Aveiro — Joana's Moliceiro Conspiracy
Uncover the hidden plot behind Aveiro’s colorful moliceiro boats and expose the secret that Joana kept from the whole Ria.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In the early 20th century, Aveiro’s canals buzzed with moliceiro boats harvesting moliço, the precious algae that fertilized the region’s fields
Aveiro — Joana's Moliceiro Conspiracy
You are Joana, a young archivist in early 20th century Aveiro, Portugal, whose family holds ancestral knowledge about the city's moliceiros.
Your mission begins at Aveiro
Uncover the secret that has linked the Silva family to the construction of moliceiro boats, these iconic vessels of Aveiro, since the 17th century.
« Aveiro is a city where land and water intertwine in an ancient dance, where moliceiros glide like swans on the canals. »— Ramalho Ortigão, "As Farpas", 1871
The story that haunts this land
Your quest begins at Estação Ferroviária de Aveiro, an architectural masterpiece from the early 20th century, famous for its blue and white azulejo panels. These ceramics, dating from 1916, depict scenes of local life and agricultural work, offering a glimpse into the traditions that nurtured the culture of Aveiro and the Central Portugal region. It is here, among the representations of fishermen and "marnotos" harvesting salt, that you discover the first riddle left by your ancestor, a clue about the true origin of the Silva family and their unwavering connection to the moliceiro boats, these unique vessels used for harvesting seaweed.
Following the clues, you arrive at Ponte Praça do Peixe. This bridge, located in the heart of Aveiro's historic fishing district, is a nerve center where river activity blends with daily life. Fish merchants have converged here for centuries, using the canals as vital commercial arteries. Through the water's reflections, an augmented reality message reveals how the Silva family navigated between fishing guilds and salt merchants in the 18th century, discreetly influencing the design of moliceiros to make them more efficient in the shallow lagoons of the Ria de Aveiro.
Your journey then takes you past Casa Major Pessoa, a remarkable example of Art Nouveau architecture in Aveiro, built in 1907. Its style, which contrasts with the more traditional boat architecture, testifies to the prosperity the city enjoyed thanks to its port and maritime trade. It is by studying the ornamental details of this facade that you decipher a secret plan, hidden within the floral motifs, indicating the location of a clandestine workshop where the Silvas experimented with new shipbuilding techniques in the 19th century, away from the curious eyes of the Central Portugal port authorities.
Mercado do Peixe is your next stop, a vibrant place where the history of fish trade in Aveiro comes alive. Since its construction in 1904, this covered market has been the beating heart of local gastronomy, a crossroads where the flavors of the sea and the products of the land meet. Amidst the stalls, a task is entrusted to you: identify a series of hidden symbols on the moliceiro sketches on display, symbols that have been passed down from generation to generation within the Silva family. These marks are the key to understanding the conspiracy threatening your family's legacy and the future of the moliceiro boats.
Finally, your investigation leads you to Cais de São Roque, a historic quay in Aveiro where moliceiros still dock today. This place, emblematic of lagoon culture, was the scene of many departures and arrivals for fishermen and "marnotos." It is here, facing the calm waters of the Ria, that you assemble all the pieces of the puzzle. Your ancestor's will reveals not only the extent of the Silva family's influence on moliceiro construction but also how they protected their secrets against the commercial intrigues of the 1920s. You leave Aveiro with the certainty of having safeguarded an essential part of Central Portugal's heritage: the moliceiro boats and the family who shaped them.
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?
Urban navigation
Follow the old Ria channels through the modern city
Historical smuggling
Reconstruct a 19th-century salt trafficking network
Azulejo art
Decipher clues hidden in traditional ceramics
Navigate through Aveiro's history
Following the last moliceira's trail
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.
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Your turn to play
Uncover the secret that has linked the Silva family to the construction of moliceiro boats, these iconic vessels of Aveiro, since the 17th century.
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
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