Bern Self-Guided Walking Tour: Riddles Through the Old Town

A 500-year-old clock performs its hourly show while you solve riddles in the arcades.

This self-guided scavenger hunt takes you through Bern's UNESCO old town on foot using app-based riddles and trivia challenges to navigate from one landmark to the next. You download the Explorial app, enter your game code, and follow the arcades at your own pace with no fixed start time or guide. The route covers around two hours and six kilometres, passing the Bundeshaus, the Zytglogge astronomical clock, the Rathaus, and the old Käfigturm prison tower, with scoring and a final ranking announced at the end.

The experience

You arrive at the Käfigturm on Marktgasse, open the app on your phone, enter the six-digit code you received by text, and the riddles begin. The tour is entirely self-guided: no one meets you, no fixed start time, just your group and the city. You move through the arcades at whatever pace suits you, stopping for breaks whenever you want, solving trivia challenges and photo tasks that unlock the next location.

The route strings together four landmarks that define Bern. The Bundeshaus sits above the Aare with its green dome, and the riddles hint at Swiss democracy. The fountain plaza out front has 26 jets, one for each canton. At the Zytglogge, you time your visit to catch the mechanical hourly show: jesters, roosters and bears performing their 500-year-old routine on the astronomical clock that young Einstein passed daily on his way to school. The Rathaus closes the circuit, the Gothic hall where Bern's councils have argued since 1406. All of it unfolds under the arcades that shelter you on rainy days, and the app keeps your location marked on the map so you always know where you are.

The app tracks points and scoring between players in your group, and a final ranking is announced at the end: calmly, this is Bern. You need a fully charged smartphone with active mobile data and no VPN to start. If weather or illness stops you before you begin, you can reschedule for another day or switch to a different city. The tour is available in 24 languages including English, French, German, Spanish and Italian. Choose your language when you open the app.

What’s included

• Free download of the Explorial app for iOS or Android.
• self-guided walking tour with interactive riddles, trivia challenges and photo tasks.
• live location navigation on the app map.
• points and scoring system to compete within your group.
• learn about Bern's stories, history and local legends.
• total flexibility to walk at your own pace, start anytime and take breaks as needed.

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 12 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Explorial

Is this one for you?Groups of up to 15 people work well here because everyone moves at their own pace and solves riddles independently: no one waits for a guide or a slower walker. This suits a free afternoon or a first visit when you want to explore the old town without a fixed schedule.

Traveler reviews

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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 is the Zytglogge and when does it perform?

The Zytglogge is a 500-year-old astronomical clock in Bern's old town that performs a mechanical hourly show with jesters, roosters and bears. You time your visit to catch the performance, and the app includes trivia about the clock. It's the one Einstein passed daily.

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

You start anytime you want with no fixed departure. After you receive your game code by text and booking-platform message, download the Explorial app, enter the code, and begin whenever suits your day.

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

No entrance fees are required. All the puzzles relate to public areas of the sights, so you solve riddles and complete photo tasks from outside or in freely accessible spaces.

How long does the tour take and how far do I walk?

The tour takes around two hours and covers six kilometres, mostly under the arcades of Bern's old town. You walk at your own pace and can take breaks whenever you want.

What do I need to bring to start the tour?

Bring a fully charged smartphone with an active mobile data connection and the Explorial app downloaded from your appstore. Disable any VPN before you start, as it will cause the app to malfunction. Wear comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing.