School trip to Edinburgh: a city quest for your class.

Six to eight teams, one phone each, 60 to 120 minutes on foot. €5 per pupil, teachers free.

Choose a questPay by invoice

More than 3,000 classes and groups have played Questo together.

  • 5 quests for schools
  • ages 8 to 18
  • start points shown in the app
  • 1 to 5 km
Edinburgh, where a class plays a Questo quest on foot
A group of teenagers on a quest in the old town of SighișoaraPlaying in Sighișoara

What teachers and students say

More than 3,000 classes and groups have played Questo together.

We are a group of language students and we played the game with our teacher: a great and fun way to practise, and learn interesting stuff about our city that we didn't know.
A language class and their teacherAlgeciras, 2023★★★★★
Perfect with a group of A Level pupils. Loved it.
A teacher with an A Level groupLyon, 2025★★★★★

Quests for classes

Quests a class can play in Edinburgh

A school day with Questo in Edinburgh mostly takes place in the Old Town: along the Royal Mile, through Greyfriars Kirkyard and the Grassmarket and up to the Castle Esplanade. Shorter routes cover the Georgian New Town around St Andrew Square, and there is a gentle sculpture walk in the Royal Botanic Garden. For Key Stage 2, Edinburgh: City of Wizards starts at the City Chambers and visits Greyfriars Bobby, the old gravestones and Victoria Street. Older pupils can play Ghosts of Edinburgh, which passes Mary King's Close, Surgeons' Hall and the Witches Well. The Edinburgh Enigma, which runs from the Burns Monument to the West Bow, also suits older pupils. Quests cover ages 8 to 18.

Teams, supervision and logistics

  • Teams and supervision

    Teams of 3 to 5 share one phone.

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    Under-14s need one adult per 2 to 3 teams with agreed checkpoints; 14 to 18, follow school policy. Old Town closes break sightlines quickly.

  • Getting around

    The centre is compact, so classes mostly walk.

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    Lothian Buses has no school ticket (child single £1.20); Scottish under-22s ride free with a National Entitlement Card. Edinburgh Trams' app discounts 10-plus tickets.

  • Toilets

    The council's public toilets are free, including those in Princes Street Gardens and on Middle Meadow Walk.

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    Reliable fallbacks are St James Quarter, the National Museum of Scotland and Central Library.

  • Lunch

    Classes picnic in East or West Princes Street Gardens, either side of The Mound, or on The Meadows.

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    The National Museum of Scotland's Entrance Hall lunch space prioritises school groups in term time.

  • Wet weather

    The National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street is free, as are the City Art Centre and Central Library.

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    If rain spoils the day, replay the quest free within 30 days.

Caution: Pickpockets work Royal Mile crowds around street performers, the Castle esplanade and Waverley, especially in August. Old Town streets and closes are steep and cobbled, so allow extra walking time.

What they learn

History

The Reformation (John Knox House, St Giles' Cathedral), witch trials (the Witches Well on Castlehill), Old Town life in the closes (Advocate's Close, Mary King's Close, Tweeddale Court), the Scottish Enlightenment (Adam Smith's Grave) and the history of medicine (Old Medical School, Surgeons' Hall). The Victorian story of Greyfriars Bobby also features.

Geography

Urban geography of a medieval ridge town running from the Castle down the Royal Mile, with narrow closes on either side, compared with the planned Georgian New Town around St Andrew Square. Also map reading and finding your way between stops.

English and literature

Reading and following written instructions in teams. The quests also touch Edinburgh's literary and theatre landmarks: the Burns Monument, the Writers' Museum, the William McGonagall Tombstone in Greyfriars and the city's Festival Fringe.

Citizenship and teamwork

Sharing roles within a team (navigator, reader, timekeeper), making decisions together, keeping to agreed meeting points and behaving well in a busy capital city.

Price and terms

€5 per student.

No minimum group, no time slot.

  • Pay by card when you choose a quest: €5 per student, as many as you need
  • Or ask for an invoice and pay by bank transfer
  • Free teacher preview from home
  • Rain on the day: replay free within 30 days
  • Teachers and chaperones play free

A class of 30 on one quest: €150.

Choose a quest

Prefer to pay by bank transfer?

Tell us the quest or city, the class size and the dates. We send an invoice to the school.

We reply by email from finance@questoapp.com.

Teacher FAQ

Questions about Edinburgh

Which Edinburgh quest suits which age group?
For ages 8 to 11, try Edinburgh: City of Wizards or the Royal Botanic Garden sculpture walk. For ages 11 to 14, Close Encounters explores the closes off the Royal Mile. For ages 14 to 18, Ghosts of Edinburgh and The Edinburgh Enigma have darker stories of crime, plague and witch trials. The Disappearing Act and the Murder Mystery in the New Town also suit this age group.
How long does a quest take?
Ghosts of Edinburgh takes about 56 minutes over 2.9 km. City of Wizards takes about 62 minutes over 2.7 km, and The Edinburgh Enigma about 60 minutes over 4.2 km. The New Town Murder Mystery takes about 90 minutes. With a class, allow 75 to 90 minutes for the shorter quests, including staggered starts and regrouping. You can pause and carry on later.
How many pupils share one phone?
Teams of 3 to 5 pupils share one phone, either a staff phone or a pupil's. A class of 30 is usually 6 to 8 teams. Teams start a few minutes apart so they spread out along the route rather than crowding into narrow closes together.
Where do we start and how do we get there?
Most Old Town starts, such as the City Chambers, The Mound and the National Library of Scotland, are a walk uphill from Edinburgh Waverley station. The Murder Mystery starts in St Andrew Square in the New Town. For the Royal Botanic Garden, take Lothian bus 8, 23 or 27 to the East Gate on Inverleith Row.
How much does it cost?
It is 5 euros per pupil. Teachers and other accompanying adults are free. You can pay by card or by invoice. There is no booking slot and no guide to arrange, and you can preview the quest free from home before the trip.
What happens if it rains?
You can replay the quest free within 30 days. On the day, the National Museum of Scotland is a free indoor fallback in the Old Town, and it has a Lunch Space where school groups get priority in term time. Book self-led school visits there in advance.
Do pupils need accounts or mobile data?
No, pupils do not need accounts. Each team's phone needs mobile data, or the quest downloaded before you set off. Charge phones fully and bring a power bank, because maps and camera clues use battery.
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