York Treasure & Scavenger Hunts
Urban adventures bringing the secrets of York to life.
- Work together to solve fun challenges & puzzling clues Perfectly balanced & location-based.
- Guided by clues sent to your phones Messages sent to you and your team's phones.
- Explore York's historic landmarks and hidden gems Our speciality, discovering and showing off amazing places!
- Discover top-rated pubs, bars and cafes - all optional Optional breaks to catch a rest along the way.
- Compete Set the fastest time and see you ranking on your end certificate. for top spot on the York leaderboard
Don't have a great time?
Simply let us know why and we'll refund you in full.
Next Steps
-
- 1. Select your game, pick a trail of your choice and receive your welcome email.
-
- 2. Rally your team and enter a team name and phone number(s) into the system.
-
- 3. Receive your welcome text, then head to the start location on a day and time of your choice.
-
- 4. Text START to receive the first in a series of cryptic directions. Solve the puzzles to unravel your mystery.
-
- 5. Discover unique places, the secret and hidden of your city - and great independant pubs/cafes!
York Experiences
Each trail takes place in a different area of the city - click each tile to learn more!
- Story
Ghosts of York
Restless spirits. Conniving clues. Haunting histories.… more
change the date, time, number of people or game.
- Story
The Drowned City
Magic, monsters and a Roman Emperor, a tale of deception in Ancient York… more
Quirks and Snickets
The secrets York hides in plain sight… more
- Story
A Fatal Feud
Murder in York. Can you get to the bottom of our classic whodunnit?… more
Action-packed Treasure Hunts & Scavenger Hunts in York
How the York days out work
-
Discover York's secret places
- Experience York's unique places and share stories in independent pubs & cafes, curated for each York Treasure Hunt / Scavenger Hunt.
-
Fun challenges
- Engaging puzzles and captivating stories reveal York in a new light.
-
Play together or competitively
- Work as a team or compete head-to-head to set the fastest time on our York leaderboard.
-
Fully flexible bookings
- Alter your booking freely; change the date, time, number of people or chosen York Treasure Hunt / Scavenger Hunt. Even stop and start once you've begun.
Fun activity for all groups
York Treasure Hunt / Scavenger Hunt Reviews
The great things you say about CityDays Treasure Hunts & Scavenger Hunts
CelebSuett
This is our second trail with CityDays and once again we loved it, exploring London and having drinks and fun is the be…
The Jasper Squad
Really fun few hours doing the Festive Light Trail. Took us a route we would never walk ourselves and took in some beau…
Superheroes
Fab evening exploring London in all its Christmasy glory!
SW Christmas Walk
Really good fun ! We had a great time
The Robins
Fabulous adventure enjoyed by all
Jen's Birthday
This was a lot of fun! It was challenging, but not too hard, and we got to see a lot of interesting places!
Walk and Talk
We had an excellent day It was fun and informative The clues challenged but were all solvableLooking forward to doing a…
Hot X Mums
Heaps of fun - a great way to see a city we already know and love
Team 1
A great day with family and friends.
Taking the Chris
Great fun
Ripped Jackers
Fun trial with creative clues, took us all around and about and even had a stop for lunch
Looneytunes
It really was the best day! So easy to follow and really interesting facts. Saw parts of London that are not part of a …
Kungaloosh
Another fab day out threading through the lesser known streets and alleyways of London, unlocking secrets and discoveri…
Girls on Fire
Fantastic way of getting to know event your own city! It gives you so much satisfaction getting the answer right. Looki…
Not Ruff
We had such an amazing day finding hidden spots all over Melbourne! We took our time and walked lots but it was so wort…
The Spice Girls
So much fun and learned so much about my city!
Karimy & Jan
Very nice, we had a great time . Very clever hints
Kungaloosh
Thanks to City Days we can all sleep well in our beds - team Kungaloosh managed to save the world from a zombie apocaly…
The Stepneys
Great fun, a nice relaxing way to explore parts of London you would never have known existed! Great to know you had th…
Davagu
It was fun date day and a great way to really appreciate the things in Sydney!
