Kos scavenger hunt
Named after the mythological hero who famously wrestled Hercules, Πλατεία Ανταγόρα is a lively central square in Kos Town featuring a dramatic sculpted monument commemorating their legendary contest, surrounded by bustling local cafés and shops.
Guarding the entrance to the harbor of Kos Town, the imposing 14th-century Nerantzia Castle was constructed by the Knights of Saint John using ancient marble blocks and offers commanding views across the Aegean Sea.
Serving as the bustling civic heart of Kos Town, Eleftherias Central Square is framed by distinctive Italian fascist-era architecture, the Archaeological Museum, and the historic Defterdar Mosque.
The Roman Odeon of Kos is a majestic 2nd-century theater featuring restored marble seats and ancient vaulted galleries that once hosted the city's most prestigious musical and poetic competitions.
The Tree of Hippocrates is a majestic ancient plane tree where, according to local legend, the father of medicine once taught his students under its sweeping branches.
Kos scavenger hunt
Named after the mythological hero who famously wrestled Hercules, Πλατεία Ανταγόρα is a lively central square in Kos Town featuring a dramatic sculpted monument commemorating their legendary contest, surrounded by bustling local cafés and shops.
Guarding the entrance to the harbor of Kos Town, the imposing 14th-century Nerantzia Castle was constructed by the Knights of Saint John using ancient marble blocks and offers commanding views across the Aegean Sea.
Serving as the bustling civic heart of Kos Town, Eleftherias Central Square is framed by distinctive Italian fascist-era architecture, the Archaeological Museum, and the historic Defterdar Mosque.
The Roman Odeon of Kos is a majestic 2nd-century theater featuring restored marble seats and ancient vaulted galleries that once hosted the city's most prestigious musical and poetic competitions.
The Tree of Hippocrates is a majestic ancient plane tree where, according to local legend, the father of medicine once taught his students under its sweeping branches.

Kos Treasure Hunt and Self-Guided Tour

Rated 4.52 out of 5 based on 29 customer ratings
(29 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 Kos 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
On a cruise? See how to get from the ship to the start and how it fits your port day.Port day guide →

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

Hippocrates, the Knights and an Italian harbour front, riddle by riddle

The Kos treasure hunt is a self-guided city game you play on your phone: you walk from landmark to landmark in Kos Town, solve a riddle at each one by looking closely at what is in front of you, and unlock the stories and legends behind it. Plan on roughly 2 hours in total: the 10 stops are spread over just 2.7 km of flat streets, so only about 33 minutes of that is spent walking between the statue and the castle.

Highlights include the Statue of Hippocrates, Eleftherias Square with its museum and mosque, the marble seats of the Roman Odeon, the Italian-era Government House on the harbour, the Plane Tree of Hippocrates and the Knights' castle of Nerantzia. Kos Town is flat and compact, so ancient ruins, Ottoman mosques and Italian buildings sit within a short walk of each other.

  • Durationabout 2 hours
  • Walkingabout 33 min · 2.7 km
  • Stops10
  • LanguagesEnglish, German, French, Italian, Dutch, Greek

What the game asks of you in Kos Town

Marble seats, stone walls, a tree on crutches

Each of the 10 stops hides a riddle in what you can see from where you stand: the marble rows of the Roman Odeon, the thick stone walls of the old Hani, the metal props holding up the branches of Hippocrates' plane tree. A sharp eye and some logic are enough, and you need neither Greek nor any knowledge of ancient history.

A healer, the Knights and a wrestling shepherd

Solving a riddle unlocks its story: why Hippocrates taught that illness has natural rather than divine causes, how the Knights of St John built carved ancient marble into the walls of Nerantzia, and the legend of Antagoras, the shepherd said to have wrestled Heracles. If you prefer listening to reading, the audio narration tells each tale while you cross from square to square.

2.7 km on flat ground

Walking takes only about 33 minutes in all, because ancient ruins, Ottoman mosques and Italian buildings stand close together in Kos Town. Google Maps leads you from the statue through the squares and backstreets to the harbour, with no hills along the way.

Shade breaks and a pause by the harbour

No clock is running, so stop for a cold drink on Eleftherias Square or sit in the shade of the plane tree, then carry on the same day or another. In high summer, an early morning or late afternoon start keeps you out of the midday heat.

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.

Beach holidaymakers, families and hotel groups on Kos

A day away from the beach

If you are staying at a resort on the island, about 2 hours in Kos Town shows you Hippocrates, the Roman Odeon, the Knights' castle and the Italian-era harbour front in one go. The riddles give the visit a thread, so you see far more than the shops along the seafront.

Children who hunt for carved stones

Kids like spotting the ancient marble blocks and inscriptions reused in the castle walls, crossing the bridge over the old moat and finding the heavy branches of the plane tree resting on their supports. An adult plays in every team, and the short hops between stops are easy on small legs.

