Barcelona from inside, the sustainable city hunt

R E L E A S E – S O O N (sustainable city hunt)

A hacked press article. An entity with economic interests. A missing journalist. An investigation to be carried out. A limited time. The future of the old city at stake.

Barcelona from inside is the first mystery game that mixes social and environmental awareness with gamification and fun. An ideal treasure hunt for corporate events, CSR events and cultural activities with family or friends.

juego de misterio sostenible

Do you want to play a preview? Find out more below:

The big company NeoCities S.A. has moved to Barcelona with the goal of eliminating all traces of identity and converting the city into a neutral, minimalist and timeless space . At the same time, the Catalan journalist Mercè J. wrote the article “Barcelona from inside” where she exposes the problems of the city and how the struggles of neighborhoods try to face them, converting it into a city more fair, human and open.

NeoCities S.A. does not want this article to come to light, which is why they hacked the journalist’s computer, who has since gone into hiding for fear of reprisals from the entity.

El joc amb consciència social i mediambiental amb gamificació i diversió

Mercè J. calls you to help her recover the documents and testimonies stolen by the company. Will you be able to rebuild “Barcelona from inside” and put the truth at the service of society?

In this mission you will have to walk the network of streets of the old town, from the Mercat del Born to the Rambla del Raval, passing by the ironic Plaza of George Orwell or the controversial Forat de la Vergonya, and see Barcelona on the authentic side and its relation to inclusion, urbanism, feminism and sustainability, the pillars of this “controversial” article .

El juego sostenible en Barcelona

Why Barcelona from inside ?

Barcelona from inside: the sustainable city hunt” is therefore a new challenge launched by Artemis, with the support of Barcelona City Hall and Barcelona Activa , with the aim of making visible the causes, problems and challenges that affect the daily life of the Old City, giving voice to those entities and movements that have fought to improve their neighborhoods and make change possible and to raise awareness among residents and visitors to Barcelona through puzzles and team tests.

Finally, the initiative aims to support local commerce in all phases of the project and will donate part of the profits to the entities with which it collaborates.

What values does Barcelona from inside bring?

Barcelona from inside: the sustainable city hunt” talks about empathy, cooperation, migration, LGBTIQ + rights, environment, feminism, sustainability, mutual aid, gentrification, mass tourism, human rights, the homeless, town planning, children with functional diversity, and culture. This game is about all of us.

More information about this game

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Basic, Intermediate or Advanced: What’s your level of knowledge about Ciutat Vella?

Will you have visitors over soon and you’re worried about not knowing what to tell them about the centre of Barcelona? Are embarrassed that your friends from abroad know more about Ciutat Vella than you do? According to our own experience, in 80% of cases, Barcelona locals answer “yes” to these questions.

Don’t worry, that’s a natural phenomenon, seeing as when we’re from a certain place we take on certain customs (school, work, holidays abroad…) that dampen our curiosity about our own city. That curiosity that sparks up so easily when we’re travelling abroad vanishes once we have to worry about paying bills, meeting with friends or minding our home.

Of course there are always exceptions to the rule and we’re happy to know that many locals could be excellent guides of the centre of Barcelona, as we have seen in our cultural scavenger hunts. But for those who make up that 80%, here are three Little secrets about the centre to impress your visitors (at a basic, intermediate and advanced level).

PORTA DE SANT JORDI (The Door of Saint George)

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Basic

It’s in the Palau del Lloctinent, together with the Arxiu de la Corona d’Aragó (Archives of the Crown of Aragon), next to Plaça del Rei. It pays homage to the Kingdom of Aragon, and includes, among other symbols, a representation of Sant Jordi (Saint George, patron saint of Catalonia), an allegory of the city of Majorca, the blazon of the Kingdom of Aragon, the coat of arms of Barcelona as a doorknob, the cross of Saint George and the handprint of the artist, Subirachs (that has been worn to a shine because of the many people who think themselves Indiana Jones and try to touch it to see if they find treasure on the other side).

Intermediate

The map on the door shows the Kingdom of Aragon at its widest extension, when Jaume II el Just (James II of Aragon) reigned from the end of the 13th to the early 14th Century. In it you can see the great extension of the territories of the Crown of Aragon: it ruled over Catalonia, Valencia, the Balearic Islands, Sardinia, Sicily, some areas in the south of Italy and France and even some parts of Greece (this explains the name of many streets in Eixample: Mallorca, Sardenya, Sicília, Provença, Rocafort, Lepant…).

