Den Bosch scavenger hunt
Walk in the footsteps of painter Hieronymus Bosch — riddles and codes at the mighty St John's Cathedral, the hidden Binnendieze canals and the lively Markt. Or simply explore the route as a self-guided walking tour.
A day out in Den Bosch, turned into a puzzle
's-Hertogenbosch — Den Bosch for short — is the birthplace of Hieronymus Bosch, the world-famous painter of devils, monsters and dream-creatures. His short surname refers to the city itself, and you find him everywhere: on the square, on the statue on the Markt and in the art centre inside an old church. That very atmosphere makes the city a surprising playground for a scavenger hunt — because instead of walking past the icons, you start really looking at them: every stop comes with a puzzle about what is right in front of you.
You pass the mighty St John's Cathedral (the Sint-Jan), with its forest of flying buttresses on which hundreds of little stone figures seem to climb upward. You dive into the world of the Binnendieze — the half-hidden river that flows beneath the houses and streets — and come face to face with De Moriaan, one of the oldest brick houses in the country. It all comes together on the Markt, at the bronze statue of the master himself. At every stop you decipher one letter; together they spell the secret word that opens the treasure chest.
Good to know: you play straight in your browser, at your own pace, with no guide and no fixed start time — ideal for a day out, a team outing or when you have visitors.
Prefer to just look around? You can also walk this route in explore mode — no questions, with the story, the background and the sources at every stop. That makes it a free self-guided walking tour through Den Bosch.
- About 1.5 hoursroughly 2.5 km, your own pace
- Freeduring the launch
- All agesfamily-friendly
- In the browsernothing to download
What you'll see along the way
St John's Cathedral
The pinnacle of Brabantine Gothic, with a forest of flying buttresses and hundreds of little stone figures climbing the church.
The Binnendieze
The half-hidden watercourse that winds beneath houses and streets — a river that hides under the entire old town.
The Markt & the Bosch statue
The beating heart of the city, with the bronze statue of Hieronymus Bosch watching over the square of his youth.
Jheronimus Bosch Art Center
Inside an old church hangs his complete surviving oeuvre at full size — something you can see nowhere else on earth.
Frequently asked questions about the Den Bosch hunt
Can I walk the Den Bosch route without the puzzles?
Yes. Alongside the scavenger hunt with puzzles you can explore the Den Bosch route freely: you walk the same route without questions and read the story, the background and the sources at every stop. That makes it a free self-guided walking tour through 's-Hertogenbosch, at your own pace and with no account.
Where does the Den Bosch scavenger hunt start?
You pick the route in the app, and the starting point is right there — usually centrally, around the Markt and St John's Cathedral. There is no fixed start time: you set off whenever it suits you.
How long does the Den Bosch scavenger hunt take?
Allow about an hour and a half and some 2.5 kilometres, at your own pace. You can always pause on the Markt or at a café terrace.
Is the Den Bosch scavenger hunt suitable for children?
Yes, it is a fun outing for the whole family. The hunt works for all ages; some puzzles take a bit of detective work, so younger children have the most fun doing it together with an adult.
What does the Den Bosch scavenger hunt cost?
The hunt is free during the launch. Afterwards you can leave a small voluntary donation if you enjoyed it.
Ready to crack Den Bosch?
Pick the route, head out and open the treasure chest. Today, completely free.
Start in Den Bosch →