Frankfurt scavenger hunt
Surrounded by picturesque reconstructed half-timbered houses and the historic 15th-century city hall, Römerberg is Frankfurt's iconic central public square that has served as the civic heart of the city since the Middle Ages.
Housed within the historic medieval Saalhof complex alongside contemporary exhibition halls, the Historisches Museum Frankfurt showcases the rich cultural, civic, and political history of Frankfurt from the Middle Ages to modern times.
Originally opened in 1880 and meticulously rebuilt after World War II, the Alte Oper is an opulent Renaissance Revival landmark that now serves as one of Germany's premier concert and congress venues.
Frankfurt Cathedral is a majestic Gothic imperial church where Holy Roman Emperors were once elected and crowned, featuring a soaring tower that defines the city's historic skyline.
Frankfurt Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour - Image 6
Frankfurt scavenger hunt
Surrounded by picturesque reconstructed half-timbered houses and the historic 15th-century city hall, Römerberg is Frankfurt's iconic central public square that has served as the civic heart of the city since the Middle Ages.
Housed within the historic medieval Saalhof complex alongside contemporary exhibition halls, the Historisches Museum Frankfurt showcases the rich cultural, civic, and political history of Frankfurt from the Middle Ages to modern times.
Originally opened in 1880 and meticulously rebuilt after World War II, the Alte Oper is an opulent Renaissance Revival landmark that now serves as one of Germany's premier concert and congress venues.
Frankfurt Cathedral is a majestic Gothic imperial church where Holy Roman Emperors were once elected and crowned, featuring a soaring tower that defines the city's historic skyline.

Frankfurt Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour

Rated 4.56 out of 5 based on 61 customer ratings
(61 customer reviews)

Explore the city at your own pace with a self-guided experience.
Buy your ticket, download the app, and start instantly.

5 € - 11 €

1 ticket = 1 person

  • Buy 1 ticket
    11 €
  • Buy 2 tickets and save 36%
    11 €
    7 €
  • Buy 3 tickets and save 45%
    11 €
    6 €
  • Buy 4+ tickets and save 55%
    11 €
    5 €

Make a day of itInteractive guides by World City Trail, delivered with your tickets.

What is a city guide?

Your own guide to Frankfurt on your phone: hand-picked places, each with why to go, what to order and a practical tip.

  • Tick places off
  • Your own notes
  • One tap to Maps
  • Open now, near me
  • Works offline
  • Print it or save as PDF
See the guides, a short video and all the details →
- +
Total:
Each:

See players in action on Instagram

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Loved by thousands of travelers and locals

  • No time limit – use your ticket whenever you want
  • Secure checkout - Instant confirmation

Included: your personal Trail Map with every city you finish, the kilometres you walk and your flag collection. See an example →

Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play

Everything you need for a flexible self-guided city experience

Explore the city at your own pace

✔ Discover hidden gems & highlights
✔ Enjoy a flexible self-guided experience
✔ Explore freely with no schedule
✔ Perfect for couples, students, companies, friends & families

How your city experience works

✔ Instant ticket purchase
✔ Easy access via the World City Trail app
✔ Quick setup with your booking details
✔ Start anytime and explore freely
✔ Pause and resume anytime

Why travelers choose this tour

✔ Instant access after purchase
✔ Optional AI voice narration — listen instead of read
✔ Discover top attractions & food spots
✔ Customize your route anytime

Frankfurt scavenger hunt: from the opera house to the river Main in 10 riddles

The Frankfurt 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. The whole game lasts about 2 hours, but the 10 stops sit so close together that the walking between them comes to just 24 minutes and 2 km, from the opera house down to the river Main.

Highlights include the Alte Oper, Goethe's birthplace, St Paul's Church, where the first all-German parliament met in 1848, the half-timbered houses of Römerberg, the Kaiserdom where emperors were elected and crowned, and the golden rooster on the Old Bridge. Frankfurt's historic centre is compact, so a short walk takes you from the opera house through the old town to the banks of the Main.

  • Durationabout 2 hours
  • Walkingabout 24 min · 2 km
  • Stops10
  • LanguagesEnglish, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch

Emperors, poets and a deal with the devil, solved from the street

Scales, gables and a golden rooster

Each stop poses one riddle about what stands before you: the motto above the Alte Oper's entrance, the stepped gables of the Römer, Justitia with her scales on the fountain. Counting, comparing and a bit of reasoning on the spot get you there, so nobody has to swot up on the Holy Roman Empire beforehand.

