Chur Self-Guided Walking Tour: Riddles Through 5,000 Years

Solve riddles through Switzerland's oldest city at your own speed

This self-guided scavenger hunt takes you through Chur on foot using phone-based riddles to navigate from one landmark to the next. Download the Explorial app, enter your game code, and walk the medieval alleys and squares of Switzerland's oldest continuously inhabited city: no guide, no fixed start time, just your group and the city. The tour runs around 2 hours with breaks included, available in 24 languages.

The experience

You start at Grabenstrasse 22, at the edge of the old town, where you open the Explorial app on your smartphone, enter the 6-digit game code you received by text, and slip into the alleys on your own. The riddles begin at the Obertor, the stout medieval gate where travelers have entered Chur for centuries: a landmark that once locked the city up at night. From there, the app guides you through a sequence of puzzles and photo tasks that pull you deeper into the 5,000-year history layered into every corner.

The Arcas square is the old town at its best: a sloping plaza framed by painted townhouses and café terraces, where the app's riddles draw your eye to details on every facade. Fontanapark offers a greener puzzle stop, gathered around the monument to Benedikt Fontana, the Graubünden folk hero who fell in battle in 1499. You compete against other players in your group and against the city's high score, earning points as you answer trivia, solve riddles and complete photo challenges. The whole route takes around 2 hours, but the pace is entirely yours: walk faster, take breaks, linger at a café, or skip ahead if a puzzle stumps you.

You'll need a fully charged smartphone with an active mobile data connection and the Explorial app downloaded before you arrive. The app works in 24 languages including English, French, German, Spanish and Italian, so you choose your language when you start the game. All puzzles relate to public areas, so no entrance fees are required. If bad weather or illness prevents you from starting, 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 smartphone's app store.
• self-guided walking tour with interactive riddles, trivia challenges and photo tasks.
• live location map showing marked sites so you always know where you are.
• points and scoring system to compete within your group and against the city's high score.
• learn about Chur's stories, history and local legends.

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 2 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Explorial

Is this one for you?This tour suits groups of up to 15 people who want to explore Chur on their own schedule without waiting for a guide or a fixed departure time. The self-guided format means you can pause for coffee, linger at a café, or walk faster depending on your mood and energy: ideal for a free afternoon or a first visit when you want to wander at your own rhythm.

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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 set time?

The tour is 100% self-guided with no fixed start time. You download the app, enter your game code, and begin whenever you're ready: morning, afternoon, or evening. You walk at your own pace and take breaks as you wish.

What is the Obertor and why does the tour start there?

The Obertor is the medieval upper gate that once locked Chur's old town at night and served as the main entrance for centuries. The app begins its riddles there because it marks where travelers have entered the city throughout history.

Do I need to pay entrance fees to visit the sites on the tour?

No entrance fees are required. All puzzles relate to public areas of the sights, so you can solve the entire scavenger hunt without paying to enter any buildings or attractions.

What do I need to bring to start the tour?

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