Colleagues and friends regrouping at the Knights' fortress

Teams of up to 5 players, each on their own phone, can set off from the Statue of Hippocrates a few minutes apart and regroup at Nerantzia Castle at the end. The whole game happens on public squares and streets, so the only thing to organise is a ticket per person.

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.

Route of the Kos hunt: Hippocrates' statue, the old squares, the harbour and the Knights' castle

10 stops · about 33 min walking · start: Statue of Hippocrates · finish: Nerantzia Castle

The hunt starts at the Statue of Hippocrates and leads to Eleftherias Square, the main square of Kos Town. From there you visit the Roman Odeon, the Hani folklore museum and Antagora Square, then continue to the Kos Fighters Memorial Park and the Panagia Gorgoepikoos Church. Along the harbour you reach the Government House and the Plane Tree of Hippocrates, and you finish at Nerantzia Castle. None of the riddles needs a ticket, since each is solved from the street, the square or the harbour promenade, and if your hotel is closer to the castle than to the statue, the app lets you begin there and reorder the rest.

Open the route map ↗

  1. Statue of Hippocrates

    1Statue of HippocratesStart

    Hippocrates, born on Kos around 460 BC, is often called the father of Western medicine, and the Hippocratic Oath still bears his name. This statue honours the island's most famous son, who taught that illness has natural causes rather than divine ones. His legacy is also remembered at the Asklepieion, the ancient healing sanctuary a few kilometres outside town.

    Read the full story →

  2. Eleftherias Square

    2Eleftherias Square

    Eleftherias Square, or Liberty Square, is the main square of Kos Town. Around it stand the Archaeological Museum in a building from the Italian period, the Ottoman-era Defterdar Mosque and the market hall. The ruins of the ancient Agora begin just beyond the square.

    Read the full story →

  3. Roman Odeon

    3Roman Odeon

    This small Roman theatre dates from around the 2nd century AD and was used for music, recitals and public gatherings. Its lower rows of seats are made of marble, and arched vaults run beneath the seating. Italian archaeologists uncovered and restored it during the Italian period of the island's history.

    Read the full story →

  4. Hani – Historical and Folklore Museum

    4Hani – Historical and Folklore Museum

    Hani is the local name for a han, a traditional inn where travelling merchants once stayed with their animals and goods. The old building now houses the Historical and Folklore Museum of Kos, with objects from everyday island life of the past. Take a close look at its sturdy stone walls, which once sheltered the merchants and their goods.

  5. Antagora Square

    5Antagora Square

    Antagora Square is one of the small squares of Kos Town, a quiet stop away from the busy seafront. The name Antagoras appears in an old Kos legend, in which a shepherd of that name is said to have wrestled the hero Heracles.

    Read the full story →

  6. Kos Fighters Memorial Park

    6Kos Fighters Memorial Park

    This small park honours the people of Kos who fought for the island's freedom. Kos lived under Ottoman rule from 1523, under Italian rule from 1912 and under German occupation during the Second World War. Together with the other Dodecanese islands, it officially became part of Greece only in 1948.

  7. Panagia Gorgoepikoos Church

    7Panagia Gorgoepikoos Church

    This Orthodox church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary as Gorgoepikoos, a Greek title meaning she who answers quickly. Churches with this name are found across Greece, and the faithful come to light candles and ask for help. Take a close look at its façade from the street.

    Read the full story →

  8. Government House (Dioikitirio)

    8Government House (Dioikitirio)

    The long Government House on the harbour front was built while Kos belonged to Italy, which ruled the Dodecanese from 1912. Its façade mixes arches, towers and decorative details inspired by Venetian and Eastern architecture. It still houses public offices today.

    Read the full story →

  9. Plane Tree of Hippocrates

    9Plane Tree of Hippocrates

    According to tradition, Hippocrates taught his students under a plane tree on this spot. The present tree is several centuries old, so far younger than Hippocrates, and its heavy branches rest on metal supports. Next to it stands the 18th-century Gazi Hassan Pasha Mosque.

    Read the full story →

  10. Nerantzia Castle

    10Nerantzia CastleFinish

    The Knights of St John built this fortress at the harbour entrance in the 14th and 15th centuries to defend Kos. They reused stones from ancient buildings, so carved marble blocks and inscriptions can be spotted in the walls. A bridge crosses the former moat, now a palm-lined street, and the name is said to come from bitter orange trees.

