From the Anger to the cathedral steps, one riddle per house
The Erfurt scavenger hunt is a self-guided city game you play on your phone: you walk from landmark to landmark, solve a riddle at each one by looking closely at what is in front of you, and unlock the stories and legends behind it. Only about 28 minutes of the game are spent walking, over a compact 2 km through the old town with 10 stops, so most of the roughly 2 hours goes on riddles and stories, and the clock starts only when you do.
Highlights include the Luther Monument on the Anger, the house-lined Krämerbrücke, the Renaissance Haus zum Breiten Herd and the town hall on the Fischmarkt, and the cathedral and St Severus' Church above the steps of the Domplatz. Erfurt's medieval centre is compact and largely car-free, so on foot you link merchant houses, bridges and churches in one short walk.
- Durationabout 2 hours
- Walkingabout 28 min · 2 km
- Stops10
- LanguagesEnglish, German, French, Italian, Dutch
A game across Erfurt's merchant town, from the Angermuseum to St Severus
Named houses, carved senses
Erfurt's old houses carry names rather than numbers, and the riddles make good use of that: at each of the 10 stops you study a façade, a statue or a frieze, such as the five senses carved on the Haus zum Breiten Herd. Patience and a bit of reasoning get you the answer, with no local knowledge required.
Luther, Faust and a blue dye
Solved riddles unlock Erfurt's stories: Luther studying here from 1501 and being ordained in the cathedral in 1507, the woad trade that dyed cloth blue and paid for the merchant houses, and the Gloriosa bell cast in 1497. Prefer listening? The audio narration tells them while your eyes stay on the carvings.
2 km, then 70 steps
Only about 28 minutes are spent walking, through a compact centre that is largely car-free, with Google Maps pointing the way. The one climb comes at the end: a broad flight of 70 steps from the Domplatz up to the cathedral and St Severus.
Linger on the bridge
Nothing in the game is timed, so browse the small shops in the half-timbered houses on the Krämerbrücke or have a Thuringian bratwurst on the Domplatz, and resume later or another day. You can also open the game at whichever stop is nearest.
See the route and attractions →
How it works
- Book online Choose the number of players. Your booking reference arrives by email straight away.
- Get the app Download the World City Trail app from the App Store or Google Play and enter your booking reference.
- Play when you like Start whenever you are ready, walk at your own pace and pause any time. No guide, no fixed schedule.
Short visits, young families and groups in Thuringia's capital
Half a day between trains
At about 2 hours, the game fits easily into a half day or the gap before an evening train. You take in the bridge, the Fischmarkt and the cathedral hill in one go, and the riddles make sure you really look at them.
Families with younger children
At only 2 km the route suits small walkers, and children stay busy with a Roman warrior on a column, a bridge that looks like a street and a giant bell in the cathedral tower. An adult plays along in each team, and the 70 steps at the end are the only real effort.
Teams and friends below the Domberg
Several teams of up to 5, each player on their own phone, can leave the Angermuseum a few minutes apart and head for St Severus. The Domplatz below makes a natural meeting point, and nothing needs booking beyond the tickets.
Good to know
- Bring a charged smartphone with mobile data; a power bank helps.
- No entry tickets needed: everything happens outside the buildings. Going inside is optional and paid separately.
- Family friendly; children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Not suitable for wheelchair users and difficult with strollers.
- Teams of up to 5 work best; bigger groups split into several teams, one ticket per player.
- Every purchase helps support stray cats and dogs in Greece.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.