Rabat — The Secret of the Grotto
Uncover the secret of St. Paul's Grotto in Rabat. Decode ancient clues hidden in catacombs and churches to reveal what the Apostle concealed during his 3-month refuge after the shipwreck.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In 60 AD, St
Rabat — The Secret of the Grotto
You are an early Christian acolyte in 60 AD Rabat, Malta, entrusted with a clandestine mission.
St. Paul’s ship wrecked off Malta’s shores, and he sought refuge in
St. Paul's Grotto: Where Malta's Pagan Past Met New Faith
« « We found out that the island was called Malta. The natives showed us unusual kindness. » »— Acts of the Apostles 28:1-2
Malta Before and After Paul
Before the arrival of Saint Paul, Malta was a strategic stopover in the Mediterranean, dominated by Phoenician, Punic, and then Roman culture. Rabat, then part of Melite (the ancient capital), was a center of active life, with local cults dedicated to various deities. The grotto, which would later become St. Paul's, was already a place of veneration, imbued with an ancestral spirituality, where fertility cults or oracular practices might have been observed. It is in this context that the prophecy, in the form of a 'forgotten alphabet' or carved symbols, was said to have been left, anticipating a great spiritual change.
The shipwreck of Saint Paul in 60 AD marked a decisive turning point. Narrated in the Acts of the Apostles, his three-month stay saw the conversion of the Roman governor Publius and the establishment of the foundations of the Maltese Church. The grotto became a place of refuge and prayer for the apostle, transforming its aura from a pagan sanctuary into a Christian holy site. The ancient messages of the prophecy were then reinterpreted or hidden, awaiting a time when their full meaning could be understood, merging traditions to reveal a universal truth about faith and humanity.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Ancient Prophecy
Untangle the threads of a forgotten prophecy, carved in stone even before the arrival of Saint Paul.
Ancient Holy Sites
Explore grottoes and catacombs, witnesses to the earliest hours of Maltese spirituality.
The Apostle's Legacy
Follow in the footsteps of Saint Paul and discover how he transformed the island's destiny.
Faith is born where legends meet.
Decipher the ancient message of St. Paul's Grotto.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
Avis des aventuriers
Soyez le premier à partager votre expérience.
Did you play le secret de la grotte? Check the email you received after your game to leave a verified review.
Your turn to play
The mystery of St. Paul's Grotto awaits you. Unravel the secrets buried beneath layers of history and faith, and reveal a prophecy that shaped Malta's destiny.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
Other escape games in Rabat, Malta
See all games in Rabat, Malta→More ideas for self-guided walking tours, scavenger hunts & city quests in the same city
Rabat — Al-Mansour's Unfinished Legacy
Uncover the hidden blueprints and solve the enigma of Caliph Al-Mansour's colossal mosque project, abruptly halted by his death. Decode clues across 8 landmarks to reveal why his dream was sabotaged.
Lyautey's Shadow — Uncover the Resident General's Hidden Agenda
Decipher the colonial architect's secret correspondence hidden across Rabat's French Protectorate quarter. Expose Lyautey's true vision for Morocco before 1956.
Rabat — Saint Paul's Lost Miracle
Uncover the hidden miracle of Saint Paul in Rabat's catacombs and grottos. Decipher ancient clues from his shipwreck to heal Publius, exposing a suppressed Roman conspiracy that changed Malta forever.
Rabat — Decipher the Martyr's Hidden Testament
Uncover the secret message left by Saint Paul in Rabat's catacombs. Decode ancient symbols, expose a conspiracy of silence, and reveal why the Knights of Malta guarded this truth for centuries.
Rabat — The Codex of the Catacombs
Uncover the lost Codex of the Catacombs, a forbidden Christian manuscript hidden by early believers in Rabat's underground labyrinths. Decipher clues across ancient tombs to expose its secrets before they vanish forever.
Other escape games in Malte
View Malte→More destinations, tours & urban treasure hunts across the country
Explore other cities in Malte
Mdina
The Silent City, guardian of Maltese history
Paola
Where history whispers underground
Tarxien
Where megaliths whisper humanity's dawn
Valletta
City of Knights, fortress on the sea
Vittoriosa
At the heart of the Knights of Malta's history
Victoria
Gozo's vibrant heart, between history and breathtaking views