Baden self-guided walking tour with riddles and scavenger hunt

Solve riddles through Baden's old town at your own speed, from the castle ruin to the thermal springs.

A self-guided walking tour of Baden, Switzerland using the Explorial app to navigate between landmarks via riddles, trivia and photo challenges. You download the app, enter a 6-digit code, and set off through the old town on your own schedule with no fixed start time or guide. The route takes around 2 hours at an easy pace and passes Ruine Stein (the Habsburg fortress ruin), Kurplatz (the spa quarter fed by 47-degree thermal springs), and Stadtturm (the 15th-century painted clock tower). The app is available in 24 languages, and you can pause whenever you want: cafés are never far away.

The experience

You start near the Stadtturm in Baden's old town, download the Explorial app to your smartphone, enter the 6-digit code you receive by text and booking-platform message, and set off through the lanes on your own. There's no guide waiting, no fixed start time, and no one joining your group. Just you, your phone and the riddles. The app marks locations on a map so you always know where you are, and each clue tells you where to go next.

The trail climbs toward Ruine Stein, the shattered Habsburg fortress that once guarded documents of the entire empire and now watches over the rooftops from above. The riddles here come with the best view in town. Down at the Kurplatz, you step into 2,000 years of spa history: Roman soldiers soaked in these 47-degree thermal springs, and 19th-century Europe followed, building grand hotels around them. The app quizzes you on the details. The Stadtturm anchors the old town: a 15th-century gate tower with a painted facade and an astronomical clock, full of details the app will ask you to spot.

Around 2 hours at an easy pace, with breaks whenever you want them. The app keeps score between players in your group and lets you compete against the city's high score. By the end, Baden's mix of steam and stone will have won you over, and you'll have learned its stories without anyone telling them to you.

What’s included

• Free download of the Explorial app (iOS or Android).
• self-guided walking tour with interactive riddles, trivia challenges and photo tasks.
• points and scoring system to compete within your group and against the city's high score.
• live location map so you always know where you are.
• learn about Baden's stories, history and local legends.
• total flexibility to start anytime, walk at your own pace and take as many breaks as 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 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Explorial

Is this one for you?This tour suits anyone who wants to explore Baden's landmarks at their own speed without a guide or a set schedule. If you prefer someone leading the way and explaining as you walk, a live-guided tour would work better. This one is entirely self-directed, with the app and the riddles doing the talking.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided 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.

What's Ruine Stein and why does the tour go there?

Ruine Stein is the shattered Habsburg fortress perched above Baden's rooftops. It once guarded documents of the entire empire, and the app's riddles at the site come with the best view in town.

Can I start the Baden walking tour whenever I want?

Yes. There's no fixed start time. You download the Explorial app, enter your 6-digit code, and begin whenever you're ready. You walk at your own pace and take breaks whenever you want.

Do I need to pay entrance fees for the sights on this tour?

No. All the puzzles relate to public areas of the sights, so no entrance fees are required to complete the game.

What do I need to bring to start this tour?

Bring a fully charged smartphone with an active mobile data connection. iOS or Android is required to download the Explorial app. Disable any VPN and avoid city Wi-Fi, as these will cause the app to malfunction.