Advanced

It is a 1970s work by Josep Maria Subirachs, a prolific Catalan sculptor whose work features in many places in Barcelona, among others, Plaça de Sant Miquel, Jardins del Mirador de Montjuïc, the Diagonal metro station, the Palau de la Generalitat and… the whole sculptural ensemble of the Passion Façade (facing c/Sardenya) of the Sagrada Familia.

CARASSA at the crossroad of MIRALLERS and VIGATANS

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Basic

On this crossroads you will see the sculpture of a head that sticks out from the corner of a building. It’s really a sort of advertising sign aimed at illiterate people and foreigners (sailors, mainly) that informed that the building housed a brothel. For those who are not convinced, just look at the expression of the sculpture: it’s a woman with blank eyes and a half open mouth, as though experiencing an orgasm.

Intermediate

This isn’t the only Carassa in Barcelona. There are two more that most likely showed the building they were on were brothels: one under the window of a third floor on Carrer de les Panses, a small street near Plaça de Santa Maria del Mar, and another on Carrer de les Mosques with Carrer Flassaders. The one on Carrer de les Panses, beign on a third floor, showed that the brothel was just on that floor, and not to bother the neighbours, however tricky that may be. This brings us to the advanced level…

Advanced

Prostitution was common in the Middle Ages, and it was even regulated (as much as possible) by the local authorities (quite similar to what is shown in Game of Thrones, George R. R. Martin didn’t exactly make that up). As suggested by the doctoral thesi of Lucía Conte Aguilar, this profession took up whole neighbourhoods in port cities just like Barcelona. Historians agree that the biggest brothel in Barcelona was Viladalls, on the Rambla close to what is now Plaça Reial. This sculpture, previously on the corner of Mirallers with Sombrerers, showed the Hostal Bordeller de la Carassa.

PLAÇA DE L’ÀNGEL

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Basic

This square is called “Plaça de l’Àngel” (the Angel’s Square) because of a miracle that took place in the Middle Ages, said to have been brought about by one of the patrons saints of Barcelona, Saint Eulalia. There is a statue celebrating that miracle on one of the façades of the square, it shows an angel (oddly wingless) that points to the ground with their right hand and toward the northeast with the left.

Intermediate

In the 14th century the remains of Saitn Eulalia had to be moved from the chapel of Santa Maria de les Arenes (nowadays Santa María del Mar) to the Cathedral of Barcelona. According to legend, during the procession that took place for the move, the sarcophagus of the saint became so heavy that the bearers had to drop it. It was then that an angel appeared and pointed at a cleric in the crowd. The man had stolen a finger of the saint as a relic (even nowadays this sort of thing is quite valuable, and in the Middle Ages even more so). When the cleric admitted to the theft and returned the finger, the pallbearers were once again able to lift the sarcophagus and the procession was able to go on.

Advanced

Before it was Plaça del Àngel, this square was, in many ways, the most important in Medieval Barcelona, back then called Plaça del Blat (Wheat Square). It was just a few metres away from Palau Reial and here, as its name shows, is where they held the market selling the most basic medieval food product: wheat. As a matter of fact, it’s not surprising that it was the stage multiple popular revolts in Barcelona, the most important of them taking place during la Guerra dels Segadors (the Reapers’ War) in the 17th century.

What’s your level of knowledge? Was this useful or did you know it all? Did you find that something wasn’t quite right? We’d love to discuss it, and that’s what the comment section is for!

We will soon have more posts with city secrets!

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5 qualities that define a good Artemis crew member

The face of our scavenger hunts at Artemis is precisely the face, soul and energy of our crew members. When it comes to our game, crew members are the bearers of the information about the game, as well as the material needed for it. But not only do they take care of the latter, they are also stand-ins for Raquel Silva in Pekin Express waiting for the participants of the reality show at the. They are part of the final stage of the game, receiving the players with prizes, the correcting answers (if need be) and, from time to time, sharing a glass to celebrate completing the game.

But before the grand finale, our crew never disappear from the stage of the game (that is, the streets where it takes place). Although teams do their own time travelling alone, the Artemis crew member hosting the game could be hiding in doorways and under balconies to surprise players along their way. You never know when they could find a player looking at Google Maps, an act punishable by death (or almost), or skipping a section, among other misdeeds that players may commit.