Ready to see lots of smiling faces? Read all our customer reviews
Ready? Book your Treasure Hunt / Scavenger Hunt today
Transform York into a Living Treasure Chest with a York Treasure Hunt
Your urban odyssey starts here…
Plunder the hallowed heights of York with a CityDays York treasure hunt!
Like a living board game, you move around York’s curious landmarks and historic anomalies by solving puzzles, answering riddles and sniffing out clues.
Absorb history, find hidden gems and explore like you never have before as you delve into a treasure hunt in York that takes you beyond the obvious and into the unnoticed with CityDays!
The Best Urban Treasure Hunt in York
With a boatload of nationally famous landmarks dotted around such as The Shambles, York Minster, and York Castle, it’s easy to get sidetracked by the must-sees of York. Locals and visitors alike get swept up in their magic - and we understand why.
They are the shining beacons that keep history, culture and York’s unique identity alive. Think of them as the dark blue Monopoly squares of York: they’re exclusive, special and highly-desired.
But don’t forget: you’ve got to pass go and land on the other squares first - and trust us when we say you’ll be surprised at what you stumble across along the way, if you only pay attention.
Our treasure hunts in York have been designed to expose the best aspects of the city.
Like a live action board game, you’ll move around the landmarks, weave between historical monuments and collect facts as you go. No detail is too big or small - and you may have to look up, down, left and right before you figure out the answer!
That’s part of what makes CityDays’ York treasure hunts the best in the city.
There’s around 2000 years’ worth of history waiting for you. And all of it has to be seen to be believed…
Any questions? Here’s how it works.
Sustainability and Environmental Impact
The whole premise of our business relies on appreciating the beauty and intrigue of urban environments, so the last thing we want to do is leave rubbish lying around.
We believe that York has enough curious objects and fascinating features that any physical contribution we’d make would pale in comparison to the existing stuff. We also don’t support littering, so we don’t leave any tangible objects for you to find.
Instead, we’ve made use of existing buildings, curious city quirks, sculptures, pieces of street art and even street furniture as clues.
The only stuff you’ll leave our York scavenger hunts with are fond memories, plenty of knowledge and potentially a place at the top of our leaderboard.
Oh, and plenty of photos too - don’t forget to send them in to us, we love seeing them and we might even reward you for your efforts…
Team-Building Scavenger Hunts in York
We’re proud to say that we’ve helped many businesses in York and around the world plan better, more exciting and more sustainable team-building activities for over five years.
Will your business be next?
Our team-building scavenger hunts in York have been designed to boost your team bonds, heat up your colleagues’ competitive sides and teach them a thing or two about the city they live and work in.
We offer premade routes and bespoke trails that cater especially to your businesses’ needs.
So if you want to start or finish at a particular venue, that’s no problem.
If you need to stop by somewhere specific - we’ll add it in.
And whether you have a team of five or 500 to organise, we’ll organise it all for you.
Challenges are at the heart of our York treasure hunts, so it’s only fair that you challenge us in return.
Send us your queries and put us to the test!
Narrative, Picnic and Classic Routes: Choosing Your CityDays’ Treasure Hunt in York
York holds a very special place in our hearts and it seems we’re not alone. It was one of our original CityDays cities to receive a trail and remains a fan-favourite destination for our explorers.
Since those halcyon days, we’ve expanded our trail roster to include all manner of York treasure hunts.
Here’s a quick breakdown of our trail types:
Classic: The original style York treasure hunt that delivers history, fun, exploration and plenty of pub, cafe and bar recommendations along the way.
Picnic: The perfect blend of exploration, puzzle-solving and learning but with added stops to local gourmet hotspots where you collect delicious sweet and savoury treats throughout the trail.
Story: A York treasure hunt with a plot twist! We’ve woven a fictional narrative alongside facts to give you even more fun while exploring. These are often themed routes where characters reveal York’s secrets in an engaging and occasionally cryptic manner!
