Groningen Walking Tour: Riddle Hunt Through Medieval Streets

Chase riddles through eight centuries of Groningen in two hours

This self-guided walking tour of Groningen uses an app-based scavenger hunt to lead you from landmark to landmark on foot, solving riddles and trivia challenges as you go. You start whenever you want, move at your own pace, and navigate to the Martinitoren (a 600-year-old tower), the Groninger Museum, and the Papengang medieval alleyway without a guide. The tour takes around two hours and works for any group size up to 15 people.

The experience

How do you explore a city without a guide telling you what to see? Download the Explorial app, enter your six-digit game code, and let the riddles do the talking. You start at Zeeheldenbuurt whenever suits you (morning, afternoon, whenever your group is ready), and the app sends you straight into Groningen's medieval heart. The riddles aren't just directions. They're puzzles about the city itself, trivia challenges that make you actually look at what's around you, and photo tasks that turn the walk into a game. Between players in your group, there's a scoring system, so you're competing as you go.

The route threads through three landmarks that anchor Groningen's story. The Martinitoren, a 97-metre tower that has dominated the skyline since the 15th century, is your first stop: climb it for views across the flat northern landscape. From there the app guides you to the Groninger Museum, a deliberately provocative building sitting in the canal with clashing architectural styles that announce themselves before you've even stepped inside. Your final landmark is the Papengang, a narrow medieval alleyway threading between old buildings, one of the most atmospheric shortcuts in a city full of them. The app marks every location on a map and navigates you between them with precision, so you always know where you are.

You need a fully charged smartphone with active mobile data. Bring your own, disable any VPN, and avoid city Wi-Fi, as these will cause the app to disconnect. The walk is light and takes around two hours, so comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothing matter. Entrance fees aren't required. All the puzzles relate to public areas of the sights. If bad weather or illness stops you before you start, you can reschedule for another day, switch to a different city, or request a refund.

What’s included

• Free download of the Explorial app from your device's app store.
• self-guided walking tour with interactive riddles, trivia challenges and photo tasks.
• points and scoring system so you can compete within your group.
• live location map showing marked landmarks and your position.
• stories, history and local legends about each site.
• total flexibility to start anytime, walk at your own pace and take breaks whenever you want.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (10 to 90 years) · Child (under 10): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Cantonese, Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hindi, Hungarian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Swedish, Turkish and Ukrainian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

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

Prices and times updated 16 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Explorial

Is this one for you?This tour is entirely self-guided (you navigate using the app, not a person), so it suits groups who want to explore at their own rhythm without waiting for anyone else or following a fixed schedule. If you prefer someone talking you through the city's history in real time, a live guide tour would work better.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Romanian, Danish, Polish, Chinese, Japanese, Ukrainian, Czech, Norwegian, Hungarian, Cantonese, Greek, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Finnish, Swedish, Hindi and Turkish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 10): free.

Can I start the tour whenever I want, or is there a fixed time?

You start whenever you want. There's no fixed departure time or meeting point: open the app, enter your game code, and begin. You set the pace and take as many breaks as you need.

What is the Martinitoren and why is it the first stop?

The Martinitoren is a 97-metre tower that has watched over Groningen since the 15th century. It's the first landmark the app sends you to, and you can climb it for panoramic views across the city and the flat landscape beyond.

Do I need to pay entrance fees to visit the landmarks?

No entrance fees are required for this game. All the riddles and photo tasks relate to public areas of the sights, so you can complete the scavenger hunt without buying tickets.

What do I need to bring to start the tour?

Bring a fully charged smartphone with an active mobile data connection. Disable any VPN and avoid city Wi-Fi before you start, as these will cause the app to malfunction. Wear comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing for about two hours of light walking.