Sherlock Holmes · Murder mystery
Gouda 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 Gouda 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 Gouda on a self-guided exploration game from the Markt past the Sint-Janskerk, De Goudse Waag and Museum Gouda, solving puzzles as you walk.
Secrets of Gouda 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 Gouda itself rather than a screen, and that is why you walk away knowing things the average local does not.
The route takes in Stadhuis van Gouda (City Hall), Kamphuisen Stroopwafel Factory and Sint-Janskerk, and the walking between them is where most of the finding happens — what you need is out there in front of you, never on the screen.
You also reach Willem Vroesenhuys and Swanenburghshofje. Everyone works out soon enough that the useful detail is never the obvious one.
The Walking Tour of Gouda Where Nobody Talks at You
Think of it as a self-guided walking tour that asks you questions. You get the same thing a walking tour gives you — a route through Gouda and the stories behind what you are looking at — but nobody is talking at you and nobody is waiting for the group to catch up. You walk, you look, and you work things out. The difficulty is intermediate, which in practice means most groups solve most things and argue productively about the rest. Expect riddles, code-breaking and a fair number of photographs you would not otherwise have taken.
Want to Plan a Fun Scavenger Hunt in Gouda?
This is it, and the setup is a minute long: book a date, download the Loquiz app, go when you are ready. There is nothing to print, nothing to hide in advance and no list to write, because the route around Gouda, the riddles and the photo tasks are all in place — two hours or so, 3 to 4 km on foot. One ticket takes up to four people on a single phone for €19.95, which is less than the evening you would have spent building it.
Who It Suits: Adults, Teams and Families in Gouda
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 walk it without trouble and are usually the fastest at the photo tasks. The riddles are the part you solve together, which is what makes it work for a group with a wide spread of ages.
Teams. A corporate scavenger hunt that needs no facilitator, no room booking and no scheduled start. Buy one ticket per four people, send the teams into Gouda on the same route, and compare who found what. Running several groups at once is what turns it into a competition.
Couples and friends. A self-guided walking tour that does not involve following an umbrella. You set the pace, stop where you want, and end up knowing things about Gouda that most people who live there do not.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Secrets exploration game work?
It runs in the Loquiz app. After booking you get a link, walk to the starting point in Gouda and begin. The game reads your location, gives you that spot's riddle, puzzle or photo task, and unlocks the next one when you have it.
Is this a walking tour or a game?
It is both at once. The route through Gouda 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?
A charged phone and shoes you can walk 3 to 4 km in. You get a link when you book and open the game in the Loquiz app at the starting point — there is nothing to print, nothing to hide in advance and no equipment to collect.
How long does it take?
Two hours is typical, over a 3 to 4 km route. There is no clock and no scheduled departure — you fix the day when you book and start whenever you want on it.
How many people can play on one ticket?
One ticket covers a group of 1 to 4 people playing on one device, at €19.95 in total. Groups larger than four buy a second ticket, which also lets them play against each other.
Is it hard?
It sits at intermediate. What it asks for is attention and lateral thinking rather than local knowledge, and no riddle is obscure enough to end the afternoon.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes. Children manage the 3 to 4 km easily and are usually the quickest at the photo tasks. The riddles are intermediate, so most families work through them together — which is how the game is meant to be played anyway.
Do we need to book a time slot?
Not a slot, 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 decide when to play and you can pause whenever you like. If a shower comes over, step inside somewhere, wait it out and pick up where you left off — you pause whenever you like and there is no clock running.
Will we actually learn something about Gouda?
That is the point of this one. The riddles are built on the history, the characters and the odd details of Gouda, 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 Gouda instead.
More City Games: city games across the Netherlands · Secrets of Katwijk aan Zee
- Stadhuis van Gouda (City Hall)
- Kamphuisen Stroopwafel Factory
- Sint-Janskerk
- Willem Vroesenhuys
- Swanenburghshofje
- Lazaruspoortje
- Museum Gouda (Catharina Gasthuis)
- Visbank (Fish Hall)
Show all 15 stops
- De Gouwekerk
- Canal Edge (Water Lily Spot)
- Voormalige Synagoge (Former Synagogue)
- Vrouwetoren
- De Goudse Waag
- Arti Legi
- Bicycle Scan Point (Near Nieuwe Markt)
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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