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
Follow a detective murder mystery through the centre of Gouda, from the Markt past the Sint-Janskerk and De Goudse Waag, at your own pace.
Balthasar died in Gouda and the file lands on your phone. Everything you need to close it is out there on the street.
This is a self-guided murder mystery game you play outdoors, at your own pace, with Gouda for a board. Your phone carries the case file and the city carries the evidence. Clues to gather, digital characters to question, codes to break and a name to give at the end - a detective game with no host at a meeting point, no timetable and no group to keep up with.
The investigation puts De Goudse Waag, Sint-Janskerk and Gouda Cheese Experience on your list.
The Walk Through Gouda
Stadhuis van Gouda and Museum Gouda are on the route as well. Anyone keeping decent notes will find they only have to confirm there what they already suspect.
Playing the Detective Game in Gouda
Walking is the mechanism. Between locations the witnesses come to you, each with a puzzle, a code or a photo task standing between you and what they know. Most groups need 1.5 to 2 hours for the 3 to 4 km, and a long pause costs nothing at all. The habit is the one the Sherlock Holmes stories are built on: notice the thing nobody else bothered to look at, then say out loud what it means.
Friends, Families and Colleagues in Gouda
With friends. Four people, one phone, one case. Somebody will back the wrong suspect early and refuse to let it go, and that is the part everyone remembers.
With your team. Buy a ticket per four, put every team on the same murder, compare the answers over lunch. Nothing to hire and nobody to brief, so a company outing in Gouda survives people turning up late.
With kids. Eight years old is about the floor. The distance is not the problem it sounds like, the photo tasks are where children beat adults outright, and the codes end up being solved by the whole family at once.
Questions People Ask First
How does the murder mystery game work?
It runs in the Loquiz app on your own phone. Open it at the starting point in Gouda, and from there the case comes to you: someone to question at each location, something to solve before they talk, and a name to hand in at the end.
How long does it take?
Between one and a half and two hours for most groups, across 3 to 4 km. Slower is free: nothing is timed and nothing expires while you are having lunch.
How many people can play on one ticket?
One ticket covers one to four players on a single device, €19.95 in total. Bigger groups buy one ticket per four and race each other through the same murder.
Do we need to book a time?
You pick a date. Start at nine or start at four; nothing in Gouda is waiting on you and no guide is standing anywhere.
Is it suitable for children?
From roughly age eight it works well. The puzzles are built to be solved, not to defeat anyone, and younger children happily walk along and help.
What happens if it rains?
Rain is an interruption, not a problem: you choose the moment to start and you can stop as long as you like. Plenty of groups split the case over a morning and an afternoon.
Is this a detective game or a walking tour of Gouda?
Both, in practice. You cover Gouda on foot and you notice far more than you would on a normal walk, because the case gives you a reason to look closely at things you would otherwise pass.
What else is there to do in Gouda?
There are other city games in Gouda built on the same idea and a different story, and the Netherlands has plenty more where this came from.
Keep going: Secrets of Gouda · The Gouda Syndicate · city games across the Netherlands
- De Goudse WaagMarkt 35, 2801 JK Gouda
- Sint-JanskerkAchter de Kerk 2, 2801 JW Gouda
- Gouda Cheese ExperienceAgnietenstraat 21, 2801 GZ Gouda
- Stadhuis van GoudaMarkt 1, 2801 JG Gouda
- Museum GoudaOosthaven 9, 2801 PB Gouda
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.
Leaderboard
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