Rotterdam

Discover Rotterdam with 4 scavenger hunts full of riddles and puzzles at real landmarks.

Along the way you'll pass Piet Heynsplein, Voorhaven, Pilgrim Fathers' Church, West-Kruiskade, Kiem Foei, Slagerij Schell (since 1796), Rotterdam Centraal and Luchtsingel, among other spots.

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Vintage travel-poster illustration of Rotterdam with the Erasmusbrug and Cube Houses

Hunts in Rotterdam

Old Delfshaven

~90 min · 6 stops

A walk through the only corner of Rotterdam that survived the war. Historic Delfshaven is a picturesque time capsule of canal houses, old ships and cobblestones — a harbour village that watched whole worlds set sail. Sea hero Piet Hein was born here, the Pilgrim Fathers prayed here before their voyage to the New World, and jenever is still distilled and a windmill still turns. Six stops along the water, and a beer or a shot to finish.

First stops

Piet Heynsplein — Begin on the Piet Heynsplein, by the statue of Delfshaven's most famous son. Piet Hein was born here in 1577 and rose to become an admiral of the Dutch West India Company. In 1628 he did something no Dutchman had ever managed: off Cuba he captured the entire Spanish silver fleet, a haul so vast that a song is still sung about it — ‘Piet Hein, his name is small…’.
Voorhaven — Stroll along the Voorhaven, the old heart of Delfshaven. This was once the private seaport of the city of Delft, which dug an outlet to the sea here in the 14th century. Narrow canal houses with ornate gables line the water, and historic ships lie moored along the quay. This whole protected townscape miraculously escaped the 1940 bombing — you're walking through pre-war Rotterdam.
Pilgrim Fathers' Church — On the Aelbrechtskolk stands the old church where, in 1620, a group of English religious refugees prayed before the most dangerous journey of their lives. These ‘Pilgrim Fathers’ boarded the Speedwell here in Delfshaven, sailed to England, transferred to a larger ship, and crossed the Atlantic to found a colony in the New World. Americans still commemorate them every year; the church has been called the Pilgrim Fathers' Church ever since.

World Food Trail

~110 min · 7 stops

A tasting walk through the flavours that make Rotterdam the most multicultural food city in the Netherlands. Start on the West-Kruiskade — the legendary ‘long eating street’ where Surinamese, Chinese, Turkish, Cape Verdean and Dutch sit shoulder to shoulder — try the iconic dynamite sandwich, discover a centuries-old Rotterdam butcher's dish, then stroll past the open-air market on the Binnenrotte to the spectacular ceiling of the Markthal. About 1.5 km, seven stops, hunger guaranteed.

First stops

West-Kruiskade — Welcome to the West-Kruiskade, known to locals simply as ‘de Kruiskade’ and for decades the beating, multicultural heart of the city's food scene. On a single strip, Surinamese sandwich bars, Chinese supermarkets, Turkish bakers, Cape Verdean eateries and Dutch butchers stand side by side. Wander in slowly and let the smells pull you along — this is street food culture at its best.
Kiem Foei — This is where a legend lives. For over 35 years Kiem Foei has been THE Surinamese-Chinese sandwich shop of the Kruiskade. Their most famous creation is a legendary sandwich nicknamed after an explosive: a Surinamese roll generously loaded with Chinese cha siu (sweet glazed pork) AND Surinamese curried chicken, topped with pickle and a fierce streak of madame-jeanette sambal. Two kitchens, one sandwich, and a queue that can run out onto the pavement.
Slagerij Schell (since 1796) — A few doors down stands a piece of living Rotterdam history: Slagerij Schell, the city's oldest butcher family, with roots back to 1796. Generation after generation, the eldest son — always a Freek — took over the shop. They still sell everything ‘from nose to tail’ here, including an almost-forgotten poor-man's dish made from an overlooked cut of the cow, slow-cooked in stock for a full 36 hours and served in creamy slices.

