Solve riddles from Santa Cruz Church through the Almedina Gate to the University of Coimbra, and hear the stories of Portugal’s old university city, all on your phone, at your own pace and without a guide. 4.7 · 41 reviews✓ Instant access✓ Start any time✓ No guide needed
New for Coimbra: six interactive city guides to food, sights, family, nightlife, day trips and budget. See the guides →
Scavenger hunt 4.7 (41)
Best for first-timers, couples and families: solve a riddle at each of the 10 stops, then unlock the stories and legends of Coimbra’s kings, scholars and students.
5 € - 11 €See details and book →
Outdoor escape game 4.5 (2)
For puzzle lovers, friends and team building: crack an independent puzzle hidden at every attraction, with up to three hints whenever you get stuck.
5 € - 11 €See details and book →
Self-guided audio tour 4.7 (7)
For a relaxed walk without puzzles: listen to stories at each stop while you climb from the lower town to the university at your own pace.
4 € - 9 €See details and book →
The Coimbra scavenger hunt begins at Santa Cruz Church in the lower town and crosses Praça do Comércio to the Almedina Gate. From there you climb to the Old Cathedral, the Machado de Castro National Museum and the New Cathedral, reach the University of Coimbra, the Minerva Stairs and Praça Dom Dinis, and end at the University Botanical Garden.
The 10 stops cover about 2.2 km, roughly 37 minutes of walking. You can start anywhere or change the order in the app, with Google Maps guiding you. No entry tickets are needed: every riddle uses the outside of the buildings.
Coimbra was Portugal’s capital in the Middle Ages, and Santa Cruz Church holds the tomb of Afonso Henriques, the first king. Above the lower town, the hilltop university, one of the oldest in Europe, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, reached through steep lanes past the Romanesque Old Cathedral.
A game makes the climb worth every step. Each riddle points you to a carving, a gate or an inscription you would otherwise miss, and the stories that follow explain the kings, scholars and student traditions behind them. Everyone plays on their own phone, there is no schedule, and you can stop for coffee whenever you like.
The Coimbra scavenger hunt takes about 2 hours. It has 10 stops and about 37 minutes (2.2 km) of actual walking; the rest is solving riddles and listening to stories. You can pause at any time and continue later or on another day.
The route leads from Santa Cruz Church in the lower town up to the University and ends at the University Botanical Garden. In the app you can choose a different starting stop or change the order.
No, you need neither a guide nor a time slot. After booking you receive a reference by email; download the World City Trail app, enter it and start whenever you like.
Yes, the Coimbra scavenger hunt works well for families. The riddles need observation and logic, not prior knowledge, so children can join in with an adult. The route is not suitable for wheelchairs and is difficult with strollers.
You can play the Coimbra scavenger hunt in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch or Portuguese. Audio narration is also available for the stories.
Yes. Buy one ticket per player and form teams of up to 5 people; larger groups split into several teams. For team building, the outdoor escape game with its independent puzzles is a great fit.
Book the Coimbra scavenger hunt now and spend two hours solving riddles from the lower town to the university hill, starting whenever you like.
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