Available Trails and York Treasure Hunts
Interested in finding out more about the kinds of self-guided treasure hunts in York we provide? Here’s where you get a tiny sneak peek into where you can find your next adventure…
Quirks and Snickets
Embark on "Quirks and Snickets," a puzzle-filled journey revealing the hidden historical gems of York. Begin at bustling St Helen's Square and weave through the city's unique snickelways, solving clues as a team while uncovering fascinating facts about York's past.
Discover which Viking warrior influenced a well-known nursery rhyme, the number of Roman emperors who met their ends in York, and the comically named, famously short street.
Your adventure includes Roman ruins, a historic city gate, the medieval Barley Hall, an elegant 18th-century townhouse, and the world-renowned Shambles. Alongside these landmarks, enjoy puzzles, excellent cafes and pubs, and a series of unexpected discoveries. This trail is perfect for anyone - locals, visitors, or history enthusiasts - eager to explore the secrets nestled in York's iconic streets.
The Drowned City
Dive into an extraordinary blend of history and mythology with an interactive adventure set in the ancient streets of York. Encounter a Roman Emperor, a Norse monster, and a Greek sea goddess as you solve riddles and navigate between fact and fiction to avert the city's impending doom. This team-based quest offers a unique way to see York's most prominent sights and lesser-known wonders.
Your journey includes stops at Museum Gardens, the majestic York Minster, Dean's Park, the historic Treasurer's House, Clifford's Tower, and the serene Holy Trinity Church. Plus, you’ll visit taverns that could have hosted Caesar himself. Along the way, engage with puzzles that reveal historical anomalies and immerse you in York's thrilling atmosphere.
This adventure is ideal for dreamers of all ages, offering a captivating way to experience the rich mythology and mystery that make York a truly unique destination.
A Fatal Feud
Time travel meets murder mystery in this York treasure hunt set in 1491.
A murder has occurred, setting the city abuzz with rumours. Assemble your team of sleuths and embark on a journey through time to solve this historic crime, using only your wits and detective skills…
Your quest begins at Clifford's Tower, leading you on a clue-filled trail around York to locations tied to this age-old mystery. Test your abilities to see if you can identify the perpetrator.
Explore historical landmarks including Tower Gardens, the ancient city wall, Mansion House, the awe-inspiring Yorkminster, the quaint Shambles, and a uniquely coloured tower. The journey is enriched with puzzles, stops at charming cafes and pubs, and numerous unexpected discoveries.
This trail is perfect for true crime aficionados and history buffs, offering an immersive and engaging day out in the legendary city of York.
York Gourmet Food Hunt
Embark on our York Gourmet Food hunt, a unique puzzle trail exploring the city's finest cafes, delis, and bakeries. Collect picnic items from local, independent businesses, showcasing York's diverse food scene - all included in the price of your ticket.
Enjoy historic pastries, exquisite cakes, and a selection of meats and cheeses, all while engaging in an escape-room style York treasure hunt.
Solve clues, uncover city secrets, and culminate your adventure in a beautiful garden to enjoy your treats. Suitable for vegetarians and meat-lovers, this experience blends fun, food, and history for an unforgettable York adventure.
Ghosts of York
Join "The Ghosts of York" for a spine-tingling York treasure hunt that turns you from ordinary citizens into paranormal investigators.
This unique York scavenger hunt casts you and your team as the protagonists in your very own ghost story. Spanning 1.5-3 hours and covering 3.7 km (2.3 miles), it offers interactive messaging with spectral fictionalised characters that once called York home, including Roman legionnaires, a woman accused of witchcraft, a nobleman obsessed with gold, a drunken monk and a Viking who was skinned alive…
This unlikely cast will have you doing challenges, and solving puzzling clues suitable for all levels. With optional breaks at haunted pubs, delve into the lives of the ghosts, the origins of their haunting tales, and their sightings since passing away.
"The Ghosts of York" provides an informative and immersive exploration of folklore-inspired fiction, historical facts, and eyewitness accounts.