Deventer city game: solve puzzles, find conspirators

Solve a centuries-old coin conspiracy while walking Deventer's hidden corners

A self-guided walking tour of Deventer where you solve puzzles and riddles on your smartphone to uncover a plot involving fake coins circulating through the Hanseatic city in 1435. You choose when to start, walk about 2.5 kilometers over roughly two hours, and visit real landmarks including The Brink, De Waag Museum, the Mountain Church and the Town Hall while piecing together the story. Teams of up to five or six players aged 15 and older work through the riddles together; all you need is a phone with mobile data.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Deventer's historic city center

• Start at The Brink central square
• Visit De Waag Museum
• See the old coin production building
• Explore the Mountain Church
• Discover the 15th century kloostercomplex
• Pass by MIMIK theater and café
• View the historical Town Hall façade

The Experience

The Brink—the central square lined with restaurants, shops and the historic Waag building—is where your adventure begins, though you pick the start time. Instead of following a guide, you navigate using your smartphone and a series of puzzles that tie the city's real history to a fictional mystery: counterfeit coins flooding Deventer's economy in the 1400s, and your job is to find who made them before the scheme collapses the city's trade. The riddles and hints are built into the app; there are no extra fees once you've started.

The route takes you past De Waag Museum, where Deventer's history as a market town and industrial center lives in artifacts and displays, then to the old mint building where coins were actually struck until 1708. You'll walk past the Mountain Church, a Romanesque basilica from around 1209 with later Gothic touches, and a 15th-century convent complex where a sisterhood settled in 1501. The Town Hall's sandstone façade, designed in the late 1600s, rounds out the landmarks. Each stop feeds into the puzzle—you're not just seeing these places, you're using them to solve the mystery.

The whole loop runs about 2.5 kilometers and takes most people around two hours, though you move at your own pace and can pause or return another day. Groups work best with two to six players; anyone 15 or older can lead, and younger players can join with supervision. The route is wheelchair accessible, and you can start from any device with a data connection—no guide, no fixed departure time, no waiting for a group to assemble.

What’s included

• Detailed online instructions with riddles and hints delivered via smartphone app.
• access to all seven landmark locations and their puzzle clues.
• the complete 1435 conspiracy story woven through the two-hour route.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Outside Escape

Is this one for you?Teams of two to six players aged 15 and older who want to explore Deventer's real history and hidden corners without a guide dictating the pace—you solve the puzzles, you choose when to walk, and the landmarks reveal themselves as you piece together the mystery.

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Top questions

What is De Waag Museum and why does the tour include it?

De Waag Museum in Deventer showcases the city's history as a market town, fortified stronghold and industrial center through artifacts and collections. The tour includes it because the building itself is a landmark tied to the city's past, and the museum context helps you understand the 1435 forgery plot you're solving.

Can I do this tour alone or do I need a full group?

You can walk alone, but the tour is designed for teams of up to five or six players working together to solve the puzzles. A single person can absolutely play and solve the riddles; the team format just means more people can collaborate on the same phone or phones.

What happens if I get stuck on a puzzle?

The app includes hints built into each riddle, so you can nudge yourself toward the answer without giving it away. You're not racing against time—you move at your own pace and can take as long as you need to work through each clue.

Do I need to book a specific time to start, or can I begin whenever I want?

You start whenever you choose. There's no fixed departure time or group assembly—download the app, show up at The Brink, and begin the puzzle whenever suits your schedule.

Is the entire walking route accessible for wheelchairs?

Yes, all areas and surfaces along the route are wheelchair accessible, and transportation options nearby are also wheelchair accessible. The 2.5-kilometer walk can be done at whatever pace works for you.

What do I need to bring or download before I start?

All you need is a smartphone with a mobile data plan. The riddles, hints and instructions are delivered through the app—no printed materials, no extra equipment, and no additional fees once you've booked the tour.