Explorial Geneva

A life-size treasure hunt in Geneva

Explorial is a blend of cultural visit, treasure hunt and open-air escape game. You download the free app, you buy a ticket, and the city becomes your playground. No guide rushing you, no departure time: you start the route whenever you want and move at the children's pace.

In Geneva, two self-guided routes are offered: one in the historic centre (old town) and one in the Quartier international. Plenty to come back a second time without doing the same walk twice.

What your children will discover

The city-centre route starts at the Rotonde du Mont-Blanc, by the lake, and winds through the lanes of the old town to the Mur des Réformateurs. Along the way, the app slips in puzzles to solve and anecdotes about the monuments, the squares and the city's history.

Children do not just look: they search for clues, observe the details of the facades, answer questions and earn points. It is a playful way to bring a bit of history and observation into a simple walk.

What you do there and the atmosphere on site

Everything plays out on the smartphone, while walking. The app guides you from one point to the next and offers challenges that can only be solved on site, by observing what is around you. You move on, you stop, you search, you laugh when a puzzle puts up a fight.

The spirit is clearly that of a small family challenge: you can play in a group (minimum two people), compare your scores and cheer each other on. Since the game is not time-limited, nothing stops you from taking a snack break or catching your breath on a bench facing the lake.

Before you go

• Recommended age: from about age 10 (the minimum age recommended by Explorial for children). Younger ones can follow along as a family, accompanied.
• Duration: plan on 1.5 to 2 hours on average, but the game is not timed: you take as long as you want.
• Booking: no booking needed. The ticket is bought online and the route starts whenever you wish.
• Equipment: a charged smartphone per group (or per player) with an active internet connection, and the free Explorial app installed.
• Stroller / wheelchair accessibility: the route goes through stairs and cobbled or uneven streets; it is not suited to strollers or wheelchairs.
• Transport: the Rotonde du Mont-Blanc is by the lake, a few minutes' walk from the Cornavin station and very well served by the TPG (city buses and trams). Paid parking in covered car parks in the area.
• What to bring: good walking shoes, a water bottle, a cap or a raincoat depending on the weather, and a backup battery for the phone.
• Best season: doable all year round since you choose your moment; more pleasant in dry weather.

Parents' tips

• Set off in the morning or late afternoon in summer to avoid the hottest hours.
• Hand the phone to the children to read the puzzles: they feel part of the walk.
• Plan a break by the lake: it is the chance for a snack with a view.
• Check your data plan or activate wifi before setting off, the game needs the internet continuously.

Useful information

• Address (city-centre starting point): Rotonde du Mont-Blanc, Quai du Mont-Blanc 10, 1201 Geneva
• Official website: https://explorial.com/fr/city/geneva/
• Hours: no fixed schedule, the route starts whenever you wish. Details and tickets on the official website.
• Access: a few minutes' walk from the Genève-Cornavin station; many TPG bus and tram stops nearby; paid covered car parks in the area.

Why we recommend it

Because it is a flexible outing, with no time constraint and well suited to families who like to be on the move: you discover Geneva while having fun, you learn without realising it and you set the pace to the children. Ideal for a weekend, a holiday or even a birthday with slightly older friends.

In a nutshell

A smartphone treasure hunt that turns the old town of Geneva into a family adventure: puzzles, anecdotes and an outdoor walk, to do whenever you want and at your own pace.