Treasure Hunts Edinburgh
Edinburgh Athens of the North
Edinburgh’s unique landscape makes it a perfect venue for outdoor GPS treasure hunts.
Scotland’s capital is built on seven hills like Rome, with plenty of hills, stunning vistas and unusual architecture making it an ideal location for an urban team-building challenge, with unexpected landmarks around every corner. The city’s Old Town is built around a volcanic crag-and-tail formation, with numerous narrow closes leading down from the Royal Mile to the ancient streets below – creating all kinds of opportunities for street-level adventure.
At Maximillion Events, we specialise in creating a range of bespoke GPS treasure hunt experiences that will live long in the memory of and inspire your staff.
Why choose Edinburgh for Treasure Hunts?
The city has no shortage of thematic inspiration. As the setting for centuries of historical events, Edinburgh is steeped in history, folklore and legend.
It also boasts the dubious distinction of being one of the most haunted cities in Europe! From the warlock Major Weir and his animated walking stick to the corpse-selling murderers Burke and Hare, not to mention the infamous Edinburgh Dungeon, there’s no shortage of grisly, ghoulish and ghostly material to provide the backdrop for a GPS treasure hunt with a touch of the macabre!
But of course, Edinburgh has a lighter side too. The city is the birthplace of fascinating stories created by the likes of Robert Burns and Irvine Welsh as well as tales about King Arthur, Sherlock Holmes, Inspector Rebus and Harry Potter. On top of that, the city hosts the annual Edinburgh Festival – the largest arts festival in the world which sees thousands of people descend on the Royal Mile and city centre every August. So there’s a remarkable cultural richness to be drawn upon in creating a GPS treasure hunt that’s informative and entertaining, as well as challenging.
All in all, Edinburgh is just a fascinating place to be out and about on a team-building, treasure-hunting mission. There’s famous landmarks, culture and legend around every corner, and the city’s unusual landscape provides a great set of challenges of its own – whether that’s steep cobbled streets, twisting wynds or formidable natural obstacles: you can’t go through an extinct volcano, however much the crow-flies route might suggest you should!
Ready to get started? Create an unforgettable team-building experience in Edinburgh with Maximillion today.
Treasure Hunt Special Stops
While exploring the city on your treasure hunt, Maximilion can tailor special stops and experiences for you to enjoy along the way.
While exploring the city on your treasure hunt, Maximilion can tailor special stops and experiences for you to enjoy along the way.
The city also offers a huge variety of options for wining, dining and making the most of a day out. Besides its many excellent restaurants, Edinburgh has one of the highest densities of pubs per head of population in the UK. Many of these drinking establishments are housed in buildings that are historical landmarks in their own right. There is no shortage of local brews and delicacies to fuel your treasure hunt. Why not try a deep-fried mars bar, locally made fudge or haggis, all washed down with a spectacular dram of malt whisky.
Or perhaps taking part in some Scottish country dancing – known as ceilidh dancing, or have an interactive stop with a bagpiper or a Scottish warrior to bring out the Bravehearts in your team!
And there’s no shortage of local brews and spectacular single malts to tickle your tastebuds at the end of a long day’s activities. So you can be confident that your people will be able to unwind in style after the thrills and spills of your team-building event.
Maximillion can build these into your treasure hunt itinerary and include lunches, short stops for refreshments or unique experiences in the city to keep you entertained and ensure you get the most out of your time in the city no matter the time of year and weather!
Start creating your Edinburgh Treasure Hunt experience now!
Venues & Hotels
There are a wealth of options to choose from ranging from hotels and conference venues that you may have plans to other elements during your event to unique event spaces to showcase the truly unique charms Edinburgh has to offer.
For your Edinburgh GPS Adventure you’ll need a venue to start from and finish at. Dependent on your requirements there are venues to suit your budget and group size.
