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Activity Madrid, Spain

Madrid Self-Guided Walking City Tour & Scavenger Hunt

5.0 (6 reviews) 2 hours Free cancellation Private tour
Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Madrid Self-Guided Walking City Tour & Scavenger Hunt

About this activity

Madrid's grandest mile runs from a palace that's actually a post office to a glass palace that was built for plants — and this trail connects them one riddle at a time.

This app-led scavenger hunt takes you through Madrid on foot, using phone-based riddles to guide you from one landmark to the next. No guide, no fixed start time.

  • Size up the Palacio de Cibeles, the cathedral-like former post office on Madrid's most famous plaza
  • Wander into the Parque del Retiro, the city's great green escape
  • Find the Palacio de Cristal, a Victorian greenhouse turned art space by the lake

Available in 24 languages including English, French, German, Spanish, Italian — see the full list when booking and choose yours when you start the game in the app.

Around 2 hours - any group size.

By the finish, the showpiece side of Madrid will feel less like a postcard and more like a place you've figured out.

Self-guided Tours Fun & Games Scavenger Hunts Short term availability Weather Dependent - Weather-Proof Agent Low Quality Product

At a glance

Duration
2 hours
Confirmation
Instant confirmation
Ticket
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group
Your group only
People per booking
1–15
Guide
Norwegian, German, Hindi, Swedish, Finnish, Russian, Korean, Portuguese, Chinese, Greek, Cantonese, English, Italian, French, Hungarian, Spanish, Czech, Ukrainian, Japanese, Polish, Danish, Romanian, Dutch, Turkish
Operated by
Explorial

Ages: Children (0–9 years) · Adults (10–90 years)

What is included

Included

  • Included: Free download of the Explorial App from your appstore (iOS or Android smartphone required)
  • Included: Points and scoring system: Compete between players of your group and beat the cities high score.
  • Included: Live Location: navigate within the map with marked locations. Always know where you are.
  • Included: Learn about the cities stories, history, and local legends
  • Included: Total flexibility: no waiting, start anytime, walk at own pace and do as many breaks as you want.
  • Included: Self-guided walking tour with interactive riddles, trivia challenges and photo tasks.

Not included

  • Not included: Live-Guide: 100% self-guided; no one will meet you or join your group. Start anytime you want.
  • Not included: Entrance fees are not required for this game. All puzzles relate to the public areas of the sights
  • Not included: This is not an audio guide but an sightseeing, gaming and learning experience

Itinerary

Starting at Calle de Alcalá 48, by Plaza de Cibeles, you'll open the Explorial app, enter the 6-digit game code that you received by text and Viator chat message, and start solving. The tour is fully self-guided — no guide, no fixed start time, just your group and the city. First up is the Palacio de Cibeles, the wedding-cake palace that was built for postal workers, not kings — its spires and sculptures hold answers to the opening riddles. Then the trail slips into the Parque del Retiro, once the private garden of Spanish monarchs, where clues lead you along shaded avenues rather than tourist queues. Deep in the park waits the Palacio de Cristal, an 1887 glass pavilion raised for exotic plants from the Philippines — now a luminous exhibition space and a favourite photo task. Around 2 hours total, with plenty of park benches when you want a break. By the end, Madrid's grand axis will have turned from backdrop into playground.

  1. Stop 1

  2. Palacio de Cibeles

  3. Puerta de Alcala

  4. Parque del Retiro

  5. Palacio De Cristal

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

  • → Book 1 ticket for each participant

    → You get one game code per booking by text or Viator message

    → Download the Explorial App from your app store

    → Open the app and enter provided game code (6 digits)

    → All particpants join the game with same game code

End point

  • → Book 1 ticket for each participant

    → You get one game code per booking by text or Viator message

    → Download the Explorial App from your app store

    → Open the app and enter provided game code (6 digits)

    → All particpants join the game with same game code

Using your ticket

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*** Thank you for choosing EXPLORIAL. Next steps:

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*** 1. DOWNLOAD THE APP ***

Before starting, download the Explorial app from your app store, or from: https://s.explorial.com/T3SE3

(copy url in your internet browser)

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*** 2. GET YOUR GAME CODE ***

Your game code is sent by text message to the phone number from your booking. Additionally:

  • Viator: under your booking -> "Help & support" -> "Message activity provider"
  • Tripadvisor: under your booking -> "Contact Tour Operator"

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*** NO CODE after 3 minutes? Look it up at: https://support.explorial.com/

(copy url in your internet browser)

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*** 3. HOW TO START ***

  • Go to the meeting/start point and open the app
  • Tap "Enter code", type your game code, tap "Join game"
  • Confirm you're at the start, or tap the map for directions
  • Tap "Create team" and name it (required even if playing solo)
  • Or tap "Join team" if a teammate already created one
  • Enter your player name

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*** IMPORTANT: Don't press "Start game" until all players have joined the team in the app

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*** GOOD TO KNOW ***

  • Language: each player picks their own at game start (from the advertised languages)
  • Date & time: start whenever you like, regardless of your booking
  • Pause anytime and continue later — even the next day

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*** SCORE & RANKING ***

Finish the tour and all tasks in the app to see your score and full statistics.

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*** REMEMBER ***

This is not an audio tour. It's fully self-guided — no guide will meet or wait for you.

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Cancellation

Free cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

If you cancel You get back
At least one day before 100%
Less than a day before 0%

Good to know

  • Service animals allowed

  • Public transportation options are available nearby

  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

  • Max 15 people per booking. For larger groups, make multiple bookings.

  • After booking you receive a text message and a Viator message with your game code. Download the Explorial app from your appstore. Open the app, enter your 6 digit game code

  • Weather & Health Guarantee: If bad weather or illness prevents you from starting the tour, you can simply reschedule it for another day. You can also rebook to a different city or request a refund

  • Smartphone required: Bring your own fully charged smartphone with an active mobile data connection to the start of the tour. Please disable any VPN and avoid city Wi-Fi, as these will cause the app to malfunction or disconnect.

  • Recommended attire: It’s best to wear weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes — approx. 2 hours of light walking

Traveller ratings

5.0 out of 5 · 6 reviews
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Activities, prices and reviews are from Viator. Booking and payment happen on Viator; Vacantier may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Madrid Self-Guided Walking City Tour & Scavenger Hunt

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