Figueres castle cisterns host escape room for 18-29s

Young people from Figueres and the wider Empordà can take part in a new escape room set inside the underground cisterns of the Castell de Sant Ferran, the large fortress on the edge of Figueres.

The activity is called La Rovirada, and the organisers describe it as "L'escapeboat del Castell". It is open to young people aged between 18 and 29.

What is on offer

The format is an escape room, a game in which a group has to solve a series of puzzles and challenges to "escape" from a themed space. The organisers use the term "escapeboat" for this edition, a play on the usual "escape room".

The setting is the main attraction. The game takes place in the castle's subterranean cisterns. According to the organisers, the aim is to let participants rediscover a unique and special part of the fortress, which they describe as the largest in Europe.

Most visitors see the castle's walls, courtyards and views over the Empordà plain. The cisterns are a different kind of space. They sit below ground, and this activity uses them as the stage for the game.

Who can take part

The activity is aimed at a specific age group. It is open to young people aged 18 to 29 from Figueres and from the Empordà, the district around the town. It is not presented as a general tourist attraction or a family event.

The Empordà is the historic region in the north-east of Catalonia. Figueres is the capital of the Alt Empordà, the county that also includes Castelló d'Empúries and Empuriabrava. Young residents of the coastal municipalities therefore fall within the area the organisers mention.

The material published by the organisers does not give session times, group sizes, prices or registration details. Anyone interested should check these directly with the organisers before planning a visit.

The castle as a venue

The Castell de Sant Ferran is one of the best-known landmarks in the Alt Empordà. It stands on a hill above Figueres and is regularly used for visits and cultural activities. Access to the site has been a recurring topic, and a recent shuttle bus service to the castle was introduced to make the trip up the hill easier.

The new escape room adds another way to use the fortress. Instead of a guided tour, participants explore the space through a game, and they do so in an area of the castle that is usually less visible to the public.

Escape rooms in the district

Escape rooms have become a familiar format for public activities in the area. Castelló d'Empúries has also turned to the idea, with an intergenerational escape room that brings together residents of different ages. The Figueres activity takes a different approach, with its focus on young adults only.

Our Take

For young residents of Empuriabrava and Castelló d'Empúries, this is a local option that is not built around the beach or the summer season. The age range of 18 to 29 is often overlooked in public programming. Many municipal activities target children, teenagers or older residents. An offer designed specifically for young adults suggests there is some interest in filling that gap.

The choice of venue also matters. Using the underground cisterns of Sant Ferran shows how heritage sites can be opened up in new ways. This fits a broader pattern in the Alt Empordà, where historic spaces in Figueres are being given new uses, such as the plans to open the old prison gardens to the public.

There are still open questions. The published information is brief, and it does not say how many people can take part, how often sessions will run or whether the activity will return in future years. It is worth watching whether the escape room attracts young people from the coast as well as from Figueres itself, and whether the castle's cisterns become a regular venue for this kind of event. For readers without a car, getting to the castle from the coastal towns may also be a practical factor to consider.