Mystery Backpack 2p: explore the city with an Erfurt novel

Let a book lead you through Erfurt. This private, self-guided walk turns the medieval center into a reading route, with historical fiction, clues, and selected city sights guiding you from place to place. I like the way it gets you away from your phone, and I like that the route was written by the novel’s author rather than assembled as a standard sightseeing circuit. The main consideration is that the written directions may not always make every location obvious, so you should allow more than the advertised two hours.

You collect a light backpack for two at a central bookshop, then set off at your own pace with a map, seat pads, a letter, a local surprise, and your chosen historical novel. I especially like the five different themes, from woad trading to Martin Luther, because you can choose a subject that fits your interests. The activity is conducted in German, so some reading ability is important.

Key points at a glance

• Five novels, five slices of Erfurt’s past: Choose stories about woad, brewing, Jewish life, monastery crimes, or Martin Luther.
• The author writes your route: The letter tells you where to go and which passages to read at each place.
• A phone-free city walk: The map, book, and clues replace constant screen checking.
• A backpack made for two: You receive two seat pads, making it easy to pause and read together.
• A flexible two-hour outing: You control the pace, though some people may need longer.
• A useful price for a private activity: At $67 per group of two, the cost works out to $33.50 per person before any exchange-rate changes.

Starting at Am Anger 11 with a book in hand

The experience begins at the Peterknecht bookshop on the Anger, listed at Am Anger 11. An alternative meeting point is the Stapp bookshop on Marktstraße, between Fischmarkt and Domplatz, if that arrangement has been made by email.

This is a fitting start. You are not handed a headset and marched behind a guide. You pick up a small pack, check the contents, and begin with a story. That simple act changes the tone of the outing. Instead of trying to photograph every building, you have a reason to stop and read.

Inside, you should find:

• A light backpack
• Two seat pads
• A city map
• A tour plan
• A historic novel based on facts
• A letter with directions and reading instructions
• A local surprise worth about $15

The backpack is designed for two people, not a large family group. That makes this a good fit for a couple, two friends, or two relatives who enjoy books and slow sightseeing. The private format also means you do not have to match another group’s speed or listening habits.

The letter is the key to the whole activity. It tells you where to walk and which passages to read so that a building or street connects with the story. Since the route is planned by the author, the reading is meant to happen at the relevant place, not later in a hotel room.

Choosing the right Erfurt novel

Your choice of book will shape the walk. The five themes cover different periods and subjects, so it is worth taking a moment to select carefully.

Blaues Gold focuses on the 17th-century woad trade. Woad was used to produce blue dye, and this theme points you toward the commercial and craft side of Erfurt’s past. Choose it if you are interested in work, trade, and the economic life behind the city’s buildings.

Der Bierrufer centers on the 17th-century brewing trade. This is the natural pick for anyone who enjoys stories tied to food, drink, guilds, and everyday business. It offers a way to see old streets through the habits and trades that once kept them busy.

Amor Vincit Omnia, also available under the English title The Lost Treasure, examines 14th-century Jewish life and includes Erfurt’s UNESCO World Heritage sites. This route appears to be the strongest choice if you want the city’s Jewish past to be part of your walk. A recent outing using the wedding treasure theme included a visit to the synagogue and its treasure in the cellar, adding a concrete historical focus to the reading.

Der Abt vom Petersberg deals with 15th-century monastery crimes. Pick this one if religious institutions, intrigue, and crime appeal more than trade or domestic life. The title also points toward the Petersberg area, though the exact walking sequence is supplied in the tour letter.

Die Pfaffenhure follows Martin Luther in 16th-century Erfurt. This is the obvious choice for anyone interested in Luther’s time in the city and the religious tensions of the period.

The books are historical novels based on facts, not academic guides. That is important. You are getting a story-led introduction, with additional information built into the route, rather than a complete scholarly treatment of Erfurt’s past. For many people, that is exactly why the format works. A character and a plot can make a building easier to remember than a list of dates.

Reading at the places where the stories happened

The walk takes you through Erfurt’s main city sights and buildings, but the attraction is not simply checking them off. The letter asks you to connect a passage with a place. You read, look around, and allow the setting to add meaning to the words.

That rhythm is the best feature of the activity. You might sit on one of the provided pads, read a section aloud, then compare the scene in the novel with the building in front of you. The city becomes part of the book, and the book gives the city a human scale.

The route is intended to cover the medieval center in about two hours. You should expect walking between stops, but the exact path and number of reading points are not specified in the available details. The map and letter are meant to guide you, so you have to be willing to interpret directions and pause to get your bearings.

This is also why the experience can take longer than planned. One couple spent noticeably more than two hours on the walk, partly because they added the synagogue and took time with the treasure connected to the story. That is not a flaw if you enjoy a slow visit, but it matters if you have a train, restaurant reservation, or another timed activity afterward.

One location also proved difficult to identify: the former house of Johann Nase. The written instructions could give more help pinpointing it. I would treat the two-hour length as an estimate, not a promise, and leave extra time for reading, searching, and optional stops.

The synagogue, treasure, and the value of a slower route

The The Lost Treasure option offers the most clearly described site-based moment. Its subject is 14th-century Jewish life, and the route includes the UNESCO World Heritage sites associated with that history.

The synagogue and the treasure in its cellar give the theme a physical focus. Rather than hearing a broad statement about Jewish life in medieval Erfurt, you are directed toward a place and an object tied to the past. The novel then helps you imagine the people and pressures surrounding that history.

This kind of approach is valuable because Erfurt can otherwise become a quick parade of handsome facades and church towers. A story gives you a reason to ask who lived here, what work they did, and how different communities shaped the city. It also asks for more attention than a standard photo stop.

