Stranger in Norwich Self-Guided Tour: Medieval Riddle Game

Navigate Norwich's medieval lanes at your own pace, solving clues to find your family.

A self-guided exploration game in Norwich where you play a "Stranger", a refugee weaver from 1567, navigating medieval streets and solving riddles to reunite with your lost family. You control the pace entirely: start whenever you want, pause for coffee or a pint, and resume on the Questo app. The route takes you past Elm Hill's timber-framed houses, Norwich Cathedral, the Market Place, and hidden corners of the Cathedral Quarter, with clues woven into the city's real landmarks and history.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore medieval Norwich landmarks

• Visit The Halls historic complex
• Explore Elm Hill medieval street
• Walk through Tombland Alley
• See Erpingham Gate medieval entrance
• Visit Norwich Cathedral
• Discover The Great Hospital of St. Giles
• Cross Bishop Bridge
• View Pulls Ferry watergate
• See Ethelbert Gate medieval structure
• Visit St. Mary the Less church
• Explore Norwich Castle museum
• Visit The Guildhall historic building
• Tour Strangers' Hall museum

The experience

Can you find your way through a medieval city without a guide telling you where to go? This is a self-guided game, not a tour with someone leading you from stop to stop. You download the Questo app, open it at the starting point (The Halls), and follow the clues it feeds you one at a time. Each riddle points you toward a real place (Elm Hill's cobblestones, the 15th-century Erpingham Gate, Bishop Bridge over the River Wensum), and you solve it before the app reveals the next direction. The game weaves actual Norwich history into the puzzle: you'll learn how the Strangers, skilled weavers who fled religious persecution, transformed the city so completely they inspired the football team's canary logo.

The route covers about a dozen landmarks across the medieval heart of Norwich, from the Norman-built castle to Strangers' Hall (named after those same refugee weavers) and the Great Hospital founded in the 13th century. You're not rushed through them. Spend twenty minutes at Elm Hill watching the light hit the timber frames, or linger at Norwich Cathedral's 11th-century spire. The app waits. If you want coffee in the Lanes, pause the game, order, and pick it back up when you're ready. There's no meeting time, no group, no waiting for anyone else to finish reading a plaque. You move at your own rhythm, and the game fits around whatever else you're doing that day.

You'll need a charged phone with the Questo app already downloaded and an account created before you start. The game runs 24/7: start at dawn or at dusk, on a weekday or a holiday. If you get stuck on a riddle, customer support is available round the clock. The whole experience takes between an hour and a half and two hours if you move steadily, but there's no clock: you set the deadline.

What’s included

• The Questo app with a full city exploration game.
• access to all 12 medieval landmarks on the route including Elm Hill, Norwich Cathedral, the Market Place, and Strangers' Hall.
• 24/7 customer support.
• and the freedom to start, pause and resume whenever you want.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (8 and older) · Under 8: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Questo

Is this one for you?Start at The Halls in the city center, which is reachable by public transport or a short walk from most Norwich hotels. Because the game is entirely self-guided and runs on your phone, you don't need a car or a meeting point, and you can begin whenever it fits your day.

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Top questions

Can I do this tour with a live guide, or is it only self-guided?

The self-guided version is what's listed here, but a live guide option is available if you prefer someone walking with you and explaining the history as you go. Choose at checkout which suits you better.

What is Elm Hill and why is it on the route?

Elm Hill is one of Britain's most famous Tudor streets, lined with well-preserved medieval timber-framed houses and cobblestones. The game has you solve clues along it because it's one of Norwich's most intact glimpses of the 16th century, and it's where much of the Strangers' story unfolded.

Do I need to download anything before I arrive in Norwich?

Yes. Download the Questo app and create an account using the same email you used for the booking. You'll need a charged phone and an internet connection to start the game at The Halls.

What happens if I get lost or stuck on a riddle?

Customer support is available 24/7 to help you. You can contact them through the app if you need a hint or if a clue isn't making sense.

How long does the whole game take?

Most people finish in an hour and a half to two hours if they move steadily through the route, but there's no time limit. You can take breaks, explore longer at any landmark, or spread it across multiple visits if you want.