School trip to Manchester: 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.

  • 9 quests for schools
  • ages 8 to 18
  • start points shown in the app
  • 1 to 5 km
Manchester, 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 Manchester

A school day with Questo in Manchester stays inside a compact city centre: the civic squares around Central Library and the Town Hall, the Cathedral and Royal Exchange, the Rochdale Canal and the murals of the Northern Quarter. For Key Stage 3, The Manchester Pusher: Find the Truth (67 minutes, rated 4.6 by 678 players) runs from Chetham's Library to the canal towpath and St Peter's Square, site of Peterloo. Key Stage 2 classes can take the Northern Quarter street art quest or the Golden Shamrock treasure hunt. Older pupils can try Death in the Shadows. 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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    For under-14s, one adult per 2 to 3 teams with agreed checkpoints; for 14 to 18, follow school policy. Market Street gets very crowded.

  • Getting around

    The centre is compact: about 15 minutes' walk from Piccadilly station to St Peter's Square.

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    Metrolink trams cross it; TfGM's Kid for a Quid school-group offer is £1 return per child, £2 per teacher.

  • Toilets

    Council-run street toilets are scarce in the centre.

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    Plan stops at Manchester Piccadilly station (free), Manchester Arndale shopping centre, Central Library or the free museums.

  • Lunch

    Classes eat packed lunches in Piccadilly Gardens, Cathedral Gardens by the National Football Museum, St John's Gardens or Parsonage Gardens.

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    Use the bins: Manchester City Council issues fixed penalty notices for littering.

  • Wet weather

    Manchester Art Gallery, Central Library and the John Rylands Research Institute and Library are free and central; book group visits ahead.

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

Caution: Metrolink trams run at street level, quietly, through Piccadilly Gardens, Market Street, St Peter's Square and Exchange Square. Brief pupils to look both ways and never walk along the tracks.

What they learn

History

Manchester's industrial past (Science and Industry Museum), late Victorian buildings such as the John Rylands Library, opened in 1900, the Peterloo Massacre of 1819 at St Peter's Square, Alan Turing at the Alan Turing Memorial, and the city's music scene of the 1980s and 1990s.

Geography

Urban geography of a city centre, comparing civic squares, the Northern Quarter, Chinatown and the Rochdale Canal, plus map reading and orientation as teams find each stop.

English and modern languages

Close reading of instructions and clues under time pressure. The Manchester Pusher can be played in French or German, and Murder in Manchester in French.

Citizenship

Public institutions met on the routes, including the Town Hall, Central Library and Manchester Crown Court, and how a city remembers people and events in public space.

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 Manchester

Which quest suits which age group?
Key Stage 2: the Northern Quarter street art quest, the Golden Shamrock treasure hunt and Highlights of Manchester. Key Stage 3: The Manchester Pusher: Find the Truth and the 80s and 90s music tour. Year 10 to sixth form: Death in the Shadows, Murder in Manchester and the Ghost Hunt, which have darker storylines. Preview any quest from home first.
How long does a quest take?
Most Manchester quests take 80 to 95 minutes over about 2 to 4 km. The Manchester Pusher is the shortest at about 67 minutes, and the music tour about 2 hours. Highlights of Manchester is much longer, about 2 hours 45 minutes, so plan it as a full morning or pause it for lunch and continue later.
How many pupils share a phone, and do they need accounts?
One phone per team of 3 to 5 pupils, either a member of staff's phone or one pupil's. Pupils do not need accounts. Each team phone needs mobile data, or the quest downloaded beforehand on a Wi-Fi connection. A charged phone and a small power bank are sensible for a full day.
Where do the quests start?
The Golden Shamrock and Death in the Shadows start at Central Library, beside St Peter's Square tram stop. The street art quest starts at Queen Victoria's Statue in Piccadilly Gardens. Highlights of Manchester starts at the Cathedral's Embankment Entrance, a few minutes from Manchester Victoria. The Pusher starts at St John's Gardens.
How much does it cost?
5 euros per pupil. Teachers and chaperones play free. You can pay by card or ask for an invoice, which suits most school finance offices. There is no booking slot and no guide to pay for, and you can preview the quests free from home before you submit your visit form.
What happens if it rains?
You can pause a quest and carry on later, or replay it free within 30 days if the weather ruins the day. Free indoor options close to the routes include Manchester Art Gallery (closed Mondays), the Science and Industry Museum in Castlefield and the John Rylands Library on Deansgate.
Do pupils go inside the buildings on the route?
No. The quests are played outside, from the street. The Manchester Pusher notes that teams should not enter the places on the route. Some stops are pubs, bars or restaurants used as landmarks, so remind pupils to stay outside. A phone torch can help with some clues in the Pusher and Murder in Manchester.
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