Sherlock Holmes · Murder mystery

Groningen Self-Guided Detective Murder Mystery Game

4.4 on Google (23 reviews)

  • 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

Solve a detective murder mystery on foot in Groningen, from the Grote Markt under the Martinitoren to the Der Aa-kerk.

A murder in Groningen, one victim called Balthasar, and a suspect list that only gets shorter if you go and look.

This is what a murder mystery looks like once you take it outside. Groningen is the crime scene, your phone is the case file, and the two hours in between are yours to spend how you like - a self-guided detective game with nobody standing over it.

Names that turn up in the case notes: Prinsentuin, Der Aa-kerk and Forum Groningen.

Where the Case Takes You in Groningen

Grote Markt and University Museum belong to the same case. You cover 3 to 4 km in all, and there is nothing stopping you sitting down halfway.

Playing the Detective Game in Groningen

You move, the case moves. Each stop has something to solve and each digital character has something to say once you have solved it, and the suspect list shortens accordingly. Figure on 1.5 to 2 hours across 3 to 4 km, with as many breaks as you feel like taking. 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 Groningen

With friends. Four of you on one phone and everybody gets a say. Somebody always commits to a theory early, loudly, and wrongly - that is half of what you will talk about afterwards.

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 Groningen survives people turning up late.

With kids. Eight and up manage it comfortably. Children are usually quickest on the photo tasks, and teenagers who have stopped being impressed by old buildings get competitive about the puzzles instead.

Before You Book

How does the murder mystery game work?

It runs in the Loquiz app on your own phone. Open it at the starting point in Groningen, 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?

Set aside an afternoon. The case itself takes 1.5 to 2 hours across 3 to 4 km, but nothing counts down and nothing shuts, so the breaks are free.

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?

Just a date. The hour is yours to choose, because nobody is standing anywhere in Groningen expecting you - no meeting point, no guide, no group.

Is it suitable for children?

Eight and up handle it well. Nothing along the way is beyond them, and more often than you would expect it is the youngest player who notices the detail that decides the case.

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 Groningen?

Both, in practice. You cover Groningen 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 Groningen?

The same streets carry other city games in Groningen, each with its own story, and anyone travelling on will find the next stop under the Netherlands.

  1. Prinsentuin
  2. Der Aa-kerk
  3. Forum Groningen
  4. Grote Markt
  5. University Museum
  6. Stichting Folkingestraat Synagoge
  7. Pelstergasthuis
  8. Groningen City Hall
Show all 14 stops
  1. Het Goudkantoor
  2. Groninger Museum
  3. Fish Market
  4. Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
  5. Martinitoren
  6. Nieuwe Kerk

How it works

  1. BookYour ticket arrives by email.
  2. Go to the startThe start point is in your email. Any day within 12 months.
  3. PlayOpen the link on one phone per team and press start.

What players in other cities say

4.4 on Google (23 reviews)

  • ★★★★★

    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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