Zaragoza Self-Guided Detective Murder Mystery Game

The city hall of Zaragoza is the meeting point, a few steps from the Plaza of Our Lady of the Pillar and the basilica that gives the square its name. The route takes in the Cathedral of the Savior, drops down to the Stone Bridge over the river and doubles back through the streets behind the Goya Museum. It is a murder mystery game played at walking pace.

The centre of Zaragoza is broad and flat, with plenty of open square to spread out on, which helps when four people are puzzling over the same clue. Families with children, friends, couples and colleagues play it the same way: teams of up to four sharing one phone, extra tickets for anyone beyond that, and a separate score per team. It also works alone. No guide leads the way and no departure time is set.

How to play

Getting on the trail in Zaragoza takes four steps.

1. Book the City Game
2. Check the instructions email
3. Download the Loquiz app
4. Start playing whenever you like

The case is the murder of Balthasar. Codes, photo tasks and interviews with digital characters supply the evidence, and not all of it points the same way. Near the Museo del Teatro de Caesaraugusta and the Pablo Gargallo Museum one statement turns out to be impossible, and the shortlist of suspects gets shorter still.

When more than one team is out at the same time, the points make it a competition, which is why groups use it for teambuilding. Stop for coffee, return to the case later, and finish it back among the streets of Zaragoza.