The city also offers a huge variety of options for wining, dining and making the most of a big night out. Besides its many excellent restaurants, Edinburgh has one of the highest densities of pubs per head of population in the UK. Many of these drinking establishments are housed in historical buildings that are attractions in their own right.
And there’s no shortage of local brews and spectacular single malts to tickle your tastebuds at the end of a long day’s activities. So you can be confident that your people will be able to unwind in style after the thrills and spills of your team-building event. These are some of the city’s most popular venues:
Edinburgh Castle
A historic fortress offering stunning views of beautiful scenery across the city and a unique setting for exclusive events. An excellent place to finish a treasure hunt and add on a viewing of a national treasure – the Scottish Crown Jewels.
The Royal Botanic Garden
Ideal for a contained GPS treasure hunt around the stunning gardens nestled in the city’s New Town area.
Dynamic Earth
A contemporary venue with ample space for flexible event set-ups at the foot of an extinct volcano in the heart of the city.
Balmoral Hotel
Known for its luxury and prime location next to Waverley Station in the city centre – the perfect slice of luxury to return to after exploring the city.
Apex Grassmarket Hotel
Offers modern amenities with views of Edinburgh Castle and right in the thick of Edinburgh’s social hotspots of pubs and restaurants – plenty of watering holes to explore on your treasure hunt!
Radisson Blu Hotel
Located on the Royal Mile, providing easy access to Edinburgh’s treasure hunt hotspots.
Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel
Combines Georgian architecture with contemporary design with luxurious and unique event spaces to launch your treasure hunt from.
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Edinburgh Treasure Hunt FAQs
Our GPS Treasure hunts involve an onscreen briefing with your group, before splitting them into smaller teams and arming them with an iPad featuring their bespoke Edinburgh treasure hunt uploaded onto our award-winning mobile adventures app.
Teams use the iPad to guide them through the city completing tasks, challenges and cryptic puzzles while exploring the city streets before making their way to the chosen finish location for an exciting finale.
Once everyone has safely arrived, returned their iPads perhaps grabbed a refreshment we show a highlights reel of the photos and videos the teams have produced during the treasure hunt which always gets a few laughs! Then it’s onto the prize-giving and announcing the winners and losers of the day. The prizes can be tailored as fun ceremonial medals and wooden spoons or something to provide a bit more incentive like Edinburgh-themed gifts or your own company prizes like a day-off or lavish gifts to suit your occasion.
Edinburgh’s history and literary culture make it a particularly evocative setting for a treasure hunt. While making your own journey through modern Edinburgh you will be be immersed in the wealth of historical associations and fascinating stories that have left their mark on the fabric of the place.
Explore the highs and lows – From its perch on a volcanic crag, Edinburgh’s most famous landmark, Edinburgh Castle commands the city skyline to the the foot of the Royal Mile, the Palace of Holyroodhouse has borne witness to royal births, deaths and murder over the centuries. And there’s so much more. Did you know that the earliest written reference to King Arthur comes from the Edinburgh area? From Brythonic warriors riding out to battle the Angles to Robert the Bruce and the Wars of Independence to the Covenanters and the Jacobite rebellions, Edinburgh has seen it all and so can you!
And then there’s the literary history. Edinburgh is the birthplace of Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson and Arthur Conan Doyle. It’s also the birthplace of Harry Potter! From The Prime of Jean Brodie to Trainspotting, this beautiful city is a cornucopia of stories and storytelling. So there’s no better location in which to write your own captivating story through an unforgettable treasure hunt experience.
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Organising a GPS Edinburgh treasure hunt event is easy with the help of the dedicated events team at Maximillion. Our experienced event creators are here to guide you through the entire process, ensuring you create an unforgettable experience for your Edinburgh team.
Start by discussing your goals and preferences with us, and we’ll help you choose the best venue and pick the themes or bespoke content tailored to your team dynamics and overall itinerary..
Get in touch with us today to start planning your unforgettable GPS treasure hunt in Edinburgh!