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So, as you can see, the Artemis crew member has the important task of assisting players in the purest game master style. In addition, they are sometimes faced by the demands of the players and, why not? perhaps a bit of fatigue after walking a few kilometres. For all the challenges that lie ahead, a hosting Artemis crew member must have the following qualities:

1- Self-Assurance: it is very important that the information (rules, prohibitions, conditions and other parameters of the game) is very clear. To do this, the hosting crew member must be sure about themselves and their knowledge of the game.

2- Flexibility: players often have requests such as stopping at a bar, finishing quickly because they have another event afterwards, resting… For all these reasons, it is very important that the hosting crew member is ready to adapt to all kinds of requests and please the players.

3- Optimism: the hosting crew member must be highly motivated to live a new adventure and see any window as a giant door that opens before them.They must always remain positive to be able to spread their positivity to the players, who will need a lot of enthusiasm to walk every nook and cranny in the centre of Barcelona.

4- Sense of humour: we must confess that sometimes our crew dress up to liven up the story. We do not mean that they make a fool of themselves, only that they must be prepared to play policemen, park rangers or people who are incognito, among other characters.

5- Pro-activity: Artemis crew members re great fans of games, but they also know the city well. This is important, because they often influence the players with tips for their post-game activities, since they recommend bars, shops, and places to visit. Therefore, our crew are active people in their daily lives, who take active part of the growth of Barcelona itself.

So these, together with other useful characteristics, are the qualities we appreciate in our crew. Of course, it takes a good dose of responsibility to make your company event, your birthday party or your meeting with friends a success.

Do you think you could be a good fit in the Artemis crew? Spring is coming soon and with it a bright sun that makes anyone want to play one of our wall-free escape rooms! Get in touch.

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5 differences between escape rooms and city hunts

Nowadays, birthdays are not really celebrated in bars and tourism is no longer done through the window of a bus that takes you around town. They are no longer celebrated with friends on the bench of any park. No, what is trendy right now is more about experience, adventure, puzzles and escape games! And above all, we like to test our communication, orientation and strategy skills with friends, whatever the day of the week.

This is why Barcelona has equipped itself with several escape rooms or escape games on different themes and for several levels. But, what is there beyond the rooms from which you have to get out in 60 minutes? Good question to which we have the answer: outdoor treasure hunts or city hunts like those offered by Artemis Gymkhanas!

Here are the 5 differences differences between escape rooms city hunts :

Difference 1 – Play time

In a common escape game, the play time is generally limited. You only have one hour to find the exit. On the other hand, in an orientation game and Artemis scavenger hunts, the playing time is extended. By the way, our shortest game lasts 1h30 and the longest can last up to 3h30! You will think that an hour is more than enough, but when you stroll through a district of Barcelona in search of puzzles, it becomes difficult to stop! All the more so when the course of the game is full of surprises!

Difference 2 – The “sporty” factor

If you want to do a bit of sport, the Artemis scavenger hunt in Barcelona is a good way to achieve your daily step goal. How? By traveling through numerous cobbled streets or mountain paths, all in a race against an opposing team. At Artemis Gymkhanas, we have paper chases that allow you to cross and discover several districts of Barcelona. A good example is the game called From Born to Raval.

Difference 3 – The number of players

If you are two people, you can totally do an Artemis city hunt, but if you are 300 … you can too! Large companies such as Ikea, eDreams or Booking.com have already discovered the city through our adventures. Depending on the game, all the teams start from the starting point at the same time, or with ten minutes difference.

Difference 4- Fiction VS reality

Escape rooms have many accessories available, which allow players to fully immerse themselves in the story. As for the Artemis treasure hunts in the city, they are embedded in the past, and as we cannot change the reality of Barcelona, ​​we are doing everything possible to link it to a believable story told in a road book that accompanies the players during the course. Sometimes and depending on the game, the team of animators puts on disguises to make it easier for the players to project themselves into the past (or the future) of Barcelona.

Difference 5 – Tourism in the city

As you saw in the previous point, far from being locked in a room, Artemis city hunts and orienteering games allow you to get involved and experience Barcelona in direct contact with its inhabitants, with the shops and hidden spaces of the city.

