Travel Scavenger Hunts: A New Way to Explore Europe
Visiting Europe but not sure where to start?
Maybe you want to explore beyond the typical tourist checklist — but guided tours and excursions can be expensive. Maybe you prefer discovering places at your own pace, but traditional guidebooks feel overwhelming, bulky, and impersonal.
Or maybe you’re the kind of traveler who loves a little mystery. If you enjoy “dark history” podcasts, hidden stories, strange legends, and uncovering unusual details about a place — you’re exactly the kind of explorer these adventures were designed for.
And if you have even a tiny competitive streak… even better.
How the Travel Speakeasy Hunts Were Born
These adventures were born out of a simple desire: to help my family immerse themselves in each destination during a 14-day trip through Europe covering ten cities.
Before the trip, I spent months researching everything I could about the places we would visit:
fascinating historical facts
hidden gems
cultural rituals
language differences
myths and legends
strange and unusual history
beautiful non-touristy corners of each city
Instead of turning that research into a traditional itinerary, I transformed it into scavenger hunts for each destination.
The result was something far more memorable than simply “touring” a city.
It became an adventure.
More Than a Tour – An Immersive Experience
Each Travel Speakeasy hunt is designed to help you experience a destination in a playful and meaningful way.
Instead of passively visiting landmarks, you’ll complete missions that reveal:
local food and drink rituals
hidden architectural details
cultural traditions
surprising historical stories
beautiful atmospheric corners of the city
You might find yourself sipping a Venetian spritz in a tiny bacaro, searching for a hidden staircase, or capturing the perfect photo in a quiet square most tourists never notice.
Along the way, you can keep score, compete with your travel companions, and even add your own rewards at the end — a small prize, a round of drinks, or a friendly wager.
You do you.
What’s Inside Each Hunt
Each Travel Speakeasy scavenger hunt is a 15–20 page downloadable adventure that includes:
6 core missions15–20 page downloadable adventure
2 optional bonus missions
a riddle challenge
a scoring ledger
photo missions
historical fun facts behind every location
The goal is simple: turn wandering a city into an engaging cultural experience.
And by the end of the hunt, you’ll likely have a camera roll full of unique, Instagram-worthy moments you wouldn’t have captured on a typical tour.
Pair the Hunt with the Cultural Guide
Each hunt can be used on its own — or paired with its companion Travel Speakeasy Cultural Guide.
These downloadable guides are also about 15–20 pages long and include:
food and drink culture
atmospheric gems
non-touristy highlights
cultural etiquette
architecture and photography suggestions
art history and local stories
the philosophy of slow travel
Each guide also includes an interactive Google Map with pre-curated walking routes and locations.
Simply open the map in Google Maps and your pins and walking itineraries are already waiting for you.
No planning required.
A Growing Collection of Adventures
The Travel Speakeasy hunts are designed as a collectible series of city adventures.
New destinations are released regularly, so travelers can build a library of immersive experiences across Europe.
Ready to Try One?
If you enjoy exploring cities at your own pace, discovering hidden stories, and turning travel into an adventure — these hunts might be exactly what you're looking for.
You can start with the your first adventure here:
Happy hunting.
~Jen
The Travel Speakeasy
