Team vs team
Use your own phones and join a team. Any teammate’s answer advances everyone. Beat the other teams on the leaderboard.
City exploration game
Highlights of Manchester: Walking Tour & Escape Game
4.31Player rating
A DIFFERENT WAY TO SEE THE CITY
Play at your pace · usually 163 min 3.9 km Manchester, UK App-guided
Play in
English
The experience
About this quest
Explore the vibrant city of Manchester in this captivating walking tour and escape game. Discover the city's iconic worker bee symbol, visit the true "Hidden Gem" tucked away in the heart of the city, and wander through the trendy and artistic Northern Quarter.
Along the way, you’ll learn about the fascinating figures who were “Made in Manchester” and uncover the unique culture that defines this historic city.
In this adventure, you will help Francis, a city detective, free his sister Eliza, who was wrongly imprisoned in the Manchester Lunatic Asylum.
Eliza has left clues in her favorite places around Manchester, and you must find them before her husband can destroy the evidence. Follow the instructions Francis has left behind, explore Manchester’s highlights, and solve puzzles to bring justice to Eliza and uncover Manchester’s hidden stories.
Is this for you?
Who it's for
From the Manchester Cathedral embankment entrance, this 3.9 km loop takes in the John Rylands Library, St Mary's RC Church and Stevenson Square in the Northern Quarter while you help detective Francis. Couples and first-time family visitors get the city centre landmarks as a daytime puzzle game. At close to three hours on foot, anyone wanting a short stroll or a live guide should pick another option.
What makes this quest special
Highlights
Discover the cute symbol of Manchester and see it in a variety of locations
Visit the true “Hidden Gem” that is tucked away but easily accessed
Wander through the trendy, artistic haunts in the Northern Quarter
Learn more about the characters who were “Made in Manchester”
From people who played this quest
Good times. In their words.
4.31 / 5
144 player ratings
Selected player reviews. Original words and ratings.
Most relevant starts with detailed five-star reviews. All ratings remain available.
From your phone to the streets
A walk that turns into an adventure.
- 1
Open the app. You’re on your way.
Choose your pass, then open your quest in the Questo app. It guides you from the starting point.
- 2
Get outside. Follow your curiosity.
Discover real places and their stories on foot. Stop for a coffee or a photo, then pick up where you left off.
- 3
Crack a clue. Share a little victory.
Look around for answers, solve puzzles and enjoy the “we got it!” moments.
CHOOSE YOUR PASS
How many are playing?
Get this questNo booking slot · play any dayFull refund until you start playing
BRING YOUR WHOLE GROUP
One city. Rival teams. Great stories together.
A school trip, a team day or friends out together. Turn your next outing into a little friendly competition.
Everyone for themselves
One player per phone. Solve clues on your own and race for the top spot on the final leaderboard.
Can a team share one phone?
Yes. Play together on one phone per team, or use your own phones and join the same team in the app. We recommend your own phones so everyone can take part.
Your walk, at a glance
Manchester, UK
A · Start
Cathedral Approach, Salford, Manchester M3 7NJ, UK
B · Finish
5 Lower Byrom St, Manchester M3 4FP, UK
Start and finish only. Discover the stops as you play.
Along the way
Landmarks & Hidden Gems Included
The people behind the adventure
Created by Caitriona McBride.
A route that brings places and playful storytelling together.
Made by Caitriona McBride
WHAT MAKES A QUEST DIFFERENT
Your adventure, with a playful twist.
1 / 4
Experience
- This quest
- Discover places through stories and clues in the app
- Guided walking tour
- Hear stories and ask a guide questions
2 / 4
Pace
- This quest
- Pause for a photo, a café or a longer look
- Guided walking tour
- Usually follows the guide’s schedule
3 / 4
Company
- This quest
- Explore with your own people or on your own
- Guided walking tour
- Private and shared group tours are available
4 / 4
Guidance
- This quest
- Directions and challenges in the Questo app
- Guided walking tour
- Live interpretation from a guide
Features and terms vary by experience. Check the details before booking.
Good to know before you play
- Best during the day
- Best for couples
- Recommended activity for families
A little clarity before you go
Frequently asked questions
What will we see in Manchester on this walk?
The route takes in the Science and Industry Museum, Opera House, John Rylands Library, St Mary's RC Church, Central Library, Manchester Art Gallery, Piccadilly Gardens, Stevenson Square, the Craft and Design Centre, Withy Grove Stores and the National Football Museum, with stories about people made in Manchester.
Does the walk include Manchester Cathedral?
Yes. The walk starts and finishes at the Manchester Cathedral Embankment Entrance, so the cathedral is your meeting point at the beginning and the place you return to at the end of the loop.
How long does it take and how far is the walk?
Plan on around 2.5 to 3 hours to cover about 3.9 km, including time to read the stories and solve the puzzles at each stop. You can pause whenever you like for a coffee or a museum visit and carry on later.
Is it a good activity for kids?
It is recommended for families. It suits children who can manage a walk of nearly 4 km and enjoy solving clues based on the buildings and streets around them, with adults helping on the trickier puzzles. It is best played during the day.
Do we need to book a time, and can we play as a group?
There is no fixed time slot or guide, so you start whenever suits you. One ticket covers your whole group, up to the number of devices stated, and everyone plays together on their phones as you walk the route.
Is Highlights of Manchester: Walking Tour & Escape Game self-guided?
Yes. The Questo app guides you between locations without a tour guide or fixed departure. You can start when it suits you and pause if needed.
Where does Highlights of Manchester: Walking Tour & Escape Game start and finish?
It starts at Manchester Cathedral Embankment Entrance, Cathedral Approach, Salford, Manchester M3 7NJ, UK and finishes at Science and Industry Museum, 5 Lower Byrom St, Manchester M3 4FP, UK. The route is approximately 3.9 km and includes 13 location-based puzzles.
How many accesses does our group need?
This classic quest sells access per device and player. Each person who wants to solve clues on their own phone needs their own access.
Keep exploring
Every quest. One year.
Explore the annual passGive them a story
A day out, gifted.
Explore Questo giftsKeep exploring Manchester, UK
More adventures in Manchester, UK
Manchester civic context
Why the worker bee appears across the city
Manchester has used the worker bee as a civic emblem for more than 150 years. It represents hard work and the city as a hive of activity, reflecting an identity shaped by industrial growth and collective effort. This quest connects that symbol with central landmarks, the Northern Quarter and Manchester’s cultural landscape. Francis, Eliza and the asylum escape form the fictional mystery; the bee, buildings and stories of people “Made in Manchester” provide the real city context. Playable languages: English.