29 reviews for Kos Treasure Hunt and Self-Guided Tour

  1. Rated 4 out of 5

    Germany –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

  2. Rated 4 out of 5

    Nils– Greece –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Die Aktivität ist super umgesetzt. Man kann auf eigene Faust die Stadt erkunden und wird nicht unnötig von Guides und großen Gruppen aufgehalten, denen man dann doch ab der 2. Station nur noch eher halbherzig zuhört. Die Rätsel sind spielerisch umgesetzt und durchaus lösbar, bis auf die Rätsel, wo bspw. ein wichtiges Schild nicht mehr vorhanden oder aufgrund von Baustellen schlichtweg der Zutritt nicht möglich ist. Es gibt Interessante Fakten zu den Bauten in und um Kos Stadt herum sowie zur Insel selbst. Besser als jeder überteuerte Guide.

  3. Rated 5 out of 5

    Helena– Netherlands –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

  4. Rated 4 out of 5

    Noortje– Netherlands –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Het is een aanrader om deze activiteit in de avond te doen! Een hele leuke manier om Kos te ontdekken. Helaas konden we 2 opdrachten niet uitvoeren, omdat deze plaatsen waren afgezet.

  5. Rated 4 out of 5

    Belgium –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Très chouette idée pour visiter Kos avec des enfants mais on aurait pu se passer de 1 ou 2 arrêts. Il faut comprendre que la plupart des réponses sont des chiffres et l’énigme n’est pas toujours très claire. Agréable moment néanmoins. L’application est facile d’utilisation.

  6. Rated 4 out of 5

    France –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Très belle activité à faire . Chercher les indices à beaucoup plu .Par contre, il faut que le responsable qui a créé ce parcours s’assure que les indices soient bien là . On a perdu 40 min à chercher l’indice sur le parcours ( 5 ou 6 je ne me rappelle plus ( à chercher à l’entrée ) Quelqu’un l’avait enlevé

  7. Rated 5 out of 5

    United Kingdom –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

  8. Rated 5 out of 5

    Stefanie– Germany –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Schöne, abwechslungsreiche Tour durch Kos City. Ideal für Familien mit Kindern, unsere sind 7 und 12 Jahre alt. Alles wurde gut gefunden, anschaulich erklärt und auch die Rätsel waren lösbar.

  9. Rated 5 out of 5

    Ana Raquel– United Kingdom –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    we saw some amazing sites and the walks from each location to the next were quite short!

  10. Rated 5 out of 5

    Renate– Germany –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Anfangs waren die Rätsel nicht eindeutig formuliert, hinterher haben wir uns eingewöhnt Die Lösungen zu erarbeiten hat sehr viel Spaß gemacht und wir haben viele Informationen über Kos erhalten

  11. Rated 4 out of 5

    Belgium –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Application chouette mais pas facile à utiliser au début

  12. Rated 5 out of 5

    M– Ireland –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Great way to explore Kos and learn a little of its history

  13. Rated 4 out of 5

    Germany –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Super. Preis und Leistung stimmen. Nach dem wir erfahren haben das man nicht nur die Get your guide App sondern auch die World Travel App runter laden mussten hat das einloggen und Spielen super funktioniert. Danke für einen anstrengenden aber schönen Tag

  14. Rated 4 out of 5

    Martin– United Kingdom –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    It was a good way of learning about the town of KOS without having to do loads of research. The puzzles were pitched at the right level for the kids 8 & 10 to do. Good that everything was free.

  15. Rated 4 out of 5

    Degeldere– Germany –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Leuk om de stad op een andere manier te ontdekken

  16. Rated 5 out of 5

    Germany –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Super Tour! Habe sie mit meiner Tochter gemacht (9 Jahre), gab viel zu entdecken und hat großen Spaß gemacht. 1 Stern Abzug weil manche Rätsel zu knifflig waren.

  17. Rated 5 out of 5

    Belgium –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    What a fun activity to discover Kos town. The tour takes you to the main attractions in Kos, providing interesting and digestible information. The small riddles make the tour even more interactive, which is very nice! One of the attractions is currently not open to visitors, namely the Folklore museum. We did the tour in two times, which is also perfectly possible.

  18. Rated 5 out of 5

    Petra– Germany –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Es hat uns sehr gut gefallen! Eine wunderschöne Alternative eine Stadt einmal anders zu erkunden.

  19. Rated 5 out of 5

    Germany –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Wirklich schöne Schnitzeljagd. Nicht zu anstrengend oder weitläufig. Die Rätsel sind gut lösbar. Man lernt einiges über die Stadt. Für alle, die ungezwungen und selbstbestimmt die Stadt kennenlernen wollen sehr zu empfehlen.

  20. Rated 4 out of 5

    Netherlands –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Veel leuke plekken gezien, maar helaas waren sommige opdrachten niet goed te doen en de voorlaatste niet eens te vinden

  21. Rated 4 out of 5

    Germany –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Durch die Tourziele kommt man in Ecken, die man sicher so nicht finden würde. Die Rätsel machen auch Spaß. War ein toller Tag und ist zu empfehlen.