So, escape games and treasure hunts are a fun way to team up, bond, and play beyond the popular Trivial Pursuit or classic Monopoly. These are ways to spend the afternoon (or morning) on ​​adventures and solving puzzles. But by the way, did you know that our Virus Escape paper chase is the story that precedes the Enigma escape game? A clear example that treasure hunts and escape rooms, although different, can sometimes go hand in hand.

Tell us what other differences between escape rooms and city hunts you can spot! 🙂

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New 2021 city hunts : Barcelona Romana and Bar Hunting (Poble Sec)

We want you to start 2021 on the right foot. This is why we have made every effort to offer you two new 2021 city hunts by Artemis!

After surviving a pandemic and a thousand mobility restrictions, we have two new paper chase options which will:

  1. Allow you to go out of your house and see the sun;
  2. Allow you to see your friends ous permettront de voir des amis in the safest way possible;
  3. Allow you to learn new things;
  4. Help you relive the magic of Barcelona, ​​in a mysterious and enigmatic way

What are the new games for 2021?

The first is a game that we have completely revisited. It was one of the very first Artemis Gymkhanas treasure hunts that we turned into a fictional story on the streets of the Ghotic district. It will allow you to enter old Barcino, and to know the oldest architectural remains of the Roman colony founded as a gift to retired Roman soldiers.

The second is the best option we have found to help the hotel industry. It takes place in the districts of Poble Sec and Paral·lel, which represent the twentieth-century suburb, characterized by modernist bars and a factory atmosphere. A great option if you want to know the best bars in town and taste delicious products.

Barcelona Romana – Saving Flavia

You will put yourself in the shoes of a Roman citizen who wants to find Flavia before she is sold to the slave market. You have to walk the streets of Barcino, read papyri and put history in order to discover Flavia’s slave code. Will you be able to find her before her terrible fate catches up with her?

This outdoor escape game is ideal for playing with family or adults.

gynkana barcelona romana

Bar Hunting – Attack on Pompeii

In 1920, an armed man hired by the employers, Inocencio Feced, planted a bomb in the Music Hall Pompeya, in Poble Sec. There were 6 dead and 18 injured but due to lack of evidence, he was released. Someone contacted you to visit the bars in the area and find the evidence that could indict him.

This treasure hunt is perfect for locals and tourists alike. It includes 3 drinks.

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Which one are you going to try first?

We have already made the tickets for the grand premiere of these games available to you. If you would like to reserve your seats, click here and let us know which game you would like to try first.

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Recruitment of a “Commercial Assistant”

OFERTA DE TRABAJO: “Asistente Comercial”
Puesto a media jornada
Incorporacíon: Diciembre 2016

 

Descripción de la empresa:

Empresa líder en la organización de yincanas en Barcelona desde 2014, Artemis Gymkhanas en Barcelona S.L. está dando un paso más en el crecimiento de su actividad.
Se Busca un “Asistente Comercial” cuya lengua materna sea el castellano y que podrá acompañarnos en esta fase de crecimiento y formar parte de nuestro equipo.

Descripción del puesto:
1- Tareas administrativas:
a. Creación de formatos para todos los documentos de la empresa (seguimiento de pagos, seguimiento de los juegos, planificación de los animadores…)
b. Gestión de los emails diarios (contacto con clientes y proveedores…)
c. Gestión de las solicitudes de particulares/instituciones (+ de 50% de nuestros clientes) con el apoyo de las socias de la empresa
d. Fase de preparación de los juegos:
i. Planning organizadores
ii. Preparación del material en sí
iii. Creación de la hoja de ruta, documento crucial para el buen desarrollo de la actividad

2- Tareas comerciales:
a. Búsqueda de los diferentes actores que podrían estar interesados en nuestras actividades.
b. Contacto telefónico, presentación de la actividad, acompañamiento a las citas con clientes
c. Seguimiento del ratio citas / solicitudes nuevas
d. Seguimiento de las ventas / estacionalidad

3- Animación de grupos:
a. Organización de los juegos de gran tamaño in situ
b. Responsable de la actividad
c. Acompañamiento de los grupos
d. Coordinación de los animadores

Requisitos:

Idiomas: 
Castellano lengua materna
Inglés, francés y catalán: Nivel avanzado

Experiencia previa:
Administrativo(a), turismo, animación de grupos.

Calidades:
Dinámico, rigoroso, organizado, autónomo, flexible.

Otros:
Ofimática (Office), Redes sociales (Facebook, linkedin, Twitter…)

 

 

 

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