Iconic Rotterdam

~150 min · 7 stops

No Dutch city looks like Rotterdam. After its old centre was bombed flat in May 1940, the city chose not to rebuild the past but to build the future — and became the architecture capital of the country. This route strings together the biggest icons: the wave-roofed Centraal station, the bright-yellow Luchtsingel, the tilting Cube Houses, Europe's first ‘skyscraper’, the elegant Erasmus Bridge and the dizzying Euromast. Seven stops, a raw lesson in town planning, and a skyline you'll never forget.

First stops

Rotterdam Centraal — Begin where most visitors arrive. The new Rotterdam Centraal (2014) greets you with a spectacular, gleaming stainless-steel point that aims towards the centre like the bow of a ship. The huge timber canopy and floods of daylight make it one of the finest stations in Europe — a statement the moment you step off the train: this is a city that looks forward.
Luchtsingel — Follow the striking bright-yellow wooden footbridge winding through the Pompenburg area. The Luchtsingel is a world first: the first bridge funded entirely by crowdfunding. Everyone who donated got their name on a plank — thousands of names literally carry the bridge. It reconnects neighbourhoods the city had severed for years, and became the symbol of Rotterdam's ‘do-it-yourself’ spirit.
Cube Houses — Stand beneath the Cube Houses, perhaps the most astonishing housing experiment in the Netherlands. In 1984 architect Piet Blom tilted 38 cubes 45 degrees onto a pole and called the whole thing a ‘forest’, with each house standing in for a piece of that leafy scene, together forming a village above the road below. The whole forest is raised on tall pillars, so you walk right underneath the homes. Inside, not a single wall is straight, and three floors climb to a glass-walled crow's-nest room with views over the Oude Haven. One cube, the Show Cube museum, you can explore from within.

Street Art & Creative Rotterdam

~90 min · 6 stops

Rotterdam is an open-air museum for anyone willing to look up. Around the buzzing Witte de Withstraat, artists from all over the world have turned blank walls into towering masterpieces, and just beyond, in the Museumpark, rose the most photographed building in the city: the mirror-clad Depot of Boijmans. This route strings together the finest murals and the boldest architecture — six stops full of colour, nerve and imagination.

First stops

Witte de Withstraat — Begin on the Witte de Withstraat, the most vibrant cultural street in Rotterdam. Named after a 17th-century sea hero, the street today bursts with galleries, concept stores, coffee bars and places to eat — and it's the base camp for the street art the city is world-famous for. The biggest works are just around the corner, in the side streets. Keep your phone and your gaze pointed up.
Zwarte Paardenstraat — Turn into the Zwarte Paardenstraat and come face to face with ‘El Trotamundos’ (The Globetrotter), a spectacular mural by Chilean artist Jorge Kata Núñez. A galloping horse carries a world map across its body and a dove of peace on its head — an ode to freedom and global citizenship. It shines on the wall of a cocktail bar and is one of the most photographed works in the city.
Kromme Elleboog — Around the corner, on the Kromme Elleboog, a metres-high work by Brazilian artist Ramon Martins colours an entire façade. It was created during the R.U.A. street art festival, which systematically hands Rotterdam's blank walls to international artists. Martins is known for his dreamy, colour-exploding figures — take a moment to find all the details.

Frequently asked questions

Scavenger hunts in Rotterdam: practical questions

How long does a scavenger hunt in Rotterdam take?

The hunts in Rotterdam take roughly 90 to 150 minutes and have 6 to 7 stops. You walk at your own pace and can pause and pick up again anytime.

How much does a scavenger hunt in Rotterdam cost?

A hunt costs €1.99 as a one-time purchase in the app — no subscription. You can also unlock the whole city with all themes at once.

Which themes are available in Rotterdam?

There are 4 hunts in Rotterdam: Old Delfshaven, World Food Trail, Iconic Rotterdam, Street Art & Creative Rotterdam. Each theme follows its own route past different places.

Can I play together in Rotterdam?

Yes — play solo, share one phone, or try the co-op duo mode (beta) with two phones. For groups and team outings there are private hunts everyone joins in the browser.

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