You should keep your expectations realistic. The details provided do not promise entry to every location or a guided explanation at each site. The letter may direct you to a building, street, or visible landmark, while the reading supplies the context. If you need expert commentary or guaranteed access inside historic buildings, a conventional guided tour may serve you better.

A phone-free activity that still feels social

The activity’s instruction to forget your cell phone is not just a slogan. The materials are designed to replace it: you have a paper map, a printed route, a physical novel, and two seat pads.

I like this for couples and friends because it creates shared time without forcing constant conversation. You can take turns reading, solve the route together, and notice details that might otherwise pass by. The format gives you something to do at each stop, which helps avoid the usual problem of standing in front of a monument and wondering what to look at next.

It is also a good option for people who find large guided groups tiring. You can stop when you want, reread a passage, or spend longer at a site that catches your attention. The tradeoff is that there is no live instructor to answer questions or correct a wrong turn immediately.

The activity is listed as private and wheelchair accessible. Those are useful points for planning, though the information does not describe the surface of every street, the exact route, or access inside individual buildings. If you need detailed mobility information, confirm the route with the provider before booking.

How the $67 price works for two people

The price is $67 for a group of up to two, which is about $33.50 per person. That is reasonable if you value the novel, the private format, and the included local surprise.

You are paying for more than a map. The backpack includes the book, the author’s route, the seat pads, and a small item worth about $15. A standard city walk might cost less, but it would not necessarily give you a story designed around specific locations or the freedom to explore alone.

The value depends heavily on your habits. If you read the selected passages, follow the route, and take your time, the package can feel like a small city adventure rather than a simple walk. If you prefer a fast overview with spoken explanations, you may not get as much from it.

The private group format improves the value for two people. You are not paying separately for each person, and you can split the cost while keeping control of the pace. Solo visitors cannot use the full two-person value as efficiently, since the listed rate is still for a group of up to two.

Who will enjoy this best

I would recommend the Mystery Backpack to you if you like historical fiction, self-guided walks, and activities that ask you to pay attention. It suits couples looking for a different date, friends who want a shared project, and readers who enjoy seeing a story take shape in real places.

It also works well for repeat visitors to Erfurt. If you have already seen the major churches and squares, a themed novel can give you a fresh reason to walk the center again. The woad and brewing themes should appeal to people interested in crafts and trade, while the Jewish history, monastery, and Luther themes offer more focused historical subjects.

Families may enjoy the mystery element, but the German-language format and historical reading will determine how well it fits your children. The available information does not give an age recommendation, so you should judge the book and theme by your own group.

You may want something else if you need a guide speaking throughout the route, if you dislike reading on holiday, or if your schedule allows exactly two hours and no more. The uncertain location details at some points mean this is best approached with patience.

German language, timing, and booking advice

The activity is conducted in German. The novels, letter, and tour plan are therefore most useful to people comfortable reading German. The English title The Lost Treasure is available for Amor Vincit Omnia, but the activity’s listed language remains German, so do not assume every instruction or passage is translated.

The planned duration is two hours, with starting times dependent on availability. I would reserve a little extra time, especially if you want to read aloud, stop for photos, or investigate a location that is not immediately clear.

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, and the reserve-now, pay-later option keeps the booking flexible. These policies are helpful if your Erfurt schedule is still shifting. The meeting point should be confirmed carefully, since pickup may be at Peterknecht on the Anger or Stapp on Marktstraße by arrangement.

The overall rating is 4.2 from 12 ratings, with especially strong praise for the fresh idea, the relaxed pace, the sense of stepping into the past, and the chance to learn about local crafts. One person described the experience as a way to make the buildings feel alive. That is a good description of the concept, while the difficulty locating Johann Nase’s former house is a useful warning about the practical side.

Should you book the Mystery Backpack 2p?

Book it if you want Erfurt to feel less like a list of monuments and more like a story you share with someone. The combination of a historic novel, author-written route, city map, and private pace gives you an active way to see the medieval center.

Choose your theme with care, bring enough German for the reading, and leave more than two hours if you want to follow every clue without rushing. I would pick The Lost Treasure for Jewish history and UNESCO sites, Blaues Gold or Der Bierrufer for trade and crafts, Der Abt vom Petersberg for monastery intrigue, and Die Pfaffenhure for Martin Luther.

Skip it if you want a polished, spoken tour with guaranteed answers at every stop. For everyone else, $67 for two is a fair price for a thoughtful, low-tech city experience that gives you both a book and a reason to look closely at Erfurt.

FAQ

Where does the Mystery Backpack tour begin?

You can collect the backpack at Peterknecht bookshop on the Anger at Am Anger 11 in Erfurt. An alternative is Stapp bookshop on Marktstraße, between Fischmarkt and Domplatz, if arranged by email.

How long does the experience take?

The planned duration is two hours. You may need longer if you read slowly, stop often, or add extra places such as the synagogue and its treasure.

What is included in the backpack?

The backpack includes a historic novel, two seat pads, a city map, a tour plan, a letter with directions and reading instructions, and a local surprise worth about $15.

Which book themes can I choose?

You can choose Blaues Gold about 17th-century woad trading, Der Bierrufer about 17th-century brewing, Amor Vincit Omnia or The Lost Treasure about 14th-century Jewish life, Der Abt vom Petersberg about 15th-century monastery crimes, or Die Pfaffenhure about Martin Luther in 16th-century Erfurt.

Is the tour available in English?

The activity is listed as German-language. The Lost Treasure is given as an English title for Amor Vincit Omnia, but the available information does not confirm that the full route, letter, and novel are in English.

Can I cancel or pay later?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund. The reserve-now, pay-later option lets you keep your plans flexible without paying at the time of booking.