The Royal Route of Gdańsk, played as a game
The Gdańsk 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. From the High Gate to the Crane, the Royal Route and the riverside add up to 2 km, roughly 24 minutes of walking between 10 stops, so most of the 2 hours or so goes on riddles, merchants' stories and the gables of Long Market.
Highlights include the High Gate and the Golden Gate, Artus Court, Neptune's Fountain, the patrician houses of Long Market, the Green Gate, St Mary's Gate, the vast brick St Mary's Basilica, the Baroque Royal Chapel and the medieval Crane on the Motława. The route follows the old Royal Route of the Polish kings through the rebuilt Main Town, short and flat enough to enjoy at a relaxed pace.
- Durationabout 2 hours
- Walkingabout 24 min · 2 km
- Stops10
- LanguagesEnglish, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Polish
10 riddles between the High Gate and the Motława
Unicorns, virtues and a bronze sea god
Each riddle hides in what the stop shows you: the unicorns and lions holding coats of arms on the High Gate, the statues of civic virtues on top of the Golden Gate, Neptune with his trident in front of Artus Court. Sharp eyes and a bit of reasoning do the job, and you can leave your Polish phrasebook at home.
Merchants, kings and liqueur gold
Solving a riddle releases its story: the merchants and brotherhoods who met in Artus Court, the Green Gate built for kings who hardly ever slept there, the legend of Neptune striking the water and turning coins into the gold flakes of Goldwasser. Turn on the audio narration and hear them as you stroll along Długa Street.
Down the Royal Route and along the river
About 24 minutes of walking take you down the Royal Route, out through the Green Gate to the river, along the Long Embankment and up Mariacka Street, before you end back by the water at the Crane. Google Maps handles the turns, and the Main Town is level throughout.
Amber shops and a break by the river
There is no clock to beat, so browse the amber shops on Mariacka Street or sit down by the Motława, and finish the game later or another day. Coming from the waterfront? Start at the Green Gate instead of the High Gate.
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.
Weekenders, families and company teams in Gdańsk
A first walk through the Main Town
The game links the gates, Long Market, St Mary's and the Crane in about 2 hours, which makes it a good start to a city break. You learn why the rebuilt Main Town looks the way it does without planning anything yourself.
Families who like gates and giants
Children count the unicorns on the High Gate, look for the gilded king on top of the Town Hall tower and stare up at the wooden Crane, where workers once walked inside giant treadwheels. An adult plays in each team, and the level route keeps things easy for younger players.
Teams and friends on a weekend away
Groups split into teams of up to 5, each player on their own phone, and set off from the High Gate a few minutes apart. The Crane by the river makes a good final meeting point, and apart from the tickets nothing needs organising.
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: along the Royal Route to the Green Gate, then by the Motława to the Crane
10 stops · about 24 min walking · start: High Gate · finish: The Crane (Żuraw)
The hunt starts at the High Gate, the traditional entrance to the old city, and passes through the Golden Gate into Długa Street. It continues to Artus Court and Neptune's Fountain on Long Market, then through the Green Gate to the Motława riverside and along the embankment to St Mary's Gate. Mariacka Street leads to St Mary's Basilica and the Royal Chapel, and the hunt finishes at the Crane on the river. Every answer is on a gate, a façade or the waterfront, which is why no stop asks for an admission ticket, and if you arrive from the Motława side, the app lets you begin at the Green Gate or the Crane and puts the remaining stops in a new order.
Open the route map ↗
1High GateStart
Built in the 1570s and decorated in 1588 by Willem van den Blocke, the High Gate was the main entrance to the city from the west and the start of the Royal Route. Its façade carries the coats of arms of Royal Prussia, Poland and Gdańsk, held by unicorns, angels and lions. A Latin inscription praises justice and piety as the foundations of every state.
Read the full story →
2Golden Gate
The Golden Gate was built between 1612 and 1614 to designs by Abraham van den Blocke, at the head of Długa Street. Statues on top of the gate represent civic virtues such as peace, freedom, justice and prudence. It was badly damaged in 1945 and rebuilt after the war.
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3Artus Court
Named after the legendary King Arthur, Artus Court was the meeting place of Gdańsk's merchants and brotherhoods. Its present façade dates from the early 17th century. Inside stands a tiled stove that is one of the largest in Europe.
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4Neptune's Fountain
The bronze Neptune was designed by Abraham van den Blocke and cast in 1615, and the fountain has stood in front of Artus Court since 1633. It became a symbol of the city's bond with the sea. Legend says Neptune struck the water with his trident and turned the coins thrown into it into the gold flakes of Goldwasser liqueur.
Read the full story →
5Long Market
Long Market, the wide final stretch of the Royal Route, is lined with tall patrician houses, including the richly decorated Golden House. At its western end rises the Main Town Hall, whose tower is crowned by a gilded statue of King Sigismund II Augustus. Like most of the Main Town, it was rebuilt after its destruction in 1945.
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6Green Gate
Built in the 1560s in the style of Dutch Mannerism, the Green Gate closes Long Market on the side of the Motława river. It was meant as a residence for Polish kings visiting the city, although they hardly ever stayed here. Its arches frame the view across the river to Granary Island.
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7St Mary's Gate
This Gothic brick gate from the 15th century leads from the Long Embankment on the Motława into Mariacka Street. The street, with its stone terraces and amber shops, runs towards St Mary's Church, one of the largest brick churches in the world. Next to the gate stands the Naturalists' House, home to the archaeological museum.
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8St Mary's Basilica
St Mary's Church was built between 1343 and 1502 and is one of the largest brick churches in the world. Its massive tower rises above the rooftops of the Main Town, and inside stands an astronomical clock made by Hans Düringer in the 1460s. Like most of the old town, it was badly damaged in 1945 and rebuilt.
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9Royal Chapel
The Royal Chapel was built between 1678 and 1681 to designs by Tylman van Gameren, with support from King John III Sobieski. It served the city's Catholics at a time when the neighbouring St Mary's was a Lutheran church. Its narrow Baroque façade stands squeezed between the houses right next to the basilica.
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10The Crane (Żuraw)Finish
The Crane on the Motława took its present form in the mid-15th century and was one of the largest port cranes of medieval Europe. Workers walking inside its huge wooden treadwheels lifted cargo and set masts on ships. Rebuilt after 1945, it is now a branch of the National Maritime Museum.
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Frank L. (verified owner) –
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Cecile– France –
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Très ludique et interactif
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Christian– Norway –
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Superb and fun way to see the city!
Germany –
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Sehr gut! Hat Spaß gemacht, die Anlaufpunkte selbst zu finden und Danzig auf diesem Weg zu erkunden. Rätsel nicht ganz so einfach. Aber mit der Hilfe, mehreren Versuchen und Geduld schafft man es. Auch, dass man das Tempo und Pausen selbst bestimmen konnte war super. Insgesamt sehr lehrreich und sehr zu empfehlen!
Daria– United Kingdom –
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Me and my friends did this scavenger hunt as a part of my hen do weekend. We split into 2 teams of 5 and made it into competition. It was so much fun! Some riddles were harder than others, we completed it in just over one hour (each team had someone who knew the area, so we didn’t need to use the map) . Some of my friends were in Poland for the first time, while a few others live in Gdańsk. We all really enjoyed it and learnt something new. Definitely recommend 🙂
Alessandra– Italy –
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It was fun
Jeanette– Sweden –
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Mycket bra upplägg och man får se allt inom stadskärnan där till exempel sightseeing bilarna inte får köra. Mycket text så hade varit bra med en uppläsningsfunktion.
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