Sherlock Holmes · Murder mystery
Rotterdam 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 huntSecrets of Rotterdam Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour
- 1.5–2 hours
- 1–4 players per team
- On your own phone, no app
- Language of the game: English +1
- Start any time within 12 months
- Free cancellation until you start
Discover Rotterdam on a self-guided exploration game from the Markthal past the Cube Houses and Oude Haven, solving puzzles and photo tasks.
Step into the story
Find the tags before the fourth bell — or the box is sealed for good.
In 1946, while Rotterdam was redrawn from its ashes, the planners sealed a time capsule. Its lock opens with stamps on ten brass tags, hidden along the new streets.
- 1.5–2 hours
- 1–4 players per team
It beginsI'm Lotte. I drive the big crane on the church square.
It goes wrongSomeone else is collecting them. He calls himself the Collector, and he is ten minutes ahead.
Your moveThe first tag is at the cube houses, a few minutes east. The Collector was there ten minutes ago. Go.
Secrets of Rotterdam is a self-guided scavenger hunt you play on your own phone, at your own pace, with the streets themselves as the board.
Because it is GPS-based, the game always knows which corner you are on and gives you that corner's riddle, puzzle or photograph. The answers are never on the phone; they are out in Rotterdam, in front of anyone who bothers to look. What sticks afterwards is the part nobody tells you on a tour.
St. Lawrence Church, Erasmus Monument and Erasmus Statue are among the places you reach. The finding mostly happens in between, and none of it can be answered without actually standing there.
Marten Toonder Statue and Cube Houses are on the route as well, and the group stops walking past things somewhere along the way and starts reading them.
The Walking Tour of Rotterdam Where Nobody Talks at You
Everything a self-guided tour of Rotterdam gives you, minus the narration. The route is real and so is the history behind it — but you get at it by solving rather than listening, and nobody is standing at the front of a group. You walk, you look, you work it out. Intermediate difficulty, so most things fall and the rest makes for a decent argument. Riddles, code-breaking, and photographs you would not have taken.
Looking for a Scavenger Hunt to Do in Rotterdam?
You have found one. No printing, no hiding things in advance, no list to compile — the route, the riddles and the photo tasks are already laid out across Rotterdam, roughly two hours and 3 to 4 km of walking. A single ticket at €19.95 covers four people sharing one phone. Anyone who has tried to build one of these knows how long that takes.
An Outdoor Scavenger Hunt That Works for Any Group in Rotterdam
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. The distance bothers no child, and the photo tasks are where the youngest players get ahead of everyone. The riddles end up being a joint effort, which is exactly why a group of mixed ages works here.
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 Rotterdam 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 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 Rotterdam that would surprise a local.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Secrets exploration game work?
After booking you get a link, walk to the starting point in Rotterdam 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?
Both, deliberately. On distance and route it is a walking tour of Rotterdam; on content it is a puzzle. The history arrives through the riddles rather than through a guide, and there is nobody to follow.
What do we need to bring?
Just a charged phone and comfortable shoes for 3 to 4 km.
How long does it take?
About two hours, covering 3 to 4 km on foot. There is no time limit and no fixed start — you pick a date when booking and then begin whenever suits you on that date, so a slow group simply takes longer.
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?
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 — the 3 to 4 km is no obstacle and the photo tasks are where younger players get ahead. The riddles sit at intermediate, so families tend to solve them as a group, which is the intended way round.
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 Rotterdam?
Yes, and not as a side effect. The riddles are made from the history and the characters of Rotterdam and from details most people never notice, so the learning is the solving. Anyone who would rather follow a story can take one of the other city games in Rotterdam.
More City Games: city games across the Netherlands · Secrets of Montfoort
- St. Lawrence Church
- Erasmus Monument
- Erasmus Statue
- Marten Toonder Statue
- Cube Houses
- Oude Haven
- T.G. Masaryk en Rotterdam
- Maritime Museum Rotterdam
Show all 15 stops
- Witte de Withstraat Mural
- Scots International Church
- Witte de Withstraat
- Bookstore Donner Statue
- Holbeinhuis
- Rotterdam City Hall
- Beurs
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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