Where Germany first tried democracy

Solved riddles unlock the stories: Goethe's childhood a few streets from his monument, the parliament that met in the oval Paulskirche in 1848 and 1849, and the cathedral where the kings of the Holy Roman Empire were elected. Listen to the narration or read along on screen.

Opera house to Old Bridge in 24 minutes on foot

Google Maps guides you over 2 km, from Opernplatz through the city centre to Römerberg and then down to the riverbank. The distances are short, and the only climb is the flight of steps up to the Iron Footbridge.

Apple wine across the river

Pause whenever you like, for a coffee on Römerberg or, after the last riddle, for a glass of Apfelwein in Sachsenhausen on the far side of the Old Bridge. The game remembers where you stopped, whether you return in an hour or next week.

See the route and attractions →

How it works

  1. Book online Choose the number of players. Your booking reference arrives by email straight away.
  2. Get the app Download the World City Trail app from the App Store or Google Play and enter your booking reference.
  3. Play when you like Start whenever you are ready, walk at your own pace and pause any time. No guide, no fixed schedule.

Who enjoys hunting for clues in Frankfurt

Trade fair visitors and business travellers

Frankfurt's trade fairs and banks bring plenty of visitors with a free afternoon, and 2 hours are enough to see the whole old town. The game reveals the city of emperors and poets beneath the towers of glass.

Young detectives and their grown-ups

A devil cheated by a rooster, a bridge railing heavy with padlocks and a statue of Justice holding her scales keep children guessing, and the stops are only a few minutes apart. A parent or another adult completes each young team.

Office teams who like a challenge

Teams of up to 5, each player on their own phone, can set off from the Alte Oper a few minutes apart and race to the golden rooster. The banks of the Main make an easy place to regroup afterwards.

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.

The route: Alte Oper, Goethe and the Paulskirche, then Römerberg, the cathedral and the bridges over the Main

10 stops · about 24 min walking · start: Alte Oper · finish: Old Bridge (Alte Brücke)

The hunt starts at the Alte Oper and passes the Goethe monument on its way into the centre to the Goethe House and St Paul's Church. It continues to Römerberg, the Stadthaus am Markt and Frankfurt Cathedral, then to the Historisches Museum near the river. From there you walk along the Main to the Iron Footbridge and finish at the Old Bridge. Every riddle is solved in front of façades, fountains and bridges, never inside, so no entry ticket is involved, and if you arrive from Sachsenhausen across the river, the app can begin at the Old Bridge and run the stops in reverse.

Open the route map ↗

  1. Alte Oper

    1Alte OperStart

    The Alte Oper, Frankfurt's old opera house, opened in the 19th century and was burnt out in the Second World War. After years as a ruin and a citizens' campaign to save it, it reopened as a concert hall. Above the entrance runs the motto Dem Wahren Schönen Guten, to the true, the beautiful, the good.

  2. Goethe-Denkmal

    2Goethe-Denkmal

    This bronze statue honours Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who was born in Frankfurt in 1749 and became one of the great writers of the German language. It was designed by the Munich sculptor Ludwig Schwanthaler and unveiled in 1844, and the house where Goethe was born is only a few minutes' walk away.

  3. Goethe House

    3Goethe House

    This is the house where Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the author of Faust, was born and spent his youth. It was destroyed in the Second World War and rebuilt afterwards, and much of the original furniture, which had been taken to safety, is back inside.

  4. St Paul's Church (Paulskirche)

    4St Paul's Church (Paulskirche)

    The oval Paulskirche is one of the key places of German democracy: during the revolution of 1848 and 1849 it was the seat of the first all-German parliament. Today it is no longer used for services but for ceremonies and exhibitions.

    Read the full story →

  5. Römerberg

    5Römerberg

    Römerberg is Frankfurt's old town square, named after the Römer, the row of houses with stepped gables that has served as the city hall for centuries. Opposite stands a row of half-timbered houses rebuilt after wartime destruction, and in the middle the Justice Fountain shows Justitia with her scales.

  6. Stadthaus am Markt

    6Stadthaus am Markt

    The Stadthaus am Markt is a modern building between Römerberg and the cathedral, at the edge of the rebuilt old town. It stands over the Archaeological Garden, where excavations revealed remains of Roman buildings and of the early medieval royal palace from which Frankfurt grew.

  7. Frankfurt Cathedral

    7Frankfurt Cathedral

    Frankfurt Cathedral, dedicated to St Bartholomew, was never the seat of a bishop, yet it is known as the Kaiserdom: from the Middle Ages the kings of the Holy Roman Empire were elected here, and later also crowned. Its tall Gothic tower rises above the roofs of the old town.

