San Miguel — The Franciscan Conspiracy
Uncover a hidden Franciscan plot buried beneath the colonial churches of San Miguel de Allende.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In the early 16th century, Franciscan friars arrived in San Miguel de Allende to convert the local population and shape a new colonial city
San Miguel — The Franciscan Conspiracy
You are an independent historical researcher, drawn to Guanajuato in the present day by whispers of a centuries-old secret.
In the early 16th century, Franciscan friars arrived in
Fray Juan de San Miguel — the evangelist who named a city
« Aquí plantaré la cruz de Cristo y fundaré un pueblo en honor del Arcángel Miguel. »— Fray Juan de San Miguel, 1542
The Franciscan Mission of Bajío
In 1542, Fray Juan de San Miguel (1501-1555), a Franciscan monk born in Udine, Italy, arrives in the Bajío region to evangelize the indigenous Otomí and Chichimeca populations. He chooses a strategic site near hot springs, in a fertile valley protected by hills. On September 29, 1542, the feast of Saint Michael, he officially founds 'San Miguel' and begins construction of the region's first Franciscan convent.
Fray Juan de San Miguel's work is part of the great evangelization enterprise led by the mendicant orders in the 16th century. Around the primitive convent, he organizes the construction of visitation chapels in surrounding villages and attracts Spanish and Creole families. At his death in 1555, San Miguel already has 800 inhabitants and becomes a center of religious and cultural influence. The city will be renamed 'San Miguel de Allende' in 1826 in honor of the independence hero, but preserves in its colonial architecture the indelible mark of its Franciscan founder.
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
5-10 curated sites across the territory
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 · 14,90€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Franciscan architecture
Explore the churches, convents, and chapels built by Franciscan monks in the 16th century
Cultural synthesis
Discover how indigenous Otomí art blended with European artistic traditions
Hot springs
Understand why hot springs determined the location of the colonial city
From Franciscan cross to baroque city
Discover the spiritual and architectural legacy of San Miguel's founder
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.
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Your turn to play
Retrace the epic of Fray Juan de San Miguel and decipher the eight symbols he scattered throughout his city to perpetuate Franciscan memory. From the founding convent to the sacred hot springs, each place reveals a piece of this unique colonial city's history. A contemplative walk through one of the most beautiful achievements of Mexican missionary art.
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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