Escape games · SELF-GUIDED GAMES IN LONDON
This is the shortlist you would send a friend: 9 self-guided games in London worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.
Follow a phone-based puzzle trail from the Palace of Westminster to Buckingham Palace. You will solve clues at 12 royal and political landmarks, including Westminster Abbey, Horse Guards Parade, St James’s Palace, and Spencer House. There is no guide or attraction admission, so you control the pace and explore with only your own group.
Use the Explorial app to explore Covent Garden at your own pace. Follow map hints, answer questions found on signs and sights, and earn points through creative photo tasks. The route takes about two hours and reaches Cecil Court, Trafalgar Square, Cleopatra’s Needle, and other central London highlights.
“We played it with friends and family during our little adventure in London, and we all loved it. This tour made our trip a fun game, with lots of excitement and a sense of adventure. We will definitely try the other London routes.”
Follow a self-guided Questo puzzle from 47 Doughty Street to Fleet Street, tracing Charles Dickens through Holborn and the City. Solve clues at 11 historic stops, including the Dickens Museum, Three Cripples pub setting, Staple Inn, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, Dr Johnson’s House, and St Dunstan-in-the-West. Start anytime, pause freely, and play offline without a physical guide.
“Great concept and a very enjoyable day, went at our own pace and stopped at several pubs! Lovely sunny day and in the heart of the City all was beautiful & quiet. Very atmospheric and clues were not too easy but also not too difficult! Loved 🥰 looking for the Man in Black!”
Use the World City Trail app to follow clues from Westminster Station through central London. You’ll solve location-based puzzles, visit the outdoor areas of 10 or more attractions, and learn local facts in English, German, French, Dutch, Italian, or Spanish. Plan about two hours, though you can pause or finish later.
“It was a very enjoyable experience. I love puzzles, so this was right up my street. It was the right level of difficulty for an afternoon out. My friend and I had a blast. How come I never came across this activity before?I will definitely do it again.”
Follow Ophelia, a lonely florist searching for love, through 14 Notting Hill stops. Use the Questo app to solve phone-based clues while seeing Portobello Road, The Notting Hill Bookshop, Electric Cinema, St Luke’s Mews, and Banksy’s The Painter. Allow 80 to 110 minutes, and expect to navigate without a guide.
“This was good fun. Some surprises along the way as Notting Hill is not the only film that makes an appearance! Found lots of interesting stuff out that we didn’t know. The only downside was that we found it hard to navigate how to actually start the game but the helpline were great.”
Start at Hoxton Square and use the app to guide you through Shoreditch, with clues tied to Banksy’s Rivington Street artwork, Shoreditch Church, a Jack the Ripper murder site, signs, murals, and local buildings. Plan on 1 to 2 hours, with breaks whenever you like.
“It was a great experience using this app. It was a different way to get to know the city and at the same time we really had fun.”
Follow a WWII spy story from Green Park to the Cenotaph using your smartphone. You will solve 15 clues at landmarks including Burlington Arcade, Piccadilly Circus, Churchill War Rooms, and Trafalgar Square. The game takes about two hours, runs on your schedule, and includes no live guide or admission to Churchill War Rooms.
Follow a phone-based Sherlock Holmes mystery from the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square. Solve codes, meet digital characters, complete photo tasks, and track the murder of Balthasar through central London. The easy, private game takes about two hours and suits one to four people per device.
“It's really good fun and it's right for people of every age. We enjoyed a lot and laughed most of the time”
Use the Questo app to solve clues across Bermondsey, from the Old Operating Theatre to the James Braidwood Memorial. This self-guided walk takes about 75 to 105 minutes, runs all year at any hour, and suits couples, friends, and private groups who prefer freedom over a fixed guide.
Pick a room, a street or a table.