  22. Rated 5 out of 5

    Greece –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Excellent way to explore the city and learn some info about the attractions. Very nice designed with easy to solve riddles and easy navigation.

  23. Rated 4 out of 5

    Germany –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Gute Navigation und interessante Infos.

  24. Rated 5 out of 5

    France –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Experience amusante et ludique, géocaching sympa et éducatif. Belle découverte complémentaire de la ville de Kos,

  25. Rated 4 out of 5

    Italy –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Bella l’idea, potrebbe essere sviluppata meglio. I testi contenevano ripetizioni ed errori ortografici, i siti da vedere non erano facilmente individuabili e soprattutto non si riusciva a tornare indietro nei quiz una volta saltato un passaggio. Peccato per queste piccole cose, perché potrebbe essere un’alternativa avvincente per adolescenti e giovani.

  26. Rated 4 out of 5

    Netherlands –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Leuke simpele puzzels sturen je elke keer maximaal 5 tot 6 minuten wandelen naar de mooiste archeologische plekken van Kos. Ondertussen loop je langs leuke winkeltjes en cafeetjes om even een pauze te nemen of om rond te neuzen. Wel jammer dat er staat vanaf 7,50 euro als dit eigenlijk vanaf 15 euro is. Beetje aan de dure kant, voor 10 puzzels en een simpel gemaakte app.

  27. Rated 5 out of 5

    Germany –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Es hat alles hervorragend geklappt und so hat man einiges von der Stadt gesehen und über die App erfahren, viel Spaß gehabt und die Rätsel sind auch echt gut ausgewählt. Für eine andere Stadt gern wieder!

  28. Rated 5 out of 5

    Germany –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Nice giude with funny quiz. Helps to discover Kos city right in the beginning of vaccination.

  29. Rated 5 out of 5

    Greece –

    Collected on GetYourGuide

    Perfect

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

Frequently asked questions

How long does the Kos treasure hunt take?

About 2 hours from the first riddle to the last. Only around 33 minutes of that is walking, over 2.7 km and 10 stops, and the rest goes on riddles, stories and a look at the ruins, so it fits easily into a morning or an evening in Kos Town.

Which stop opens the Kos game, and where does the last riddle wait?

It starts at the Statue of Hippocrates, the island's most famous son, and finishes at Nerantzia Castle, the Knights' fortress guarding the harbour entrance. Between the two you pass Eleftherias Square, the Roman Odeon and the Government House, and the app lets you begin at any other stop if that suits you better.

Does a guide meet us at the statue, or is there a set starting time?

Neither: no guide meets you and no time slot is booked. After booking you receive a reference by email, enter it in the World City Trail app and play on the day and at the hour you choose, which makes it easy to fit between beach days and boat trips. Tickets are per player, and the whole team sees the riddles about Hippocrates and the Knights, each person on their own phone.

Do we have to pay to enter Nerantzia Castle or the museum on Eleftherias Square?

Not for the game, whose answers are all found in the street, on the harbour front or on the castle bridge. Going inside Nerantzia Castle or the Archaeological Museum on Eleftherias Square is a separate paid visit you can add if you have time.

Will children enjoy a game among the ruins and squares of Kos Town?

Yes, provided a grown-up is in the team, and there is plenty to catch their eye: the legend of the shepherd Antagoras, said to have wrestled Heracles, the old plane tree propped up on metal supports and the bridge over the castle's former moat, now a street lined with palms. Wheelchairs cannot manage the route, and a stroller can be hard work on some stretches.

Can each player on Kos choose their own language?

Yes, within the six languages of the Kos game: English, German, French, Italian, Dutch and Greek. Everyone sets their own in the World City Trail app, so a mixed group can read the same riddle in different languages at the Statue of Hippocrates.

Our hotel group or company is on Kos together: can we all play at once?

Easily: buy one ticket per head, form teams of five or fewer and send them off from Hippocrates' statue a few minutes apart, with Nerantzia Castle by the harbour as the place everyone meets at the end. Since the squares and lanes of Kos Town are the playing field, nobody needs to hire a room.

What do we need for two hours outdoors in the Kos sun?

Each team needs one charged phone with mobile data, and a power bank and good walking shoes are worth packing too. From late spring to early autumn, a hat, sunscreen and a bottle of water make the 2 hours far more pleasant, as the squares and the harbour front can get hot around midday.

Your first riddle is at the Statue of Hippocrates

Order one ticket per player online, and once the reference is in your email, choose a day, walk to the Statue of Hippocrates in Kos Town and let its riddle start the game.

Book your tickets →

Related products

Shopping Basket
Scroll to Top