  8. Historisches Museum

    8Historisches Museum

    The Historisches Museum tells the story of Frankfurt from its beginnings to the present day. It stands between Römerberg and the river Main and combines a modern building with parts of the medieval Saalhof, a former royal residence by the river.

  9. Iron Footbridge (Eiserner Steg)

    9Iron Footbridge (Eiserner Steg)

    The Eiserner Steg is an iron footbridge over the Main, built in the 19th century on the initiative of Frankfurt citizens to link the old town with Sachsenhausen. Its railings are covered with love locks, and from the middle you get a wide view of the river and the skyline.

    Read the full story →

  10. Old Bridge (Alte Brücke)

    10Old Bridge (Alte Brücke)Finish

    The Alte Brücke stands at Frankfurt's oldest crossing of the Main, used since the Middle Ages, although today's bridge is modern. On its railing sits a golden rooster. According to legend, the builder promised the devil the first soul to cross the bridge, then sent a rooster over first.

    Read the full story →

61 reviews for Frankfurt Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour

  1. Rated 5 out of 5

    Portugal –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

  2. Rated 5 out of 5

    France –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Ludique

  3. Rated 4 out of 5

    Jasmin– Germany –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

  4. Rated 4 out of 5

    Evan– United States –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

  5. Rated 4 out of 5

    Germany –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

  6. Rated 4 out of 5

    Anett– Germany –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

  7. Rated 4 out of 5

    Noorullah– Germany –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

  8. Rated 5 out of 5

    United Kingdom –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

  9. Rated 4 out of 5

    Anne Sabine– Germany –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Es h?tten auch etwas andere R?tsel dabei sein k?nnen. Nicht nur mit Zahlen

  10. Rated 5 out of 5

    Shane– Australia –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Lots of fun – easy way to quickly introduce yourself to the city and see which one you want to go back to to explore further.

  11. Rated 5 out of 5

    Kelsey– United States –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    This was a cute way to do a self guided tour. Only complaint was some of the later on ‘quizzes’ didn’t actually relate to the location in question.

Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.

Frequently asked questions

Can we fit the Frankfurt hunt between a trade fair day and dinner?

Yes, as it needs about 2 hours in total. The 10 stops lie close together, so the walking adds up to only 24 minutes over 2 km, and the rest is riddles and stories that you can pause at any point.

Why start at the Alte Oper, and which bridge holds the last riddle?

The opera house on Opernplatz, saved from ruin by a citizens' campaign, opens the game on the edge of the city centre. The tenth riddle waits on the Old Bridge beside the golden rooster, and guests staying near the cathedral or in Sachsenhausen can let the app begin at another stop.

Is there a tour guide or a start time on Opernplatz?

Neither: you meet nobody, and the start is up to you. The booking reference reaches your inbox, you enter it in the World City Trail app, and from that moment every player's phone shows the riddles.

Do we need tickets for the Goethe House or the Historisches Museum?

No ticket is required for any of the 10 riddles, as they all deal with façades, statues and bridges. Seeing Goethe's birthplace from the inside or the exhibitions of the Historisches Museum costs extra and fits in well before or after you play.

Which stops will children like most in Frankfurt?

Usually the Old Bridge, where legend says a rooster outwitted the devil, the love locks on the Iron Footbridge and Justitia on Römerberg, all hunted down with an adult on their team. Wheelchairs cannot manage the steps up to the footbridge, and with a pushchair expect some lifting there and on the old town cobbles.

Will a German-speaking friend and an Italian colleague each get their own language in Frankfurt?

Yes, because each player uses their own phone and picks a language in the World City Trail app. Between the Alte Oper and the Old Bridge, the six choices are English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Dutch.

Is the Frankfurt hunt a good idea for a works outing?

It is, and there is no venue to hire: book a ticket per colleague, form teams of no more than five and send them off from Opernplatz at short intervals. The apple wine taverns of Sachsenhausen, just across the Old Bridge, are handy for the debrief.

What should we pack for a game in Frankfurt?

A charged smartphone with mobile data for every team, ideally a power bank, and shoes that cope with the cobbles of the old town. On a rainy day an umbrella is enough, since the stops are close together and cafés are never far away.

Beneath the Alte Oper's motto, the first riddle

Get a ticket online for each player, and the booking email brings the reference that unlocks the game. On Opernplatz, with the opera house in front of you, type it into the World City Trail app and the first riddle appears.

Book your tickets →

Related products

Shopping Basket
Scroll to Top